Ilse Keuning
Engels literature
The romantic period (1798 - 1837)
Romantic period
The Romantic period was from 1798 till 1837. Britain's romantic period was earlier than periods
with similar names in other parts of Europe. So it is important to be aware that several
languages and countries may have literary movements that share a name, but are not
contemporary with one another. The Romantic period is by far the most important period in the
history of English literature.
Despite the short duration of the romantic period, it yielded a significant body of marvellous
literature. It was mainly written about an earlier time (the 18th century).
Important literary terms
Ode:
Is a tribute poem, to honour something. It praises an individual, an idea, or an event.
Ballad:
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music.
Sonnet:
The sonnet is a traditional poetic form. There are two basic types of sonnet: the English sonnet,
also called the Shakespearean sonnet, and the Italian sonnet. Both of these types of sonnet have
14 lines, so what distinguishes them is how the sections are broken up and how the poem
rhymes.
Italian sonnet:
4 lines
4 lines
3 lines
3 lines
English sonnet:
4 lines
4 lines
4 lines
2 lines
Historical novel:
All sets are real, but people are not. Looks like a Dutch “historische roman”.
Gothic novel:
European Romantic pseudo medieval fiction having a prevailing atmosphere of mystery and
terror. At an ill-defined time in the past.
Ilse keuning. Blz 1
, There were 2 generations of romantic poets:
The generation of poets is about the writers who have inspired each other. Writers like Scott and
Blake were no part of that and because of that no part of one of the two generations.
First generation:
(The poets gave shape and substance to romantic ideals)
➢ William Wordsworth
➢ Samuel Taylor Coleridge
➢ Robert Southey
Second generation
(They developed the ideals formulated by the first generation and gave them full expression)
➢ John Keats
➢ Percy Bysshe Shelley
➢ Lord Byron
By thinking of the Romantic period, many people think it is about the word Romantic. But not
“Romantic” in the way of fluffy feelings, soft focus films, candlelit dinners or heart breaking
stories. No, the Romantic period is about rebellion, powerful emotions, like anger, terror and
love, about being yourself, having adventures and doing what you want to do and not letting
people decide that for you. The Romantics used their poetry, their music, their paintings and the
way they live their lives to rebel against the enlightenment. Romantics were inspired by two
huge events going on at that time, the French revolution and the industrial revolution. The
romantic poets started to take notice of folk (everyday/ common) stories, they began to use that
kind of simplerer, more ordinary language. The romantics were deeply inspired by Shakespeare,
they saw him as a champion of the individual of folk culture. Gothic fantasy was important in the
Romantic period, they saw it as a way of letting their imaginations go wild. Romantics didn’t like
the idea that life always has to make sense or be understood and controlled and they reflect that
in their poets. Romantics did explore the emotion of love, they created the idea that every
individual has the right to be in love, in contraction to the medieval times, where being in love
was seen as a mental illness.
Ilse keuning. Blz 2
Engels literature
The romantic period (1798 - 1837)
Romantic period
The Romantic period was from 1798 till 1837. Britain's romantic period was earlier than periods
with similar names in other parts of Europe. So it is important to be aware that several
languages and countries may have literary movements that share a name, but are not
contemporary with one another. The Romantic period is by far the most important period in the
history of English literature.
Despite the short duration of the romantic period, it yielded a significant body of marvellous
literature. It was mainly written about an earlier time (the 18th century).
Important literary terms
Ode:
Is a tribute poem, to honour something. It praises an individual, an idea, or an event.
Ballad:
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music.
Sonnet:
The sonnet is a traditional poetic form. There are two basic types of sonnet: the English sonnet,
also called the Shakespearean sonnet, and the Italian sonnet. Both of these types of sonnet have
14 lines, so what distinguishes them is how the sections are broken up and how the poem
rhymes.
Italian sonnet:
4 lines
4 lines
3 lines
3 lines
English sonnet:
4 lines
4 lines
4 lines
2 lines
Historical novel:
All sets are real, but people are not. Looks like a Dutch “historische roman”.
Gothic novel:
European Romantic pseudo medieval fiction having a prevailing atmosphere of mystery and
terror. At an ill-defined time in the past.
Ilse keuning. Blz 1
, There were 2 generations of romantic poets:
The generation of poets is about the writers who have inspired each other. Writers like Scott and
Blake were no part of that and because of that no part of one of the two generations.
First generation:
(The poets gave shape and substance to romantic ideals)
➢ William Wordsworth
➢ Samuel Taylor Coleridge
➢ Robert Southey
Second generation
(They developed the ideals formulated by the first generation and gave them full expression)
➢ John Keats
➢ Percy Bysshe Shelley
➢ Lord Byron
By thinking of the Romantic period, many people think it is about the word Romantic. But not
“Romantic” in the way of fluffy feelings, soft focus films, candlelit dinners or heart breaking
stories. No, the Romantic period is about rebellion, powerful emotions, like anger, terror and
love, about being yourself, having adventures and doing what you want to do and not letting
people decide that for you. The Romantics used their poetry, their music, their paintings and the
way they live their lives to rebel against the enlightenment. Romantics were inspired by two
huge events going on at that time, the French revolution and the industrial revolution. The
romantic poets started to take notice of folk (everyday/ common) stories, they began to use that
kind of simplerer, more ordinary language. The romantics were deeply inspired by Shakespeare,
they saw him as a champion of the individual of folk culture. Gothic fantasy was important in the
Romantic period, they saw it as a way of letting their imaginations go wild. Romantics didn’t like
the idea that life always has to make sense or be understood and controlled and they reflect that
in their poets. Romantics did explore the emotion of love, they created the idea that every
individual has the right to be in love, in contraction to the medieval times, where being in love
was seen as a mental illness.
Ilse keuning. Blz 2
