Themes Of Beauty And Mortality In Romanticism

Question 1: William Cullen Bryant’s “Thanatopsis” fits the definition of Romanticism as it expresses the ideas of individualism and nature. Bryant writes “And, lost each human trace, surrend’ring up / Thine individual being, shalt though go / To mix forever with the elements” (24-26). In this, the author writes about individualism by stating that whenever a death occurs, one returns to their true self emotionally and physically as well. This is because, as Bryant states, one will return to the Earth “To mix forever with the elements.” Romanticism is also depicted into this poem by using extensive diction to capture the full extent of nature’s beauty. Bryant states that, “The hills / Rock-ribb’d and ancient as the sun,‒the vales / Stretching

The Romanticism art movement praised imagination over reason, emotions over logic, and literature over science. The Romanticism artists were known for replacing the classical 18th century literature heroes with much more complex and passionate characters. Romanticism focuses on self-expression and individual uniqueness that does not lend itself to be defined nor controlled by society. The landscape on Romanticism was commonly displayed in cool rich colors and untamed peaceful surroundings. In Romanticism, nature was used to represent the extension of the human personality, the capability of feeling love, serenity, and sympathy.

"The attitudes of the Romantics were a deepened appreciation of the beauties of nature, a general exaltation of emotion over reason and of the senses over intellect" (Romanticism 1). The Romantics took their own feelings and brought them to life in their poetry. Traditional beliefs or formal rules of poetry no longer governed them. The Romantics not only held a greater ability to express themselves but they also possessed a greater sensitivity and a sense of optimism, which is prevalent in their work.

Wordsworth talks about how nature is an escape, a teacher, a healer, a reminder, and so much more. Wordsworth explains his first time at the River Wye and that it was the most beautiful thing he’s ever seen and that the nature there is perfect. He also talks about his second trip in this poem to explain that the second time he went, he felt the nature there was more beautiful and tranquil. In “Tintern Abbey”, Wordsworth brings his sister, Dorothy his second time at the River Wye. Wordsworth says that he hopes the trip will be a reminder of how amazing nature truly is. Wordsworth talks about nature as a metaphor, saying nature is an anchor that holds him in place. Nature makes him calm, secure, and happy because he is in his favorite place. Wordsworth explains that nature makes him feel more alive than ever, and being back in the same beautiful spot five years later, makes it even better. The theme of “Tintern Abbey” shows that nature is many things like an escape for Wordsworth, which explains how much that nature has done for

William Wordsworth’s poem, “Composed A Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey, On Revisiting The Banks Of The Wye During A Tour. July 13, 1798” (also known as simply, “Tintern Abbey”), was included in the book Lyrical Ballads, with a Few Other Poems. This was a joint effort between himself and author Samuel Taylor Coleridge. “Tintern Abbey” remains one of Wadsworth’s most famous poems, and at its printing, the book was completely sold out in two years. The name of the poem reflects the inspiration Wadsworth felt upon visiting the ruins of an old church called Tintern Abbey, with his sister Dorothy.

Romanticism is glorifying nature and emotions rather than glorifying humans. Delacroix's painting The Death of Sardanapalus is a great example of romanticism. The Death of Sardanapalus. Is based off the life of an Assyrian king who has not been proven to exist. In the play Sardanapalus Sardanapalus leads a lavish life but he ends it in a military situation.

What does a freed soul contribute to a person’s life? Does it, let uninhibited actions flow free, corrupting human morals? Or does it free the soul from the clutches of an oppressive society? I thought that Nathaniel Hawthorne’s commentary on uniqueness was compelling. In the Scarlet Letter, he highlights the pros and cons of being yourself. Given that, he correspondingly shows the lack of individualism that can kill a person on the inside. Arthur Dimmesdale was a person who had succumbed to becoming overwhelmingly different than the norm and yet tried to hide it, thus destroying his life at the end of the book. Hester survives the ordeal through showing to the world proof of her romantic notions, thus being

