Romanticism: Defining Features in Literature

Origins and Key Characteristics

Romanticism emerged as a powerful artistic and intellectual movement, surging across Germany, England, and France. A pivotal figure in its German inception was Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, whose seminal work, The Sorrows of Young Werther, profoundly influenced the era. This novel vividly narrates the hardships of passionate, often violent, love that tragically culminates in suicide, embodying many core Romantic ideals.

Core Features of Romanticism

• Exaltation of the Individual

  A central tenet was the worship of the material world, transforming into an artistic and literary exaltation. This fostered a profound cult of privacy, individuality, and subjective nuance, placing the inner world of the artist at the forefront.

• Quest for Freedom

  Romanticism championed free expression, leading to a relentless search for new forms and styles. This pursuit of freedom manifested in various spheres:

  • Politics: Challenging established norms and advocating for individual rights.
  • Morality: Often opposing rigid religious doctrines and societal rules.
  • Feelings: Prioritizing raw emotion and intuition over reason.

• Metaphysical Anguish

  The "meta" (beyond) refers to the spiritual and intangible aspects of existence—those profound feelings and questions that transcend the physical body. These are the great, enduring questions of humanity that have always intrigued thinkers. The Romantic poet often felt a predilection for eroticism and bright, colorful motifs, yet simultaneously grappled with deep existential unease. In this metaphysical context, humanity often perceived itself as a victim of an undeniable fate or destiny. This inherent anxiety frequently fueled a desire to escape the confines of space and time.

Literary Techniques and Themes

Influences and Opposition to Classicism

In contrast to the classical Greco-Roman models, Romanticism preferred native and indigenous literary traditions. The opposition to classicism was particularly strong against French classical models and Greco-Latin antiquity. Notable examples of this shift include:

• Spanish romances
• Works by Victor Hugo
• Alexandre Dumas's novels
• Walter Scott's historical fiction
• Heinrich Heine's poetry

Dominant Themes

• Intimacy and Subjectivity

  A key theme was the intimacy of the poet, emphasizing profound subjectivity. The artist often presented themselves as a spectacle, openly displaying their deepest feelings and inner turmoil.

• The Romantic Landscape

  The discovery and portrayal of landscape became paramount. Unlike the purely rustic or background settings of previous eras, the Romantic landscape often corresponded with the poet's feelings. It encompassed a range of depictions, from Nordic and narrative-bucolic to idealized exotic amoenus locus (pleasant place). The landscape transcended its role as mere background, becoming an active participant in the narrative, reflecting rustic yearning or vague pessimism (as seen in Espinosa's works). Key elements often found in the Romantic landscape include:

  • The nocturnal
  • The moon
  • Mystery
  • Burial sites
  • Ruins
  • Tempestuous weather

• Exotic Motifs

  Romanticism embraced exotic motifs, often reflecting a fascination with distant environments, unfamiliar realities, and the shock of encountering the unknown. This frequently led to a tendency to escape from mundane surroundings.

Romantic Style and Audience

The Romantic style was often violent and dynamic, directly reflecting the author's personality. There was an intense search for the original and the different, embodying profound individualism and subjectivism. The pursuit of perfection, clarity, and classical taste diminished. The primary goal was no longer to educate but to touch and excite sensation and feeling. This era saw the emergence of new rhythms and sounds in poetry, alongside a rhetorical style that effectively utilized contrast. Crucially, art was no longer intended for a minority elite; it aimed to reach a broad mass, driven by the significant development of the bourgeoisie and the middle class.