Romanticism: A Reaction To The Ills Of The 18 - 19th Century

Mr. E. Nikolov

A Century of Turmoil

• The period from 1750 to 1850 saw radical changes in all areas of life – economic, political and social.

• Scientific revolution, Industrial revolution and Political revolutions destroy the established social order, but fail to replace it with a better one.

• Many intellectuals became disillusioned with the advances of their times and express it through writing, visual art and music, creating a movement now known as ROMANTICISM.

Romanticism defined

• Romanticism was not a series of isolated events, spontaneously appearing in society. It was a reaction to – and repulsion with – an era of enlightenment and economic, political, social and intellectual revolutions in Europe at the end of the 18th and most of the 19th century, expressed through literature, art and music.

The Industrial Revolution

• The Industrial Revolution flooded the market with low cost manufactured goods, which put out of business the traditional artisans / craftsmen. The new goods were not the same as the old, they lost their soul. Former craftsmen now perform meaningless tasks on the production line. People were being replaced by machines and felt useless.

Mary Shelley, Frankenstein

• Reacted to the notion that science and machines are the answer to all of our needs.

• Points to the dangers of science.

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe - Faust

• The moral dilemma of science – how much do we need to know and what price are we willing to pay for it.

• The eternal conflict of good and evil.

• Good always wins.

Faust and Mephistopheles,Eugene Delacroix, 1827

The Luddites

• A movement of workers who believed the machines are evil and will destroy our lives.

• Claimed to be followers of Ned Ludd who lives in Sherwood Forest (historical reference)

• They were supported by Lord Byron, a Romantic, a rebel and a poet.

William Blake, Jerusalem

• “I turn my eyes to the Schools & Universities of EuropeAnd there behold the Loom of Locke whose Woof rages direWashd by the Water-wheels of Newton. black the clothIn heavy wreathes folds over every Nation; cruel WorksOf many Wheels I view, wheel without wheel, with cogs tyrannicMoving by compulsion each other: not as those in Eden: whichWheel within Wheel in freedom revolve in harmony & peace.”

• Rejects Enlightenment and Scientific revolution.

William Blake, Newton, 1805

• Rejects the view that man is a master of his own destiny.

• Critical of Newton’s laws of gravity and theory of optics.

• Rejects deism and scientific materialism.

Blake, The Ancient of Days, 1794

• This is the opposition, the alternative to Newton’s science.

• Science is uncertain, God is perfection.

• Science can be evil, god is always good.

• Science can’t answer all questions.

Rain, Steam and SpeedJoseph Turner, 1844

Opposition to Rationalism

• Images provoke emotional response, address feelings, not thoughts.

• Oppose both classical idealism and realism. • Realistic images of the past are romanticized and

opposed to current reality.• Blake’s And did those feet in Ancient times

hearkens back to a time when England was a “green and pleasant land” without “satanic mills”.

Back to Nature – The Dreamer by Caspar David Friedrich, 1835

• The idealization of nature is a reaction to pollution and destruction caused by the Industrial revolution.

• It provides the simple alternative of the “good old times”; nostalgia.

• It also combines the ideas of nature and religion. For example:

Caspar David Friedrich, Cross on the Mountain, 1804

Caspar David Friedrich, Winter Landscape With Church, 1811

Political Changes And Romanticism

• Violent revolutions and wars caused loss of life and property for many.

• Periods without strong leadership and power struggle led to economic decline.

• Lack of rules and government led to crime.

• People need leaders and heroes.

• People need stability and order in life.

Francisco Goya – The Third of May 1808

Francisco Goya – The Second of May 1808

Solution – Back to Traditions

• Historical Novel – revived interest in Medieval times, the code of chivalry, hierarchy, honour, deference and duty.

• Folklore collections – traditional wisdoms.

• Legends and medieval literature and art – idealism and heroes; mysticism and magic.

• “Neo-gothic” – architecture and literature.

John Constable, Stonehenge, 1836

Sir Walter Scott, Ivanhoe, 1819

Francisco Goya, The Bullfight

Alexandre Dumas - pere

• The Three Musketeers• The Man in the Iron

Mask• The Count of Monte

Cristo• The Romantic Hero -

Loyalty, Justice, Honour, Order, Duty, Bravery, Leadership

Victor Hugo

• Les Miserables – the path to redemption of the Romantic hero

• Ninety-three• Notre-Dame de Paris –

his only gothic novel.

Charlotte and Emily Bronte – the Gothic Novel and Byronic Hero

Later in the USA

• L. Frank Baum – The Wizard of OZ, 1904

• Bram Stocker – Dracula, 1897

• Mikhail Bulgakov – The Master and Margarita, 1920’s

Folklore – the wisdom of the ages

• Brothers Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm

• Also retold some stories collected earlier by Charles Perrault.

• Henry Longfellow – The Song of Hiawatha

• Richard Wagner – The Ring of the Nibelung

Revival of Gothic Architecture

Salisbury Cathedral From the Bishops Ground, John Constable

Classical Hero –Napoleon at the St. Bernard Pass, David – against

The Human Spirit – Wandering Above the Sea of Fog, Caspar David Friedrich, 1818

The Music of Romanticism

• Music is loud, majestic, upbeat

• Themes from history or mythology – Richard Wagner

• Eroica, The Emperor, Ninth symphony

Social Changes

• Individualism replaces the cense of community

• Materialism replaces spiritualism

• Money becomes an obsession

• Traditional moral values are fading

• Traditional family declines

• Crime is rising

Response to Social Changes

• Charles Dickens – A Christmas Carol

• Honore De Balzac – Father Goriot

• Honore De Balzac – Les Chouans

• Hector Malot – Sans Famille

• Hector Malot – En Famille

The Corn Field by John Constable, 1826

Romanticism and Nationalism

• In Eastern Europe the late renaissance includes interest in own history as a source of national identity and pride

• National liberation seen as restoration of the traditional order.

Eugene Delacroix – Greece on the Ruins of Missolonghi, 1827

Conclusion

• Romanticism evolved separately from neoclassicism and realism as a reflection to specific economic, political and social conditions following the same pattern across Europe and North America.

• It gained popularity among intellectual circles, but due to its elitist nature it did not become a part of mass culture.