Discuss the
characteristics of Romantic Poetry with special reference to Wordsworth, Coleridge, Byron, Shelley and Keats.
Ans:
The
term Romanticism is variously defined by various writers. Walter Pater calls
Romanticism “Addition of Strangeness to beauty”. Watts Donton defines it as “The Renaissance of Wonder”. On the
other hand, Abercrombie stresses the
subjective elements of Romanticism and writers, as “Romanticism is a withdrawal from
outer experience to concentrate upon inner experience”. He points out
that vagueness, indefiniteness and a tendency to disregard reality are the
essential elements of Romanticism. The English
Romantic Movement began in 1798 with the publication of “Lyrical
Ballads”. This was result of a long and gradual growth and development.
The poets of the Romantic school were- Wordsworth, Coleridge, Byron, Shelley
and Keats. The Romantic Movement began as a reaction against the dry
intellectuality and artificiality of classics.
One of the important characteristics of Romantic
poetry is subjectively. It is an expression of inner urges of the soul of the
artist. The Romantic poets have not any rules and regulation but gives free
expression of his motion. The poet writes according to his own fancy, and is
often guilty of wild excesses. It is introspective, fanciful and is often
marked by extravagance. William Wordsworth’s “Tintern Abbey”, Coleridge’s,
“Dejection:
An Ode”(1802), Shelley’s, “Queen Mab” and John Keats’s, “Ode
to a Nightingale” and “Ode to Autumn” are some of the examples.
Love of
nature
is another significant character of Romantic poetry. The Romantic poets have an
instinct for the elemental simplicity of life. Their heart overflew with sympathy
for the poor and downtrodden. They glorify the innocence and simplicity of the
common man. They find heaven in man and plead for the emancipation from all
bondage and claim equal rights and liberties. Wordsworth’s attitude to nature
continues changing throughout his life. Most of the rural characters in his
poetry are shown to be simple because of their close communication with nature.
Wordsworth believes that:
“Nature never did betray
The heart that loved her”.
Coleridge described in
his poem, “The Nightingale”, he once made his weeping instead smile by
treating him to the beauty of the moon:
“Once when he awoke
In most distressful mood
I hurried with him to our
orchard plot
And he beheld the moon”
Melancholy is one of inevitable products of
the typical Romantic temper. A Romantic is dissatisfied individual who may be
dissatisfied with the circumstances of his own life, with his age, with
literary conventions, conditions of the day or the fates of humanity. A
Romantic may be revolt against the existing condition and may seek to reform
them and may escape into the past. The Medieval had special fascination of the
Romantic poets. Wordsworth was the least melancholy of the Romantic poets
because he feels nature leads one from joy to joy. He expresses himself on the
misfortune inevitable to human predicament. As he says:
“For I have learned Too look on nature, not as in
the hour of thoughtless youth, but hearing oftentimes, the still, sad music of
humanity.”
Shelley,
an optimistic dreamer, laments in his famous, “Ode to the West Wind”:
“Oh, left me as a vave, a
lead, a cloud
I fall upon the thorn of life ! I bleed.”
Supernaturalism
is another important element of the typical Romantic inspiration. Coleridge,
Keats and Scott were fascinated by the world of supernatural. Coleridge most
outstanding poem, “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner”, “Kubla Khan”, and “Christabel” have
all a strong tincture of the supernatural. His supernaturalism is either
shocking or disgusting. It excited his wonder while Scott’s treatment of
supernatural is somewhat crude, but Keats gives a good himself. In his ballad, “La
Belle Dame Sans Merci” which delicately tincture of the supernatural.
Interest in the century
life is another ingredient of the Romantic inspiration. The poetry of the 18th
century concerned with clubs and coffee houses, drawing rooms, parlours and the
social and the political life of London. Nature had practically no place in
classical poetry. Zest for beauties of the external world, simplicity, diction
and organic sensibility are some of the other characteristics of the Romantic
Poetry.
Summing up the salient features of the Romantic
poetry, we may say that the poetry of Romanticism is characterised by the
protest against the bondage of rules, the returning to nature and the human
heart the interest in the old Sages and medieval Romances and emphasis upon
individual genius.
Note: In addition you are suggested to know some poems names of the mentioned poets.
Wish
you all the best & praying to give goodness with successful, by Podmeswar