Eng 258

1. FRENCH ROMANTICISM
A shift from the 18th centuries “age of reason” to 19th
century focus on nature and “fulfillment” of individuals.
Bethany Boland

2. EMERGENCE OF ROMANTICISM
• Romanticism brought on the
Logic and feelings of “fulfillment.”
Reasoning
(End of
• Focused on emotion and
Enlightenment} individualism.
• Nature had a new found meaning
it wasn’t just to define the
environment, but used as
metaphors for topics like love.
Emotion • French Revolution and the
Imagination beginning of the attention on
Feeling individuals and their quest for
(Beginning of self fulfillment and human
Romanticism)
possibility.

3. INFLUENTIAL WRITERS OF THE ROMANTICISM PERIOD
Goethe Blake
Hugo

4.  28 August 1749 – 22 March 1832
 German Writer
 Faust considered greatest long poem of modern European
Literature.
 Faust- This was a story about good versus Evil. Faust was a
decent man seeking fulfillment for himself. Mephistopheles
tempted Faust to do bad things. Faust did not take responsibility
for his actions. His relationship between him and Gretchen showed
how much he cared for himself. His main concern throughout
seemed to be for himself. Some may come to consider him a hero,
while others did not.

5. WILLIAM BLAKE
• http://youtu.be/Sk_geYnyuOk
* This video shares great detail of the
introduction of William Blake and his way
of thinking and accomplishments.
• Blake was a writer and artist.
• Born November 28th, 1757
• Class Discussion: “Blake’s Songs.”
-Introduction to Romanticism
- Focus shifting to individualism
-Emotion takes over logic and
reasoning. Nature plays a significant role
in choices made and displayed frequently
throughout stories of the Romanticism
period.

6. HUGO
• February 26, 1802 – May 22, 1885
• French Poet
• Et nox facta est -unexpected attitude
towards Satan. Feelings of sympathy
and sadness.
-Satan's fall from heaven
-Satan trying to reach the light
-Does not embrace evil life
Other writings include: Les Miserables and
The Hunchback of Notre-Dame de
Paris.

7. • Used to visualize sense of
story and reflect human
experiences.
Nature • Used to represent figures in
stories and influenced
peoples choices throughout
each story.
• Shifting into Romanticism,
emotion can become as
important as logic.
Emotion
• Possible sympathy towards
evil.
• Strong focus on finding
Individualism- identity and personal
sense of fulfillment.
fulfillment
• Imagination

8. . LITERATURE
CITED
Lawall, Sarah, ed. "The Nineteenth Century:
Romanticism." The Norton Anthology Western
Literature. Eight ed. Vol. 2. New York: Norton and,
1984. 485. Print
Victor Hugo Bibliography." Of First Editions at
Bookseller World. Web. 26 Feb. 2012.
Clay, Jean. Romanticism. New York: Vendome Press,
1981. Print
"Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe." Wikipedia.
Wikimedia Foundation, 26 Feb. 2012. Web. 26 Feb.
2012.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_Wolfgang_von_
Goethe>.