English Classical and Neo-Classical Conventions

Question: Discuss about theEnglishfor Classical and Neo-Classical Conventions. Answer: Introduction The Romantic Literature is a very integral part of the English literature that has pre-dominated the literary works of every nation, such as Europe, Latin America, and the US. The Romantic period of English literature is said to have spanned from 1750 to 1870, and the each literary work written in that period is characterized by an intense note of subjectivity, imagination of approach, freedom of thought, as well as veneration of nature. The very word Romantic was first coined and used during the 18th Century in England, and the word was used to refer to anything that is romance-like, just like the fanciful characters found in the medieval romances. By the turn of the 18th Century, in Germany as well as in France, the literature produced by the writers started turning away and breaking itself free from the shackles of Classical and neo-Classical conventions. Consequently, what happened, is that the inspiration for the Romantic method hailed from two of the most eminent literary personalities, the one being the German writer Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe, and the other being the French philosopher William Wordsworth. While Rousseau has been known for recognizing the sect of the individual, and for having advocated the liberty of the spirit of an individual, Goethe added to the same, and offered more well-defined guidelines, by collaborating the points in a set of essays in his book entitled, Von Deutscher Art Und Kunst (also kown as, Of German Style and Art, 1773). In these essays, the author has been seen inscribing the romantic spirit, as it is evident in any Gothic literature, English plays of Shakespeare, or even in the German folk songs. What Goethe aimed to do, is to imitate the free and untrammeled approach as exhibited by Shakespeare in his one of his popular historical drama of the 16th Century, Gotz Von Berlichingen. This play of Shakespeare, very much like any Romantic literary work, exhibited as well as defended rebellion against the political power, by launching the Storm and Stress Group, that has been a precursor of German Romanticism. Again, it is also equally important to note he re that another novel of Goethe, The Sorrows of Young Werther, written in the year of 1774, is also considered to be one of the very important documents of romantic literature, as the novel is known for acclaiming emotion, even to the extent of committing suicide for unreciprocated love. The book sets the mood and tone of intense emotion of melancholy, frenzy and self-destruction, that are common feature characterizing a Romantic literary work. Again, if one thinks of considering the very critically acclaimed Lyrical Ballads (1800), by Wordsworth, one will be able to trace the intense note of romanticism characterizing the literary masterpiece. Here, in this book, the poet-author confirms and re-affirms the vital role imagination, feeling and emotion plays in the process of poetic creation. Thus, it has been discovered that with the advent of Romanticism , emotion and imagination got precedence over reason and intellect, intuition was preferred over science, making the literary works of the time ring with a note of immense passion and sensibility. Further, the Romantic literature is also known for breaking away from the shackles of limits set by the classical Literature, and thus the period witnessed the production of tragic-comedies, as well as the adoption of a free style. The standards, limits and the boundaries set by the writers of previous generation was no longer acceptable. Consequently, the concept of the Three Unities, or the strict adherence to a particular genre, such as a tragedy or a comedy, while writing a drama, was also violated by the Romantics. The Romantic period witnessed a sudden love for lyricism and impulsiveness, the important features that had been known for characterizing the medieval romances and the folk poetries. As a result, in the Romantic period, one witnesses the denunciation of the strict forms or regular meters, that characterized the Classical literature. While selecting the hero, a writer in the Romantic period, was prone to choose the individualized characters, rather than the universal kinds of characters prevalent in the Classical period. The character delineation in the Romantic period, was done after Rousseaus idea of common man. The Romantic values defined and inspired the works of Goethe and Wordsworth, who wished to free the society from any kid of tyranny, oppression and convention. Not only did the Romantics revolt against the conventions prevalent in the preceding era, but the dictatorial systems that had helped to sustain the neo-classical age, were also subject to revolution. Consequently, a huge number of literary works deal with the themes of social and political movements. From the year of 1848 onwards, Europe was wracked by political turmoil, and the same found a prominent expression in the literary works of the period. Wordsworth and Goethe both as the representatives of the Romantic period, tried to resist to the foreign tyranny and oppression. For example, in The Betrothed (1825-27), a peasant couple is found to assume an active role, in crushing the feudal system of Northern Italy. P.B Shelley and Byron also wrote a huge number of works, that clearly describe their protest against the social and political wrongs of the contemporary era. One of the important features of the Romantic period, was that the writers of the age were highly discontent with the urban society, and thus the censure of the same finds an expression in their works. Both Wordsworth and Goethe claim in their works, that a city has more dignity than a fortress. Rousseau says that though people were born free, civilization set them in chains. Thus, the feeling of subjugation plays an important role here. While Goethe speaks of the dark Satanic mills in Milton, Wordsworth in his The Prelude speaks of the close and overcrowded haunts/ Of cities. The Romantic writers also expressed a deep interest in the beauty of the nature and the natural settings. In The seasons (1726-30) written by Goethe, one can see the pleasure amidst the unspoiled beauty of nature. The scenery tradition found in the works of this period, finds an expression here. The love for the simplicity of rural life, as opposed to the complexities of the urban life also manifests itself in the poems of Wordsworth, such as The Solitary Reaper or The Daffodils. Apart from the love of country life, there is also a common feeling of apprehension that the life is endangered, and such feelings find expression in poems like, Ode to Evening (1747). The Romantic writers also had a deep interest in the love as well as the depiction of the scenery of nature, and the Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent (1819-20), of Wordsworth is one such poem that describes the beauty of the Hudson River Valley. In the fortitude of their modern freedom, Wordsworth and Goethe extended their imaginary prospects chronologically and spatially. The Romantics tried to imitate the writings of the Middle Ages, the themes and the settings of which deeply moved and inspired the writers. The Reliques of Ancient English Poetry (1765), for example, continually refers to the beauty of the Gothic past, along with a deep sense of melancholic love for the graveyards and anything supernatural. The love for anything illogical and supernatural was a significant element that is found to present in the works of both Goethe and Wordsworth. It was toughened by disappoint of the 18th Century rationalism, while Wordsworth and Goethe were awe-struck with the idea that maybe as of the common Romantic worry with self-identity. However, the Romantic movement in the later time, led to the formation of new literary movements, such as the Symbolist movement, the Parnassian Movement. This is due to the broad cultural movements across the continent of Europe, and also began the courtly love and chivalry-exalted love, which was a way for men to almost worship the women (week 6 lecture). Romanticism is all about expressing emotios, love and feelings which may end positively and/or negatively. Reference List: Goethe, J., The Sorrows of Young Werther, in Texts and Traditions Tutorial Readings Spring 2016, Western Sydney University Wordsworth, W., The Prelude, in Texts and Traditions Tutorial Readings Spring 2016, Western Sydney University