Romanticism: Origins, Characteristics, and Key Figures
Romanticism: Origins and Key Aspects
Romanticism was a cultural and artistic movement that emerged in Germany and England in the late 18th century and spread throughout Europe.
Origins and Influences
In Germany, the Sturm und Drang movement advocated for absolute creative freedom, championed Shakespeare, and celebrated medieval poetry as a reflection of the national spirit. The Weimar Classicism group (Herder, Grimm, etc.) also played a significant role. Goethe’s The Sorrows of Young Werther caused a wave of suicides and was briefly banned by the church, but it was translated into numerous languages.
England developed its own distinct form of pre-Romanticism, characterized by:
- Authors like Young (Night Thoughts) and Grey (Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard).
- Scenarios evoking imagination, coldness, feelings of loneliness, and the transience of life.
Key English Authors
- Lord Byron: Known for his rebellious and satirical nature, he revived the myth of Don Juan.
- Percy Bysshe Shelley: Characterized by his defense of atheism.
- John Keats: His poetry is notable for its sensitive and painterly qualities.
In France, the Romantic movement was linked to the revolutionary political climate and represented a break with traditional French wisdom. Rousseau’s emphasis on nature influenced the movement.
Key French Authors
- Chateaubriand: Known for his romanticized view of Christianity.
- Victor Hugo: His play Hernani marked the triumph of Romanticism in the theater.
Realistic authors like Stendhal and Balzac emerged later.
Core Characteristics of Romanticism
- Freedom and Individualism: Romanticism emphasized the importance of the individual and their freedom as a supreme value, including moral freedom (the right to think and act without being subject to social norms), political freedom (rights of citizens), and artistic freedom (creative imagination and rejection of neoclassical rules).
- Subjectivity and Sentimentality: Literary creation was manifested in the expression of the romantic self, interiority, and existential angst. The longing for freedom and the ideal of happiness often collided with reality, leading to existential anguish and an interest in marginalized individuals.
- Historicism and Nationalism: Influenced by German Romanticism, works were often related to the spirit of the nation, leading to an interest in medieval literature, folklore, traditions, and figures like Don Juan. The interest in various cultures led to the search for national identity and the rebirth of Galician and Catalan literature.
- Escape from Reality and Irrationalism: The past, especially the Middle Ages, served as a setting for expressing aspirations and ideals, as did exotic places and Eastern cultures. Evasion was also evident in fantasy, with motifs of horror and the supernatural.
Key Themes
- Love: A fundamental feeling of the time, taking two forms: sentimental (melancholy and sad, as seen in Bécquer) and passionate (defying social conventions, as seen in Larra).
- Nature: Nature acquired special importance, reflecting the mood of the poet, whether dismal, melancholy, or turbulent.
Romantic Drama
Romantic drama rebelled against the rules of Neoclassicism.
Features of Romantic Theater
- Structure and Discourse: Mixed verse and prose, breaking with the rule of three unities (time, place, and action).
- Mixture of Comedy and Tragedy
Characters
The protagonist is often of unknown origin, a victim of fate and social handicaps. Women are portrayed as loving passionately, even to the point of self-destruction.
Topics
Main themes include fate, passionate love over rules and death, vengeance, and critiques of institutions that restrict individual freedom.
Purpose
The primary purpose was to move the audience with melodramatic stories and tragic endings.