Romanticism

What is Romanticism?

Origins of romanticism started in England and Germany during the 18th century this was a direct reaction to the enlightenment. This type of writing was at its peak during the American and French Revolution. This type of poetry is very self involved where the tone of the writing would be emotions over reason. Romanticism isn't generally about love, but instead its more involved with the perceived beauties of nature and what the writers found passionate about. The purpose of these writings is to show the joys, beauty and the dangers of nature along with how they describe their meaning of beauty. But it would always be different with every writer the general idea would be beauty and what the writer interprets from it. 

John Keats

John Keats

Born on October 31st, 1795, London he was the oldest of his four siblings. He was the son of Thomas and Frances Keats. They were a poor family but they manage to survive and John had a close family relationship. It appeared that he was happy during his childhood. At the age of eight he entered Enfield Academy where it was showed he had a good charisma and made many friends who state that John would fight anyone. On April 1804 his father died due to an injury from his horse stumbling this event would just be one of serveral losses. His mother soon remarried then left the family only to show up ill then dying from tuberculosis. Just leaving John the oldest male in his family.  From what he experienced he wrote to his brother about his experiences, suffering, and his spiritual development. His relation to literature truly began when he was allowed access to Clarke's library. He saw literature as an exploration rather than a refuge from his past. Keats struggled with his career but sooned found and offered his insight and his definition of beauty. He gained his insight at the age of 15 and his literary career wasn't seen as something as serious. They lived with their grandmother Alice Jennings who took their financial future and gave it to Richard Abbey who was soon appointed as their guardian. Narrowed minded Richard would hold on to the Keats money until when one of John's sisters became of age they were able to forced a legal settlement. Able to get some of their money back they lost the majority of it. Soon after John studied to be a surgeon while being apprenticed to a well respected surgeon, Thomas Hammond. But that life made him lonely he began to wander into the wood and began to read literature again which ignited his passion of it again. In 1814 he wrote his first poem  In Imitation of Spenser. As politics began to play a role in his life two years later he published On Peace after the defeat of Napolian. Around 1817 he met his love interest Isabella Jone who inspired his to write Bright Star which was originally meant for her. They remained friends and a year later John met with Fanny Brawne they both developed a relationship but it was over shadow by his brothers illness. Keats fell in love and gave a revised version of Bright Star as proof of his love. He soon had internal conflicts with his career and his love. He decided on his career leaving a letter to Brawne apologizing for his selfishness. During 1818 he lived with his friend Charles Brown where their he created his most mature work. During that winter of 1818 he met with Wordsworth from there on he publish his six Odes. On his last months he spend his time at Rome where he died on February 23rd, 1821

William Wordsworth

William Wordsworth 

He was a teacher and yet he wanted no followers but left  an example of his writing for many to learn from. He was a man who was respected even more than Shakespeare himself. Born on April 7, 1770, in England. He was the second child of five his father John Wordsworth was rarely in his life but when he did show, he taught William how to write and about poetry. Later at the age of 7 his mother Ann Cookson died from illness leaving the children with just their father. Unable to care for his children his father left him with his mother's family. There he attended Hawkshead grammar school which was low on quality.  His relationship with his grandparents was on a thin line this would cause young Wordsworth to wander the countryside which soon led to his love of nature. He soon went to study at Cambridge University and graduated on 1791. As a early writer he lacked pride in his work but because of his closest friend Coleridge who motivated him. Wordsworth was able to continued on his work even after their separation the two went to different path. Wordsworth always saw his poems as experimental until 1793 when his first works were published An Evening Walk and Descriptive Sketches.  Soon after he received an inherence which allowed him to live with his sister Dorothy. And from there he met Coleridge who soon became his closest friend. Together they worked upon Lyrical Ballads which held works from both of them. It carried one of Wordsworth best work Tintern Abbey which helped romanticism to have a place in poetry.  Around the same year Wordsworth began working on the Prelude an autobiographical poem that revised his life. Along the same year he published Lucy and the second edition of Lyrical Ballads. Which shared his poetry being influence by powerful emotion which soon became the basis of romanticism. He became a father of five and married Marry Hutchison. In 1803 he publish his most famous works I Wander Lonely as a Cloud and Intimations of Immortality. In 1843 he became England's poet laureate until his death on April 23, 1850. And when he finally pasted the Prelude was finally finished and published.

Comparison

Both Wordsworth and Keats are Romanist writers which write about beauty in nature or from something they are passionate about. Both of them published poems that described their love to their lovers. And from that love they were able to described their description of beauty. Wordsworth's the perfect women has the poem describes the feelings he when they met, how they got to know each other, and their marriage. It really showed his definition of beauty as the "perfect" woman with her imperfections would always be by his side. Keats described more his passion and what he generally feels about her they never married . Its explains why he feels for her and why he need her along with symbolizing her to moments in nature that Keats found beautiful. Keats never married so his description of beauty in love is limited to when they met and got to know each other. Whereas Wordsworth was with his lover to the end. These two described beauty to a topic they found passionate about their loves. Also another poem from Keats ode on a grecian urn shows how time can capture the true meaning of beauty. He acknowledges how other perceives it as youth, along with how we over complicate the definition and finally how we struggle to capture the meaning of it in statues. But his mean is simple that beauty is truth nothing else.

Work Cited

Keats, John. “‘Bright Star, Would I Were Stedfast as Thou Art’ by John Keats.” Poetry Foundation, Poetry Foundation, www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44468/bright-star-would-i-were-stedfast-as-thou-art.
“John Keats.” Poetry Foundation, Poetry Foundation, www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/john-keats.
“William Wordsworth.” Poetry Foundation, Poetry Foundation, www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/william-wordsworth.
Keats, John. “Ode on a Grecian Urn by John Keats.” Poetry Foundation, Poetry Foundation, www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44477/ode-on-a-grecian-urn.
Wordsworth, William. “The Solitary Reaper.” Poets.org, Academy of American Poets, 27 July 2015, www.poets.org/poetsorg/poem/perfect-woman.