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English
Exam board
OCR
Shakespeare
19th century prose
Modern texts
Poetry
Analysing fiction
Analysing non fiction
Reading
Writing process
Writing skills
Grammar and punctuation
English
Summary
The Romantic period of poetry, to put it simply, was an era of poetry between the 18th and early 19th centuries that focused on nature and the beauty of feeling. In this summary, you will learn about key poets of the Romantic period, how the period affected poetry and what a Romantic poem is likely to include.
Due to a cultural shift, imagination, emotion and individual sensibility replaced reason and logic in the eighteenth century as the dominant forces in writing. A new interest in nature, particularly untamed nature and solitude, replaced interest in city life among writers. Romantic literature was markedly different from the literature of the eighteenth century due to new interests and attitudes, but to say the eighteenth century had no influence on it would be a lie.
The era had many influential poets. Below are a few notable ones:
Poet | Dates | What they did. |
Wordsworth | 1770 - 1850 | Wordsworth was a key figure in the English Romantic movement. Nature was viewed in a new light by him in his essays and poems. Wordsworth explored his own sensibility deeply. |
Keats | 1795 - 1821 | The verses of John Keats are characterised by vivid imagery and a sensual appeal. His early death was felt by other poets and his work influenced many others. |
Lord Byron | 1788 - 1824 | His poetry used wit and satire to convey meaning leading him to be held in high regard during this period. |
Shelley | 1792 - 1822 | Some consider him to be one of the best lyric and philosophical poets of the era, and among the most influential of the Romantics. |
Convention | Explanation |
Use of everyday wording | The poetry used less complicated language so it was more accessible to everybody. |
Lyricism | An emphasis on the use of lyric poetry. |
Supernaturalism | A focus on creating an atmosphere of wonder. |
Themes of freedom | As poets became frustrated with their time period, their work moved towards ideals of freedom and liberty. |
Rural life | Images of rural life were used to contrast against urban settings. |
Inspired by ideas of revolution | A response to the French Revolution of 1789. The poetry had a sense of rebellion. |
Feeling | A focus on feeling and the beauty of emotion. |
Subjectivity | There was a focus on the individual and how they felt. |
Personification | They used personification of nature to highlight its beauty. |
Vivid description | This was used to create a detailed image of the scene the poem was describing. |
Form and structure of poetry
Context of poetry
Language of poetry: Poetic techniques
Comparing poems
Responding to poetry
FAQs
Question: Who were the famous Romantic poets?
Answer: The era had many influential poets. Below are a few notable ones: Wordsworth, Keats, Shelley and Lord Byron.
Question: What were the themes of the Romantic era?
Answer: A new interest in nature, particularly untamed nature and solitude, replaced interest in city life among writers.
Question: What was the Romantic period?
Answer: The Romantic period of poetry, to put it simply, was an era of poetry between the 18th and early 19th centuries that focused on nature and the beauty of feeling.
Theory
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