The French Revolution and the Birth of Romanticism

Introduction

Date: January 21, 1793
Location: Paris, Square
Event: Execution of Louis XVI using the guillotine
Significance: Marked a turning point in history, ushering in ideas of liberty and revolution.

Social Structure Pre-Revolution:
- Authority and hierarchy dominated society.
- Only nobility and clergy had personal liberties; others had no rights.
Key Philosophers:
- Denis Diderot: Advocate for reason, wrote the Encyclopedia (70,000 articles) arguing for knowledge and against divinity.
  - Quote: "Man will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest."
- Jean-Jacques Rousseau: Emphasized emotion over reason, believed in the innate goodness of man and the corrupting nature of civilization.

Diderot's Arrest (1749):
- Arrested by police for writing subversive material.
Rousseau's Insight:
- Every human lives in chains due to societal structures.
- Advocated for the end of civilization as a source of corruption.

Thomas Paine:
- Arrived in America in 1774; wrote "Common Sense" criticizing monarchy and promoting self-governance.
- Key phrase: "In America, the law is King."
American Revolution (1776):
- Inspired radical change in Europe and the rise of modern democracy.

William Blake:
- Forefront of the Romantic Revolution in England.
- Rebelled against traditional artistic norms.
Concept of Imagination:
- Blake believed imagination was essential for great art, contrasting with classical aesthetics.

Storming of the Bastille (July 14, 1789):
- Symbolized the overthrow of tyranny.
- The Bastille represented oppression; its fall marked a new era.
Terror and Paranoia:
- Jacobins executed perceived enemies of the revolution, including many who had supported liberty.

Wordsworth’s Reflections:
- Initially inspired by the revolution, later disillusioned by its violence.
- Poets began exploring themes of individual freedom and the human experience.
Lyrical Ballads (1798):
- Collaboration between Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge
- Marked a shift to ordinary lives and emotional depth in poetry.

Lasting Impact of Romanticism:
- Revolution shifted focus from political to personal and artistic freedom.
- Emphasis on individual experiences, emotions, and the natural world.
Legacy:
- Romantic poets redefined the role of art in society, advocating for the dignity of all individuals.