The 17th century was considered the “Age of Reason”, along with the final years of the artistic
and cultural movement, the Renaissance. Writers at this time were influenced by these social
revolutions, along with other historical events. Theories about emotion and reason sprung during this
time period, which were expressed in literature by poets and authors such as Robert Herrick, William
Shakespeare, and Thomas Hobbes. Shakespeare’s play, King Lear is a great representation on the
relationship of reason and emotion.
The design of reason and emotion was being developed during the 17th century. They related the
ideas of emotion with words such as ‘passion’ and ‘affect,’ (Schmitter, Amy M.) These terms of
emotion contrast from todays definition. Philosophy was a vital part of the seventeenth century due to
the enlightenment. The relationship between reason and emotion has been expressed in different forms
of literature such as poetry and literature. In literature, it would be expressed with themes such as
sight and insight.In poetry two common themes in 16th were the relationship between men and
women, and the treachery and hypocrisy of courtly life(unknown author). Poets such as Robbert
Herrick discussed how human life has a short time span and that it must be spent with love. William
expressed his ideas through his character King Lear, who at first is controlled by his emotions, then
later finds reason by the challenges he faces.
Robbert Herrick, a 17th century english poet, wrote the poem To Daffodils, which expresses the
concept that time is too short, and that we must enjoy it through love. In many of his poems, he had a
common subject, love, with particular lines also have to do with cerem...
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...as (1651). Leviathan. England.
Shakespeare, William (1606). King Lear
Herrick, Robert (1640). To Daffodils
Cervantes, Miguel (1605). Don Quixote
Unknown Author . The Period of Renaissance in English Literature (4th ed.) publication unknown. Retrieved from http://portal.tpu.ru/SHARED/g/GREDINA/four/Tab/renessans.pdf (Book Source)
Schmitter, Amy M., "17th and 18th Century Theories of Emotions",The Stanford
Encyclopedia of Philosophy(Spring 2014 Edition), Edward N. Zalta(ed.), forthcoming URL.
Williams, Garrath ((unknown publishing date)). Thomas Hobbes: Moral and Political
Philosophy. Retrieved from http://www.iep.utm.edu/hobmoral/
(Unknown Author) (unknown publishing date). Robert Herrick, The Poetry Foundation. Retrieved from http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/robert-herrick
...t P. and Stanley B. Greenfield, Old English Poetry: Fifteen Essays, Providence, RI: Brown University Press, 1967
literature and poetry. Although most of the excerpts refer to MaleMale love there is one
The 18th century is well known for its complex artistic movements such as Romantism and Neo-classical. The leading style Rococo thrived from 1700-1775 and was originated from the French words rocaille and coquille which meant “rock” and “shell”; used to decorate the Baroque gardens1. Identified as the age of “Enlightenment”, philosophers would ignite their ideas into political movements1. Associated with this movement is England’s John Locke who advanced the concept of “empiricism”. This denotes that accepting knowledge of matters of fact descends from experience and personal involvement1. Locke’s concept assisted the improvements of microscopes and telescopes allowing art students in the French academy to observe real life1. Science and experience influenced painting more so in Neo-Classicalism. Locke fought for people’s rights and the power or “contract” between the ruler and the ruled. Reasoning that “the Light in Enlightenment referred to the primacy of reason and intellect…and a belief in progress and in the human ability to control nature”1. Hence, the commence of experimental paintings such as Joseph Wright’s (1734-1797) oil on canvas painting: Fig.1 An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump. This image was developed through science by placing a bird in glass container and pumping air to see the effects it would have on the bird (White cockatoo)1. Throughout the late 18th and early 19th century in Western Europe, Neo-Classical art became the “true Style” and was accepted by the French Revolution under Louis XIV. Neo-Classical art was a reaction to Rococo’s light hearted, humour and emotion filled pieces.
In today’s modern view, poetry has become more than just paragraphs that rhyme at the end of each sentence. If the reader has an open mind and the ability to read in between the lines, they discover more than they have bargained for. Some poems might have stories of suffering or abuse, while others contain happy times and great joy. Regardless of what the poems contains, all poems display an expression. That very moment when the writer begins his mental journey with that pen and paper is where all feelings are let out. As poetry is continues to be written, the reader begins to see patterns within each poem. On the other hand, poems have nothing at all in common with one another. A good example of this is in two poems by a famous writer by the name of Langston Hughes. A well-known writer that still gets credit today for pomes like “ Theme for English B” and “Let American be American Again.”
