Title: Characteristics of Romanticism in English Literature | Pen and the Pad
Headings: Characteristics of Romanticism in English Literature
Characteristics of Romanticism in English Literature
Imagination and Creativity
The Beauty of Nature
Individualism and Solitude
Romantic Love

Content: For example, in William Wordsworth's poem "The Prelude," the narrator is disappointed by his experiences crossing the Alps and imagines unlikely natural phenomenon on his journey, such as powerful waterfalls. Romantic authors don't allow facts or truths to inhibit them from expressing imaginative ideas, especially as they relate to nature. The Beauty of Nature
Romantic literature explores the intense beauty of nature, and Romantic writers invest natural events and objects with a divine presence, suggests Lilia Melani, English professor at Brooklyn College. For example, in Walt Whitman's poem "Song of Myself," the poet refers to the grass as a "hieroglyphic" and "the handkerchief of the Lord." Romantic authors understood progress and the changing tide toward industrialization, but they prioritized and glamorized natural beauty over urbanization, commercialism and materialism. Individualism and Solitude
Romanticism appeals to individualism, rather than conventional norms or collectivism. For example, in "Frankenstein" by Mary Shelley, the monster is a Romantic hero because he symbolizes individuality and nonconformity. Shelley wanted readers to sympathize with the monster's plight, praising him for his simplicity, originality and distinctiveness. Even though Frankenstein lives in solitude and experiences rejection, readers see him as a genuine representation of humankind. Romantic authors valued independent thinking, creativity and self-reliance.