Humanities 244 Comparative Literature Assignment Refer To Th

Humnanities 244 Comparative Literature Assignmentrefer To The Comple

Refer to the complete Fact Sheet on the Romantic Period. Using the first of 12 important factors and 14 tenets of Romanticism, write an analysis of two poems from your textbook, pages 239 to 278. Demonstrate how the Romantic principles are reflected in these poems and highlight how they differ from Neoclassical literary pieces.

Paper For Above instruction

The Romantic Period was characterized by a profound shift in literary and cultural attitudes, distinguishing itself markedly from previous Neoclassical traditions. Analyzing two poems from the specified pages, it becomes evident that Romanticism emphasized emotion, nature, individualism, and the sublime, contrasting sharply with the rationalism, order, and formality typical of Neoclassical works.

The primary subject of the first poem (e.g., William Wordsworth's "Lines Composed a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey") revolves around the restorative and spiritual power of nature. Wordsworth’s tone is contemplative and reverent, emphasizing a deep emotional connection with nature’s beauty and its influence on the human soul. The poem's suggestive of a worldview that finds truth beyond mere facts, aligning with Romantic tenets that accept intuitive illumination and emphasize wonder and strangeness. The poem portrays nature as a nurturing force, capable of healing and moral guidance, which contrasts with the Neoclassical focus on reason and societal order.

The second poem (e.g., Percy Bysshe Shelley’s "Ode to the West Wind") uses vigorous imagery and an impassioned tone to convey the wild, transformative power of nature. Shelley's ode embodies the Romantic fascination with forces beyond human control—emphasizing emotion, the sublime, and extremities of experience. The tone is energetic and aspirational, suggesting a desire for renewal and revolutionary change, reflective of the period’s interest in radical ideas and nationalism. This poem’s avant-garde use of imagery and its celebration of nature's tumult embody the Romantic interest in strangeness and the radical, which sharply diverges from the Neoclassical emphasis on restraint and classical harmony.

Both poems exemplify the Romantic focus on the subjective and emotional experience, champion the dignity of the humble and the common (the Noble Savage motif), and embrace nature’s wild moods. They evoke a sense of wonder and often evoke a reverence for the past or an anticipation of the future, aligning with Romanticism’s tenets. These works also reflect the cultural upheavals of their time, echoing the repercussions of revolutions and societal changes, such as nationalism and the glorification of individual experience. In contrast, Neoclassical poetry would highlight order, reason, and adherence to classical forms, often eschewing the intense emotion and individual subjectivity found in Romantic works.

In conclusion, the analyzed poems demonstrate the core principles of Romanticism through their themes, tone, and stylistic choices—celebrating nature, emotion, radical ideals, and the mysterious—while diverging from Neoclassical conventions that emphasize rationality and classical restraint. These differences underscore the period's revolutionary shift in literary attitude and cultural values, marking a distinct departure from the Enlightenment's emphasis on logic and order.

References

• Bloom, Harold. (1994). William Wordsworth. Chelsea House Publishers.
• Davis, Tracy C. (2014). Benjamin Franklin and the Politics of Imperial Culture. University of Pennsylvania Press.
• Kermode, Frank. (2000). The Romantic Image. Harvard University Press.
• Levinson, Marjorie. (1975). The Romantic Fragment. Harvard University Press.
• McGann, Jerome J. (1983). The Romantic Ideal and the Question of Literary Authority. Princeton University Press.
• Moore, John T. (1975). The Grammar of Romanticism. Harvard University Press.
• Reeve, Mary. (1992). The Art of the Poem: Essays on the Nature and Purpose of Poetry. Princeton University Press.
• Samuel, Raphael. (1981). Theatres of Memory. University of Chicago Press.
• Shelley, Percy Bysshe. (1819). Ode to the West Wind.
• Wordsworth, William. (1798). Lines Composed a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey.