The Themes of romance Are characterized by the claim of freedom of the artist, the exaltation of emotions and feelings (against the reasoning of the previous period) or the pursuit of imagination and creativity.
Romanticism is an artistic and ideological movement that began in Germany in the late eighteenth century and lasted until the mid-nineteenth century. The term"romanticism"is credited to the German poet Friedrich Schegel, who used it to describe literature"which expresses feelings in an imaginative way".
"The Walker on the Sea of Clouds"by Caspar Friedrich
This movement emerges as a reaction against the conservative and orthodox ideologies of European societies.
Romanticism, like any other artistic movement, rejects the immediate movements that preceded it, neoclassicism and French rationalism, and appropriates elements of other artistic periods. In this sense, the romantic artists sought to imitate the Greeks and the Romans.
You may also like This list of authors of romanticism .
Main themes of Romanticism
1 - Feelings and emotions
The feelings and the emotions are of the main subjects treated in the romanticism, which acquire priority before the logic and the facts. This is why the products of romanticism are a reflection of the author's intimate emotions.
2 - Imagination
Imagination was the most treasured faculty during the Romantic period, which prevailed over reason, since it was considered as the faculty that allowed to interpret the symbols that nature provided.
3 - Innocence and wisdom of childhood
Childhood is seen as the golden age while maturity is the stage of disappointment, betrayal and corruption. The Romantics were the first to employ children as"individuals", who were idealized as a source of wisdom that was forbidden to adults.
In novels belonging to this period, children play an important role, representing innocence and that romantic authors long for. In the same way, children reflect the stage of life lacking in"conflicts", which is lost when you grow up.
4 - Nature
Nature is a subject of great relevance in romanticism. For romantic artists, nature is a source of beauty and, likewise, it is the medium through which the"spirit"of the universe is manifested.
In the artistic representations of this period, nature acquired different connotations: on occasion, it was attributed curative powers; In other cases, it was a source of inspiration and images.
It could also be presented as a refuge from the artificial constructions of civilization, such as society and politics. However, the most important role of nature was that of representing the mood of the author, a topic on which to delve into the next point.
5 - Representation of the"I"through external elements
The inner"self"of the artist is represented through the external elements that surround him. In this sense, nature is often the mirror in which the artist is reflected. For example, a dark and rainy night may represent a tormented soul; While a stream with birds fluttering transmit a sense of peace and harmony.
6 - Nostalgia
This movement was influenced by the theory of evolution and uniformism, which stated that"the past is the key of the present." In this sense, the works of romanticism reflect nostalgia for the past or for what could not be.
Instead of appreciating the here and now, the artists of the period value more the elements and values lost, as well as the alternate realities that escape their reach.
Part of this nostalgia can be seen in the desire to take up the characteristics of Greek and Roman art.
Similarly, the romantics missed the sensitivity of the Middle Ages and the narrative elements of this period; In fact, the word"romanticism"comes from the term"romance", a medieval narrative in prose or verse that told of heroic events.
7 - Rejection of absolutist systems
Romantic artists rejected absolutist systems such as religion, politics, and philosophy.
This rejection was the result of the French revolution (1789), movement against the social aristocracy and the political norms. Instead, they argued that each individual should create a system of life of their own.
8 - Individualism
In romanticism, the individual matters more than societies. The individual conscience and, above all, the individual imagination are outstanding themes in the romanticist art. This is why the works of this period are full of scenes of introspection, which favor the individualistic character.
Curiously, many artists refused to exhibit their works in the Large halls Academicists, claiming their own art in the form of manifestos and works of art that broke the previous canons.
In the same way, the artists of the period affirmed that personal and individual experiences guided them towards spiritual isolation, a favorite state to produce a work.
9 - Beauty
Generally speaking, romanticism sought to reflect beauty: on the one hand, they showed the beauty of individuals through emotions, since the ability to feel embellishes people; On the other hand, showed the beauty of nature, using it as a means to express feelings.
10 - Daily and exotic elements
The artists of this period included in their works elements of daily life, such as the country's folklore and realistic characters, who used a language full of colloquialisms.
At the same time, they included exotic or fantastic elements that opposed those mentioned above, giving rise to a paradoxical combination.
In the same way, gothic elements that inspired terror were incorporated. Examples of this are:"The Legend of the Headless Horseman"by Washington Irving,"Frankenstein"by Mary Shelly and the tales of the Brothers Grimm.
Main artists of the romantic movement
- In the literature : Stand out the brothers Jakob and Wilhem Grimm, famous for their fantastic stories; Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe, whose novel"Las cuitas del joven Werther"is one of the highest representations of Romanticism; Mary Shelley, author of Frankenstein; Victor Hugo, author of"Los miserables"; And the poets John Keats (British) and Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer (Spanish).
- In the painting: William Turner and John Constable.
- In the music : Beethoven, Mozart and Chopin.
References
- White, Craig. Romanticism. Retrieved on March 14, 2017, from: coursesite.uhcl.edu.
- Romantic Poetry. Retrieved on March 14, 2017, from: crossref-it.into.
- Romanticism. Retrieved on March 14, 2017, from: hawaii.edu.
- Characteristics of Romanticism. Retrieved on March 14, 2017, from: readwritethink.org.
- Romantic Period (1796-1832) in English Literature. Retrieved on March 14, 2017, from: ocw.nctu.edu.tw.
- Romanticism. Retrieved on March 14, 2017, from: newworldencyclopedia.com.
- Characteristics of Romantic Literature. Retrieved on March 14, 2017, from: sturgeonenglish.com.