The Romantic Period (1785-1830) was a very turbulent period, during which England experienced the ordeal of change from a primarily agricultural society to a modern industrial nation. French Revolution and storming of the Bastille had a great influence on English society and literature. It influenced almost every sphere of life. The Victorian Age (1830-1901) was a period of great progress and prosperity for the nation. This was a period in which industry, technology, and science were celebrated with renewed vigor. Because of the rapid extension of colonialism England became a very powerful empire and preeminent center of world power. The comparison of these two periods is not easy, but I will try to discuss and compare a couple of, in my opinion, most important aspects like: political background, daily life and work conditions, inventions, women rights, and literature of these periods. The beginning of the Romantic Period was very dramatic. The King Louis XVI and his wife were executed; revolutionary France declared war on England. The final defeat of Napoleon at Waterloo in 1815 proved to be the triumph. In England this was a period of harsh, repressive measures. Public meetings were prohibited, Habeas Corpus was suspended, and advocates of even moderate political change were charged with high treason of war. It was also a time when profound economic and social changes were creating a desperate need for corresponding changes in political arrangements and new classes (eg. Manufacturing) were beginning to demand a voice in government proportionate to their wealth. The reign of Queen Victoria was very long. England went through a great progress, but the period was not so quiet and peaceful at all. During the Crimean ... ... middle of paper ... ... living standards, they chase all what is new and undiscovered. Thanks to those people our today's world looks so great. Thank to those people we could develop so many new inventions and women at last gained rights. Bibliography: Misztal, Mariusz An Outline of British History Wydawnictwo Naukowe Akademii Pedagogicznej, Kraków 2000 McDowall, Dawid An Illustrated History of Britain Longman Group UK Ltd. 1989 O'Driscoll, James Britain Oxford University Press 1995 Rogers, Pat The Oxford Illustrated History of English Literature Oxford University Press 1987 Sanders, Andrew The Short Oxford History of English Literature Oxford University Press 1994 The Norton Anthology, English Literature vol. 2, 2nd edition, W.W. Norton and Company, New York, London 2000
There were political changes taking place at this time also. A few revolutions took place. The American Revolution and the French Revolution were two of the major ones. The American Revolution was fought for the freedom and liberty of the American Colonies from England. The same ideas sparked the French Revolution. These were two very powerful ideas that came from rationalism. Liberty and equality became popular with the lower classes of each country. It gave everyone equal rights and freedom the do what they wanted as long as it did not harm another person. The call for liberty was also the call for a new form of government. It led to a system of government were representatives were elected by the people and were accountable to the people, giving the people the authority to make laws.
Burton, Elizabeth. The Early Victorians at Home 1837 - 1861. London: Longman Group Limited, 1972.
The Romantic period is chronologically defined by the 19th century. It was an era of great turmoil. With the French Revolution, the American Civil War, the Franco-Prussian War, the Crimean War, the Spanish-American War and various revolutions across Europe, a great sense of upheaval was felt by the bourgeoisie and upper class struggling to maintain their affluent lifestyle during this time period. The revolutionaries who were fighting for their rights and independence felt a great sense of freedom, pride and other intense emotions. These intense emotions helped identify the Romantic period. Characteristics of the Romantic period help define it as a whole, and allow for the overall appreciation for the music ...
Romanticism is the evolution of literary ideals resulting from the American and French Revolution that took Western Europe by storm from 1785 to 1832. The Romantic period during the late 18th century, was designed to bring upon a new understanding to the average reader such as you and I, challenging the ideals of classicism and shedding a new light on simplistic literature that has influenced today’s literary culture. William Wordsworth and his colleague Samuel Coleridge, challenged their neoclassical predecessors and taught us to glorify our spontaneous overflow of emotion, as a source for inspiration. As a result, Romantic artists emerged to follow
Romanticism was an artistic and literary movement that began in the late 18th century Europe that stressed the individual’s expression of emotion and imagination, glorification of the past and nature, and departure from forms of classicism. The movement emerged as a reaction against the ideas
The Romantic period was an expressive and intellectual movement that originated in Europe towards the end of the 18th century and peaked in the 1800s-1850s. This movement was defined and given depth by an expulsion of all ideals set by the society of the particular time, in the sense that the Romantics sought something deeper, something greater than the simplistic and structured world that they lived in. They drew their inspiration from that around them. Their surroundings, especially nature and the very fabric of their minds, their imagination. This expulsion of the complexity of the simple human life their world had organised and maintained resulted in a unique revolution in history. Eradication of materialism, organisation and society and
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.
