Influences of Romantic Movement

The rise of the 19th C was the triumph of the individualism and the spirit of revolution swept entire Europe. Philosophers and thinkers like Rousseau, Kant and Hegel and, Movements and events like French Revolution, America’s struggle for independence from the colonial rule of Britain and growth of democracy in England paved the way for the age of “Liberty” and dignity of common man. Eventually it gave rise to Romantic movement which was responsible for spreading the idea of liberty, equality and fraternity.

In England, Paine’s Rights of Man, gave voice against the social exploitation of workers and gave impetus to the movement of supporting the cause of common suffering man. Some much needed reforms were implemented in England/ England abolished ‘American slave trade’; prevented child labour; mitigated horrible unjust laws; accorded freedom to press; extended manhood suffrage, abolished restriction against Catholics in Parliament and started popular schools. The political turmoil of the Age gave rise to a new creative spirit in Literature as witnessed in the works of Wordsworth, Coleridge, Byron, Shelley, Scott, Austin, lamb and De Quincy.

The romantic movement was also greatly influenced by the happenings on the continent. In Germany the movement had begun as a protest and reaction against the common sense and unimaginative ideals of classicism. The new school to which Goethe, Schegal brothers, Fouque—the author of Undine and Novels, the mystic belong, laid greater stress on the supernatural and mythology of Middle Aes. The new trends in German Literature were conveyed to the English men of letters by Henry Mackenzie who emphasized the similarity of the new spirit in the great age of Shakespeare and Milton.

Scott became acquainted with this new trend. The translation of William Taylor of Woolwich who was an important link between German and English romanticism. Gothe’s Goetz influenced Scott’s The Lady of the Last Minstrel and Marmion. Even Byron was influenced by Gothe’s Sorrows of Werther. Kant influenced the english romantic movement on its intellectual side. His transdentalism through Coleridge influenced Church movement. The French romantic movement had less influence on the english romantic movement as the latter preceded the former though the french social and political upheaval was a potent influence.

Rousseau, of course, was the main influence whose sentimental influence is apparent in Blake, Coleridge and Wordsworth and intellectual influence on Godwin whos is in turn influenced Shelley. Byron’s source if influence was Napoleon.