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Ⅰ. Historical background
At the turn of the 18th and the 19th centuries, many
distinguished young poets appeared. These new coming poets continuously
published their poetry, which brought new subjects, diction, forms and
thinking to the fixed Age of Reason. Gradually, under their efforts, a new
poetic trend was shaped and then came the flourishing of English
Romanticism. English Romanticism had both its own theories and splendid
creative works. It not only prevailed in English literary circle, but also
arouse the warmly applause of Continental writers. Therefore, this period
was also called the Romantic Age. However, this movement was not a sudden
creation but had a close connection toward the society. Its emergence and
development were under the impetus of Industrial Revolution and a series of
other revolutions in the world, especially the French Revolution.
England was the first country that began and completed
the Industrial Revolution. Therefore, it was the most powerful country at
that time. Because of its strength in power, England intensified her
expansion abroad. Thus the foreign trade developed rapidly. These, in an
opposite direction, urged the development of English economy and culture. On
one hand, the strengthening of economy meant that the power of
industrialists was enhanced. In order to gain more profits, they intensified
the hand of grasping money from workers. Compared to the industrialists, the
workers, originated mostly as bankrupted peasants, lived in dire poverty,
however, as the development of industry, their strength as a whole class was
stronger. Therefore, as more and more merciless the capitalists became,
workers began their rebellion. As time went, the struggle between
industrialists and workers were hotter and hotter. The movement of
the
Luddites was one example of the workers’ revolt. On the other hand, the fast
development of economy and culture facilitated the strengthening of
intellectuals’ power. They became gradually economic independent. Watching
the darkness of society, their sense of just aroused. They used the pen
weapon to against the political situation dominated by the aristocracy and
financial oligarchies, to denounce the feudal remnants in English society,
and urge for a wide and deep social reform, political freedom and the
liberalization of social life. As the spokesmen of the age, the Romantic
poets, such as Wordsworth, Coleridge, Byron, Shelley, Keats devoted their
all passion towards the democracy movement.
The Romanticism was not only influenced by the inner
revolution, but also by the international elements—the French Revolution,
whose influence soon swept all over Europe, broke on July 14, 1789. Although
England had experienced the revolution and great social changes in the 17th
century, still the French Revolution had a far-reaching influence on the
thought of English people. The explosive power of French people’s greatly
encouraged English people. The principles, which French Revolution
expressed—“liberty, equality and fraternity”, gave English writers a new
view to observe world and life. Almost all the leading writers of that time
were in sympathy with it and were inspired by it. The French Revolution
marked “the dawn of a new era”. In addition, on the fear of another French
Revolution, the English government became more and more reactionary
orientation. The terror policy that government carried on aroused a terror
of the whole society. The literary circle of course could not be an
exception. Therefore, some poets became passive, but some others, through
the form of poetry, led out their fascination towards revolutionary ideal,
suffering of desperate, disappointment and anger. This leading out aroused a
tide of Romanticism.
As the curtain of French Revolution rolled down, the
revolutionary passion cooled down. The Romantic poets began to reread the
principles of “liberty, equality, fraternity” which now were a great irony.
The disappointment made intellectuals rethought their belief. Some of them
went into
Medieval Age, nature or “uncivilized” countryside to seek the
consolation and beauty, such as Wordsworth, Coleridge and Southey—the first
generation. Some criticized the social evils and put their eyes on the
future, Byron, Shelly and Keats were the representatives of this group,
which was also called the second generation.
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