Civilization II Course Paper 2 – From the Romantics to Industrialization
The second half of the Civilization II course showed us the radical changes from the Renaissance period to the Romantic era and further on. With works like Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein, and Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Notes from the Underground we move farther away from the religious views of the sixteenth century Europe and move toward a more open and industrialized world. With Romanticism the views of the Enlightenment are also changed. The Enlightenment was a time where reason and individualism were put forth whereas Romanticism was a literary, artistic, and intellectual movement. It originated in Europe in the late 18th and early 19th century and, it is due in part to the French Revolution which planted the grains needed for Romanticism to sprout and grow. Romanticism was the protest of the individual against the universal laws of classicism. It was also the protest of feeling against reason and perhaps more importantly the protest on the behalf of nature against the encroachments of industrialization (Barrett Chapter 6). However, it is not because a protest against reason is occurring that faith is taken away as seen in Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein. From the Romantic era and Industrialization, the world then witnessed World War I and finally, the course touched upon Samuel Beckett’s Endgame which shows the changes that occurred in daily life post-war. Within a short amount of time the views of mankind and its beliefs drastically changed. It also seems that all that was studied from the Enlightenment onwards are pieces of a very big puzzle. Each piece fits snuggly and creates one big picture that ends with Beckett’s Endgame.
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein highly embr...
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...the same cheering that was seen when soldiers were going to the front was seen when the war had ended. This in turn touched on Samuel Beckett’s Endgame as the play is set in an apocalyptic (or so we are made to believe) post-war setting where nature has lost and the pursuit of individualism seems useless as there is nothing left to do but to die. This second half of the Civilization II semester was surely stronger than the first half, since the history timeline covered changes that drastically affected mankind. As John Mason, a popular and anointed minister for churches once said, “You were born an original, don’t die a copy” (3. John Mason). This can be applied to the Romantics and Existentialist and it is true for without you, there is no difference. Every little thing you do may have a larger impact than you would expect on the surroundings and world around you.
The Enlightenment age encouraged everyone to use reason and science in order to rid the world of barbarism and superstition. In fact, Kant argued that the "public use of one's reason must always be free, and it alone can bring about enlightenment among men" (Kant 3). Enlightenment thinking not only influenced philosophy and the sciences, but also literature (especially in Pope's Essay on Man). In reaction to Enlightenment's strict empiricism, Romanticism was born. In Frankenstein, Shelley argues (1) that Victor Frankenstein's role as an Enlightenment hero, not only pulled him out of nature, but made him a slave to his creation; (2) that Frankenstein's role as a revolting romantic failed, because he didn't take responsibility for his creation; and (3) mankind must find a balance between the Enlightenment and Romantic ideologies.
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein was published in 1818 during the Romanticism era. Romanticism describes the period of time from the late 18th century to the mid 19th century. This period was seen as a response to the Enlightenment; overall there was an increase in the desire to understand the world in an objective matter (lecture). Though Romanticism is commonly viewed as a literary and artistic movement, Mary Shelley gives evidence on the development of Europe in a historical sense through her novel, Frankenstein. Through the motifs and personal experiences of her characters, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein gives insight on scientific development, emerging roles of women, and how the individual is viewed the
Introduction The industrial revolution took place between 1750 and 1850 all round the world. In this essay it describes the changes made in Middlesbrough in this period and how the managed to cope with the surge of people coming into Middlesbrough. Everything changed in Middlesbrough in the Industrial Revolution like mining, transport, agriculture and even technology. Population grew at great rate as there was plenty of work and cheap labour was readily available.
Voltaire's Candide and Mary Shelley's Frankenstein are classics of western literature, in large part, because they both speak about the situation of being human. However, they are also important because they are both representative of the respective cultural movements during which they were written - the Enlightenment and the Romantic Era. As a result of this inheritance, they have different tones and messages, just as the Enlightenment and Romanticism had different tones and messages. But, it is not enough to merely say that they are "different" because they are linked. The intellectual movement from which Frankenstein emerged had its origins in the intellectual movement from which Candide emerged. By examining each of these works from the context of these intellectual movements, the progression in tone from light-hearted optimism in Candide to a heavier brooding doom in Frankenstein can be explained as being an extension of the progression from the Enlightenment to the Era of Romanticism.
American towns industrialized all throughout the nineteenth century, irresistible ailments developed as a genuine danger. The presentation of new workers and the development of vast urban zones permitted already confined sicknesses to spread rapidly and contaminate larger populations. As industrialization occurred, towns developed into cities, and people relocated to them. The expanded interest for shoddy lodging by urban vagrants prompted ineffectively assembled homes that poorly accommodated individual cleanliness. Outside laborers in the nineteenth century frequently lived in cramped dwellings that consistently lacked fundamental comforts, for example, running water, ventilation, and toilets. These conditions were perfect for the spread
The United States in the 1870s was highly agrarian focused, centered on the local community with individuals taking pride in their work. This was a time where small businesses and farms were the center of the American economy. In a striking comparison, the early 20th century marked an era of heavy industrialization and a wider view of the nation as a whole. The decades in between were filled with violent and rapid change in all aspects of American life. By and large through the expansion of business across state lines, an explosion of growth in railroads, and huge leaps in the technologies responsible for efficient industry. These aspects were the driving force behind the new America that was born from the haze of industrialization.