Romanticism was a reaction to the Enlightenment as a cultural movement, an aesthetic style, and an attitude of mind (210). Culturally, Romanticism freed people from the limitations and rules of the Enlightenment. The music of the Enlightenment was orderly and restrained, while the music of the Romantic period was emotional. As an aesthetic style, Romanticism was very imaginative while the art of the Enlightenment was realistic and ornate. The Romanticism as an attitude of mind was characterized by transcendental idealism, where experience was obtained through the gathering and processing of information. The idealism of the Enlightenment defined experience as something that was just gathered.
There are many things about the Victorian Age that are different from our way of life today. Evidence of this can be found in such elements of the 1800's as courting manners, child- rearing, transportation, housing and careers. The novel and film Great Expectations give many examples of the contrast of the present and the past. Victorians were a very class-conscious society. These days, just about anyone can manage to have fairly nice clothes, a decent car, a place to live, and reasonable job security. Not so in Victorian times.
The Victorian Era in English history was a period of rapid change. One would be hard-pressed to find an aspect of English life in the 19th century that wasn’t subject to some turmoil. Industrialization was transforming the citizens into a working class population and as a result, it was creating new urban societies centered on the factories. Great Britain enjoyed a time of peace and prosperity at home and thus was extending its global reach in an era of New Imperialism. Even in the home, the long held beliefs were coming into conflict.
To start with, some information is in order about the Victorian Period itself. Queen Victoria, England’s longest reigning monarch, sat on the throne from 1837 to 1901. The span of time is referred to as the Victorian Period (Abrams 1860). At the death of Queen Victoria, her subjects reacted in such a way that they rebelled against many of the ideas put forward during her reign. Even her own country recognized her life and rule as a distinct historical period separated from the rest (Abrams 1861).
There are many periods in time that have been crucial in the development of human ideals and technology. One of the most important times was the Romantic Era. This period began in the late 18th century, and peaked around the 1850’s. It was embodied most strongly in the visual arts, music, and literature until Industrialization had come fully into effect. Because of all the variables and factors of the time, the world was ready for a new era, a modern era that advanced the world far beyond expectations. The Romantic Era was a time of innovation, social struggles, and major changes in industry and society, all due to Industrialization. One of the most important was all of the innovation that occurred.
... It was all about progress, political correctness and it was very controlling in the area of how people lived their lives concerning many matters. By embracing the ordinary and unknown of human existence, the romantics overthrew the limitations that were seen in the Enlightenment. Defining Romanticism is not easy as there was not a particular dominate set of beliefs nor were the styles in literature and art the same. It was a time to be yourself, to let out whatever type of personality that was within. The modern world has Romanticism to thank for much of the way we live today concerning ideas, values, love, dreams and beliefs. It’s worthwhile to mention that both era’s consisted of varieties of thought, much like it is today. We are better off today because of men like Isaac Newton during the Enlightenment and for the Romantics teaching us how to be free thinkers.
"England emerged from the eighteenth century a parliamentary state in which the monarchy was largely a figurehead," according to Pfordresher. (Pfordresher, 423). The Victorian Period was from 1832 until 1901. It marked the climax of England's rise to economic and military dominance (Pfordresher, 543). The Romantic spirit didn't disappear, but it wasn't the leading influenc...
Although the Romantic period was really focused on the nature and imagination the Victorian era was a different story. The Victorian Era was similar but no different to the Neoclassical period. The Victorian Era was strict and had a strict Monarchy government that had rule that were suppose to be followed at every minute of every day. Religion was also very strict the main religion was christianity. The rules were strict and harsh and had to be followed at precisely the rich minute or a person would get in trouble.