Romanticism and Values
Romanticism was a broad movement, made up mostly of poets and writersthat swept across Europe during the 18th and 19th centuries. More thanjust writing about romantic love and sentiment, these writers wrote abouttheir ideals and values as they translated into their everyday lives.William Blake is one of the most famous and well-known Romantic poets ofthe time, while Rousseau has often been called one of the instigators ofthe entire Romantic Movement. Blake's work could be biting, sarcastic aswell as liquid, and romantic, and Rousseau's writings show he was aromantic and many-faceted man who loved unsuccessfully but never lost the At first reading, it might be difficult to think of Jean-JacquesRousseau as a romanticist, but his "Confessions" manuscript shows him to bea passionate and loving man, capable of great romantic thought along withcompelling critical thinking. Rousseau is known as a political writer whowrote about democracy and freedom, but he also wrote about love, life, andhis ideals, especially in his "Confessions." It is here Rousseau wears hisheart on his sleeve while he discusses his mistresses, his weaknesses, andhis thoughts on love and romance. Often
Another common value in the Romantic era is the searching of self foridentity and meaning, and Rousseau's writings clearly show how he was notafraid to look inside himself, and share his innermost feelings andthoughts. The writing is so alive and vivid that the reader can almostsee the country lane Rousseau walked as he wrote these lines, and theycertainly qualify as a poetic and romantic look at the countryside and therelationship he was celebrating one morning. Of course, love and romance are an important part of the RomanticMovement, and Rousseau writes about his own passion with a charming lack ofguile or timidity. Rousseau and Blakewere some of the leaders of the movement, and their writings are anexcellent example of the values and thoughts that made up an artisticmovement that still has value today. Blake's fervor seems much more balanced and reverent, whileRousseau's follows the dictates of his heart, and his passionate andcontinually questioning nature. Clearly, passions, and not simply romantic passion, areimportant values to the Romantic, and Rousseau is not afraid to voice hispassionate nature aloud, and share it with his readers. Blake toowrote of his search for identity and his questioning nature. They might not call him "God," but theybelieved in a creator who had a hand in everything on Earth. Another extremely important aspect of Romantic writing is the vividand compelling descriptions the writers use to describe the natural world,their feelings, and their beliefs. Blake'spoetry illustrates this, especially in "The Lamb," and he alludes again tothis power briefly in "The Tyger. Rousseaumay be known for his critical thinking and writings on democracy andfreedom, but his "Confessions" show that he was a passionate and romanticman, who shared his deepest feelings with the world who read his writings. Their ideals and their values are the common values of theRomantic era, and they play an important role in all their writings. Rousseau notes, "I dispose of Nature in its entiretyas its lord and master; my heart, roaming from object to object, minglesand identifies itself with those which soothe it, wraps itself up incharming fancies and is intoxicated with delicious sensations" (Rousseau).
Common topics in this essay:
Confessions Rousseau,
Rousseau Immediately,
Rousseau Blake's,
Romantic Movement,
Rousseau Blake,
Mock Blake,
Romantic Rousseau,
Movement Rousseau,
Blake Blake,
Jean-Jacques Rousseau,
natural world,
romantic movement,
rousseau blake,
rousseau writes,
ideals values,
questioning nature,
rousseau's writings,
democracy freedom,
love romance,
thinking writings,
|
Acceptance Essays
