When asked whether "Waverley" is an anti-Romantic novel, one must first fully understand the term "Romantic" and then discuss whether the characteristics of this expression are at all reflected within "Waverley."
One must take into consideration the historical and political conditions within society at the time and their influence on this great writer and his works.
The Romantic period occurred some time from 1789 to 1832. It was a dramatic turning point in literary history as it was considered a movement away from classical traditions and provincial languages within the field of literature which had been safe yet restricting for the authors of the time. Through the portrayals within poetry of nature and controversial subjects such as religion, politics and people, the romantic form was developed, with fresh ways of writing and new narrative styles.
However it was national and political influences that encouraged this movement. Religious debates had begun to occur. New Religions and the Church of England had begun to contradict and oppose each other and the fear of war oppressed many groups within society. The Romantic period portrayed a freedom and exhilaration for change and movements at the time, reducing an oppressive society. This presented a new liberation for writers and so their work tended to reflect the changes at the time.
The French revolution in 1789 was a literary turn-point. Writers that had for so long been restricted to ideas within literature such as patriotism, could now voice their political statements within their works.
How do these romantic features apply to "Waverley"? Do they at all?
Published in 1819, "Waverley" had a profound effect on literature and established Scott as a great nove...
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... compare the attitudes, ideologies and beliefs of the time and their success within society. This allowed a new attitude to history within literature to be created in a new, real, vivid way.
Although he themes of the novel and not presented in a way associated with the Romantic period, the way in which it was written, the novels characteristics and impressions upon the readers embody the Romantic novel clearly.
Through its historical, political, social and environmental references and focuses, the way in which it was written and published, and the effect upon literary society at this time would reveal that although this novel does not embody all that would reveal it as a romantic novel, it maintains significant features and aspects of the Romantic movement. It is this that allows us to conclude that no, Waverley cannot be referred to as an anti-Romantic novel.
To start with, Romanticism was the first writing movement of the nineteenth century. It originated at the close of the eighteenth century in Europe, but was popular from the 1800s to 1850s. This movement was a revolt against the political and social standards of the Age of Enlightenment and a reaction to the reasoning of nature through science. Romanticism’s characteristics came from philosophical sources and, because it is a reaction against reasoning, it focuses on intuition, nature, and human emotions. The philosophical background of this movement came from an author named Jean-Jacques Rousseau who emphasized the individual and the power of inspiration. Romanticism later then broke off into another two movements called Parnassian and Realism.
The Romantic period at its height extended over just a bit more than a century, from the latter half of the eighteenth century through to nearly the end of the nineteenth century. During this period, a new school of poetry was forged, and with it, a new moral philosophy. But, as the nineteenth century wound down, the Romantic movement seemed to be proving itself far more dependent on the specific cultural events it spanned than many believed; that is, the movement was beginning to wind down in time with the ebbing of the industrial and urban boom in much the same way that the movement grew out of the initial period of industrial and urban growth. Thus, it would be easy to classify the Romantic movement as inherently tied to its cultural context. The difficulty, then, comes when poets and authors outside of this time period-and indeed in contexts quite different then those of the original Romantic poets-begin to label themselves as Romantics.
Wolfson, Susan and Peter Manning (eds.). The Longman Anthology of British Literature: The Romantics and Their Contemporaries. Volume 2A. New York: Longman, 1999.
Romanticism was a literary movement that occurred in the late eighteenth century to the mid nineteenth century which shifted the focus of literature from puritan works, to works which revolved around imagination, the beauty of nature, the individual, and the value of emotion over intellect. The ideas of the movement were quite revolutionary as earlier literature was inhibited by the need to focus on society and the rational world it effected. Romanticism allowed writers to be more creative with there stories and to explore an irrational world which before, would have been at the very least frowned upon if not outright rejected. The short story, “Young Goodman Brown” by Nathaniel Hawthorne is an example of a romantic work because it showcases the individual over society, exalts emotion and intuition over reason, and keeps a strong focus on nature throughout the story.
Romanticism was a movement in art and literature in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries in revolt against the Neoclassicism of the previous centuries. The romanticism movement in literature consists of a few of the following characteristics: intuition over fact, imagination over fact, and the stretch and alteration of the truth. The death of a protagonist may be prolonged and/or exaggerated, but the main point was to signify the struggle of the individual trying to break free, which was shown in “The Fall of the House Usher” (Prentice Hall Literature 322).
Stillinger, Jack, Deidre Lynch, Stephen Greenblatt, and M H. Abrams. The Norton Anthology of English Literature: Volume D. New York, N.Y: W.W. Norton & Co, 2006. Print.