The Industrial Revolution in Britain’s history is marked as the period of great development that led to the modern era of growth, improved living standards and technology. Moreover, this revolution was not just limited to Britain; it affected the rest of Europe and America in the same positive manner. Due to the Industrial Revolution’s success in many countries, it is now commonly cited as the surest way for a country to develop. In economics, goals of a developed country are high production of goods, high Gross Domestic Product (GDP), low unemployment and sustained growth; during an Industrial Revolution all these are achieved. However, despite the main goal of IR to improve living standards for the population, the actual success when weighed against the social cost is debatable. It is accepted that IR improved the living standards of many; it created a new class, which Marx called the “bourgeoisie”, who had control over wealth, decisions and helped improve the lives of many others. However, many historians view this new class as “rapacious landlords and conscienceless capitalist[s]” [9] who exploited the working class for their own benefit. For a majority of “the working class… ‘Industrial Revolution’ … must have appeared… as a gigantic and cruel experiment, which, insofar as it was affecting their house, their health, their subsistence and their pleasure, was proving a calamitous failure” [9]. Therefore, this group will be examined to determine more general effects of IR on the society.
America was a time of rapid growth for people all across the country. The Industrial Revolution began a few years after the Civil War with the invention of steam powered machines. From there, America faced a time of massive expansion and modern industrialized cities popped up across the United States. While there was much success across the nation, such as manual labor becoming easier and a huge population growth, the negative effects of industrialization outweigh the positives. A few of the issues that made industrialization an atrocious time for many was the racism and segregation towards immigrants and unsafe and unfair working conditions/the deprivation of a regular childhood for kids across the nation.
As a response to the Enlightenment movement in 18th century Europe, Romanticism gradually began to undermine the way people thought about human consciousness and nature itself. Appreciation of the natural beauty of the world and pure, human emotion bloomed in Europe as Romanticism’s influence grew ("Topic Page: Romanticism”). Romantics valued Individualism and thought that being close to nature would make them closer to God (Morner and Rausch). People also searched for solace in nature to overcome the adversities and cynicisms that followed the French Revolution ("French Revolution."). Romanticism and Romantic ideals influenced Mary Shelley, and that influence can be seen throughout her novel Frankenstein. The two main characters, Victor Frankenstein
“Books are the carriers of civilization” (ThinkExist, 2010, para. 1). The first part of a quote from Barbara W. Tuchman cannot be truer. It is why students study America’s classic novels to learn about the time period. Many authors intend writing for the future, while others just write for fun. They use literary techniques that are popular to the time period, making it obvious when the pieces were written. With the history, you also get the sentiment of the writer that only the novel can give you. The result of this is a great fusion between literature and history, and has its roots since the beginning of America.
In Lord Byron’s poem “Darkness” he predicts what the end of humanity would look like, provoking readers to fear that humans are capable of the downfall of society. Byron wrote about a post apocalyptic world that could result from the mass hysteria present in the 18th century. France had undergone the Industrial and French revolutions, but he questioned the intent of revolutionists advocating for enlightenment. In Byron’s eyes human progress is important but it cannot be justified because humans are to self-centered to create progress in the world. Furthermore, during this period literature saw a change which Byron helped spearhead. The Romantic Movement was further sparked by the political and social transformations from the revolutions in
Romanticism was an artistic and philosophical time period that occurred in Europe during the late 18th century. Many forms of art were introduced at this time, as were forms of poetry and unorthodox ideals coming from the creators of these pieces. The poetry of Blake, Wordsworth, and Keats all shared aspects of nature and their personal emotions displayed through literary allusions. They break away from social norms, and even artistic norms, which was the aim of the artists during this part of literary history.
The Romantic Era followed the Age of Enlightenment, a time of scientific discovery, political changes, and philosophical advancement. Romanticism challenged the rationality of the Enlightenment (Britannica). Romantic artists placed emotions above reason. In keeping with the Romantic tradition, Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley challenges the benefits of science, education, and knowledge. In Frankenstein, Dr. Frankenstein, his creature, and Robert Walton are all ambitious; they have a desire for knowledge. However, this quest for knowledge brings about destruction to Dr. Frankenstein, misery to the monster, and danger to Walton. Shelley draws parallels to the Biblical story of the Fall; a catastrophe which befell mankind because of a desire for knowledge.
Great Britain was the first country to experience industrialization due to its abundant natural resources such as coal and iron, immense expansion throughout the world and subsequent economic growth from trade, and its governmental and financial strength. The industrial revolution was fast and maintained strength in Great Britain, whereas other Western countries experienced industrialization much more gradually and with more difficulty, due to political, social, and economic instability.
The Victorian Era of England which lasted from 1833 to 1901 had many long standing effects on culture today. A reflection of the different struggles can be seen in the literature filling the period. Industrialization was beginning to take shape, leading to the Britain becoming an empire. Many of the effects of the changing customs and technology of this period are seen in the literature read today. Each different type of literature can give insight to a positive or negative effect of the time. Naturalism, Realism, and Romanticism are three common ways to see these effects.