Romanticism: A Historical Overview

Introduction

• Romanticism is not a traditional historical event like a war or invention.
• Represents a set of ideas, mindset, and way of feeling.
• Originated in Western Europe in the mid-18th century, influencing art, poetry, and philosophy.
• Spread globally, altering perceptions of nature, children, love, sex, money, and work.

Context and Reaction

• Romanticism as a reaction to modernity: industrialization, urbanization, secularization, and consumerism.

Key Moments in Romanticism

Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Childhood

• 1762, The Marais, Paris
  • Rousseau publishes "Emile, or On Education," advocating for natural goodness and spontaneity of children.
  • Criticism of adult rationalism, science, and bureaucracy.
  • Encourages mothers to breastfeed, emphasizing natural innocence.

Thomas Chatterton and Romantic Heroism

• 1770, Brook Street, London
  • Thomas Chatterton, a young poet, takes his life due to lack of recognition.
  • Becomes a symbol of the misunderstood romantic artist, precursor to figures like Byron and Keats.

Goethe and Romantic Love

• 1774, Leipzig, Germany
  • Goethe's "The Sorrows of Young Werther" highlights passionate, doomed love.
  • Celebrates emotional depth over rationality in love.
  • Influences views on love, emphasizing the heart over societal norms.

Francisco Goya and Limits of Reason

• 1798, Madrid, Spain
  • Goya's "The Sleep of Reason Brings Out Monsters" explores the power of the irrational.
  • Romanticism values emotional depth over rationality and logic.

William Wordsworth and Nature

• 1799, Lake District, England
  • Wordsworth writes poetry celebrating nature, critiquing industrialization.
  • Romanticism sides with nature against industry.

Thomas Cole and Sublime Nature

• 1829, Niagara, United States
  • Cole captures vast landscapes, emphasizing nature's grandeur over human achievements.
  • Romanticism finds spiritual resonance in nature over urban life.

Augustus Pugin and Medieval Nostalgia

• 1847, Westminster, London
  • Pugin designs a medieval-inspired parliament building.
  • Romanticism embraces the nobility of the Middle Ages over industrial modernity.

Charles Baudelaire and the Flaneur

• 1863, Saint-Germain, Paris
  • Baudelaire's flaneur epitomizes the romantic's playful, non-conformist attitude.

Paul Gauguin and Escaping Civilization

• 1891, Le Havre
  • Gauguin moves to Tahiti, seeking untainted nature and simplicity.
  • Critiques civilization's constraints, advocating for the exotic and naive.

Conclusion

• Romanticism counters the rational and technological modern world.
• Advocates for the irrational, exotic, and naive.
• Suggests balance between modernity and romantic ideals could lead to a more evolved society, an "age of maturity."