What does Romanticism do to a person? Does it, let uninhibited actions flow free, corrupting human morals? Or does it free the soul from the clutches of society? I thought that Nathaniel Hawthorne’s commentary on uniqueness was compelling. In the Scarlet Letter, he highlights the pros and cons of being yourself. In that, he shows how the lack of individualism can kill a person on the inside. Examples include Roger Chillingworth and Arthur Dimmesdale, both characters who had succumbed to becoming overwhelmingly different than the norm and yet tried to hide it, thus destroying their respective lives at the end of the book. Hester survives the ordeal through showing to the world proof of her romantic notions,

Romanticism has a strong connection with nature and the people of Romanticism take lessons from it and learn from nature. “Pearl gathered the violets, and anemones, and columbines, and some twigs of the

Wordsworth shows how beautiful nature is and how much joy it can bring to people in this poem. In the first stanza he describes how he felt lonely until he saw a group of daffodils, “I wandered lonely as a cloud”, “When all at once I saw a crowd”. In the last stanza Wordsworth says that when he was at home lying on his couch he wasn’t in the best mood but all of a sudden the image of daffodils popped in his head and he was filled with joy, “For oft when on my couch I lie”, “And then my heart with pleasure

Romanticism is an era where creativity and new ideas immersed; mostly from people of the arts. “Many point to the publication of William Wordsworth's Lyrical Ballads in 1792 as the

Spanning from roughly 1750 to 1837, the Romantic period was an artistic and literary movement that sought after and treasured creativity and emotion, a drastic variation from prior periods in which logic and reason were valued (Wilhelm 669). Sometimes considered one of the greatest ages in literature, poets during Romanticism were greatly inspired and fascinated by nature, human passions, quests, folk culture, the Middle Ages, physical sensations, mental states, and the innocence of children (669). Romantic works capture whimsy and imagination through a use of the five senses: touch, sight, smell, and sound (676). They view nature as lively and genuine and express the belief that nature is best when left wild and untouched by man (678). Most

Romanticism poetry has four key features that make it stand out from the rest. A new spontaneity and freedom, which is a fancy way of saying that the romantic poets were tired of the bland writings from the neoclassical writers, added expressed emotions paired with the creativity of the imagination. Love of nature describes how romantic poets used nature to help explain their thoughts and feelings. The importance of the commonplace was used in Romanticism to create a bigger audience and appeal to more common folk by including everyday behaviors in their poems. Last but not least, fascination with the supernatural and the exotic, which has to with magic and the unknown in romanticism.

Romanticism can be used to describe a time period when poets, painters, essayists and composers increasingly came to view nature itself as the greatest teacher (Sayre 177). Romantic artist believed that the past Classical values of dominance were over. Romanticism believed by a new way of living one where emotion and feeling can into play. Romantics had a very deep and passionate feeling for the beauty of nature and how it corresponds to life. The emotion of the new view of an individual creator, whose creative spirit is more important than strict adherence to formal rules and traditional procedures in romanticism (Britannica). I feel that people felt a time of relief when painting they did not need to feel like they were subject to a certain

Lines 79-84 represent loss and decay and are another set of themes in this poem. These lines show that his poem itself is a memory; memories can never contain the original content of an experience as it did the first time. Wordsworth's intense emotional pain is displayed throughout these lines. A particular line is: "That time is past/And all its aching joys are no more". The poet clearly tells his reader's that he is extremely upset at the fact that he no longer feels that joys he has felt before, and even though he hears in nature the still, sad music of humanity, he still prefers memory and the sense of nature over intellect and actuality. Wordsworth senses his mortality and realizes that nature ("their colours and their forms...") can not renew his pleasant spirits as much as he wants them to. "Tintern Abbey" also presents the poet to an exploration of identity and self understanding; Wordsworth is in conflict with the natural landscape that is painted in front of him and his mental landscape, two major different forces, and he is trying to find an equal path to both forces so that he can find his self or his destiny. Another explanation of these lines could be that Wordsworth comprehends the way nature functions --the death and renewal of all things– and that nature will one day also play a part on him. He is accepting that one day that, like his memories, he will fade and pass