Romanticism age in literature is defined as the period in the late 18th century that begun in Western Europe. Romantic Movement was a time where authors expressed strong emotions, freedom and independence in artistic work. During this period, writers strongly rejected strict rules, order and rationality. Romanticism was an era that followed the enlightenment age and was considered an answer to the past ideas of enlightenment that majorly focused on order and logic. The writers during this period were more egger to let their imagination rule their plot instead of focusing on realistic limits. This movement puts more emphasis the infinite and mysterious instead of science and facts and freedom from rules instead of restricted order.
A time in literary history, where one writes with the mindset that consists of augmenting the truth and creating an ideal world through literature, is known as the Romantic period. The Romantic period started in the early 1800s and continued throughout the 1860s. Throughout this era, the efforts of great writers are seen and admired. Nathaniel Hawthorne is a well known writer during the period. He is an example of a writer who understood the idea of Romanticism and incorporated it in his works of literature. Through his writing he embodies romanticism by putting an emphasis on the sinful nature of humans and how it affects the sinner and the people around them, and this is done through symbolism. Symbolism is an important element in the writing
To understand how Romanticism changed the way society thought, you must first understand the meanings and reason behind the movement. The Romantic Movement in the late 18th and early 19th centuries was described as a movement in the history of culture, an aesthetic style, and an attitude of mind. (Fiero) Romanticism provided expression of their thoughts and ideas toward their own societies, which was in effect predominantly in Europe and in the United States. The movement was a reaction to the Enlightenment which provided strict ideology and rationalism. The Church had much to do with the Enlightenment seeing as if religion and the importance of God were incorporated into most aspects of their culture. Thus, Romanticism was a response to the Enlightenment Movement and their religious ideology.
The literary period of Romanticism has been ranked among the most influential in America. Filled with intense feelings and emotional reactions, Romanticism embodied independence from the strictness of Puritans. Some authors manifested the optimistic components of Romanticism. Other authors created a subgroup that focused on the mysterious side of Romanticism. It was because of these people that Romanticism was born.
Ever wonder what impacted the Romantic Period ? The Romantic Period was from 1785 to 1830 and was during the French Revolution. William Blake, William Wordsworth, and Samuel Taylor Coleridge are three important writers that show important characteristics during this time period. Their writings show what it was like during the Romantic Period. There are many characteristics that played an important part of the Romantic Period; the three that impacted it the most are, a person 's connection with nature, imagination being important, and nonconformity.
Despite its name, the Romantic literary period has little to nothing to do with love and romance that often comes with love; instead it focuses on the expression of feelings and imagination. Romanticism originally started in Europe, first seen in Germany in the eighteenth century, and began influencing American writers in the 1800s. The movement lasts for sixty years and is a rejection of a rationalist period of logic and reason. Gary Arpin, author of multiple selections in Elements of Literature: Fifth Course, Literature of The United States, presents the idea that, “To the Romantic sensibility, the imagination, spontaneity, individual feelings and wild nature were of greater value than reason, logic, planning and cultivation” (143). The Romantic author rejects logic and writes wild, spontaneous stories and poems inspired by myths, folk tales, and even the supernatural. Not only do the Romantics reject logic and reasoning, they praise innocence, youthfulness and creativity as well as the beauty and refuge that they so often find in nature.
The Industrial Revolution during the late 1700's was a time of great change. People were moving into cities, and watching the rural countryside evolve into a great monstrosity. This happened so fast that the city couldn’t keep up with the growth and the conditions within the city were atrocious. This change made them rethink city life, the all in one location scenario wasn’t appealing anymore. They saw the countryside rural and beautiful, which made it very powerful and surreal. Literature was very pre-defined and boring, but now writers use everything happening around them to create inspirations and to let their imaginations run deep. This change during this time period was known as Romanticism or the Romantic Movement. The Romantic Movement is by far the most important literary period. It empowered writers to act on their emotions and tell the story as it was not as it needed to be. This new form of writing encouraged men and women of all classes to explore novels. Everyone felt involved, like they were a part of the novel, they understood emotion and nature.
The Romantic Period was a literary movement in Europe and America during the late 1700s through the middle 1800s. Romanticism was characterized by five basic systems of beliefs. It should not be surprising that these were completely different from the characteristics of the Enlightenment. Romanticism was an intentional revolt against the rational, formal, reasonable period of the Enlightenment. The Enlightenment was too scientific and did not focus on romanticism.
The Romantic Period was from 1784 until 1832, it brought a more brave, individual, and imaginative approach to both literature and life. During this time the individual became more important than society. Individualism became the center of the Romantic vision (Pfordresher, 423). The Romantic Age in England was a movement that affected all the countries of Western Europe. Romanticism represents an attempt to rediscover the mystery and wonder of the world (Pfordresher, 424). The French Revolution, 1793-1815, gave life and breath to the dreams of many Romantic writers; they wanted liberty and equality for all individuals (Pfordresher, 423).