The Renaissance has not ceased to be an age of discussion and debate among historians throughout the recent centuries. The vibrant nature of the era marks it as a most fascinating period of history. The Renaissance can be described as an age carrying the essence of “self-discovery and fulfillment, of recognition of human worth, and a dynamic outpouring of artistic activity.” This new world flourishing with art and creative optimism was also steeped in a spirit of “revolt of the Medievalists.” In an effort of “rebirth,” the previous culture of the Middle Ages was rejected, and even scorned. Foundational principles in all fields were overstepped, and old cultural norms were practically obsolete. It was an era whose humanistic philosophy greatly impacted the lens through which man viewed himself and the world.
Representation of the passions was an accepted artistic convention for expressing emotion. Le Brun, a late 17th-century century artist , wrote a "grammar" of the passions from Descartes earlier work. In doing so he gives a formal explanation of the 17th and eventually 18th-century representation of emotion. Le Brun’s manual explains that
“Philosophers, writers, and artists expressed disillusionment with the rational-humanist tradition of the Enlightenment. They no longer shared the Enlightenment's confidence in either reason's capabilities or human goodness.” (Perry, pg. 457) It is interesting to follow art through history and see how the general mood of society changed with various aspects of history, and how events have a strong connection to the art of the corresponding time.
result it has on people. In all three poems the last line of the poems
An emotion begins with an individual’s assessment of the personal meaning of some antecedent event – what Lazarus
The dawning of the nineteen century brought with it a change in the political and social climate, the world was ready to usher in a new era of artistic thought. This new awareness was called “Romanticism” and saw its height during the Industrial Revolution. At this time, the Romantic era centered on the ideas of emotion, fantasy and hope. The end of the French Revolution became an important force in propelling a new train of thought. For the first time people were now regarded as individuals, oppression was sympathized and the banner of equality was flying high.
The first stage of Lear’s transformation is resentment. At the start of the play it is made quite clear that Lear is a proud, impulsive, hot-tempered old man. He is so self-centered that he simply cannot fathom being criticized. The strength of Lear’s ego becomes evident in the brutal images with which he expresses his anger towards Cordelia: “The barbarous Scythian,/Or he that makes his generation messes/To gorge his appetite, shall to my bosom/Be as well neighboured, pitied, and relieved,/As thou may sometime daughter.” (1.1.118-122). The powerful language that Lear uses to describe his intense hatred towards Cordelia is so incommensurable to the cause, that there can be only one explanation: Lear is so passionately wrapped up in his own particular self-image, that he simply cannot comprehend any viewpoint (regarding himself) that differs from his own (no matter how politely framed). It is this anger and resentment that sets Lear’s suffering and ultimate purification in motion.
(6) Rhetoric. 1378a20. "The emotions are all those feelings that so change men as to affect their judgements, and that are also attended by pain or pleasure. Such are anger, pity, fear and the like with their opposites."
The two factor theory of emotion of Schechter singer states that emotion is based on two factors, psychological arousal and cognitive label. According to the theory when an emotion is felt, psychological arousal occurs and a person looks for cues in the environment to interpret or understand the psychological arousal. The James Lang theory refers to the hypothesis on the origin and nature of emotions. The theory proposes that instead of feeling and emotion and subsequent bodily response , the psychological change is primary and emotion is experienced when the brain reacts to the information received via the bodies nervous
This tendency toward images of impassioned or poignant feeling cut across all national boundaries. Romanticism, as this movement became known, reflects the movement of writers, musicians, painters, and sculptors away from rationalism toward the more subjective side of human experience. Feeling became both the subject and object of art.
... feared time. At times he seemed as if he was angry at the fact that time went by too quick and not enough time allowed him to spend summer with his beloved. Other times he spent glorifying how beautiful his beloved one was and how the beauty can’t ever be taken away. It makes it difficult for the audience to take his reason serious at times because at one point in the poem he seems to have contradicted himself. I found out that this poem had a portion of metaphors, similes, and imagery and personification throughout the entire poem. He begins the poem with a simile and ends it with a personification on the poem.