English RomanticismEnglish Romanticism

Samuel Taylor ColeridgeSamuel Taylor Coleridge

““Poetry: the best words Poetry: the best words in the best order” in the best order”

          

““Language is the armory of the Language is the armory of the human mind, and at once contains human mind, and at once contains

the trophies of its past and the the trophies of its past and the weapons of its future conquests”weapons of its future conquests”

      “      “No man was ever yet a No man was ever yet a great poet, without being at the great poet, without being at the

same time a profound same time a profound philosopher.” philosopher.”

RomanticismRomanticism

England:England: 1798-1830s1798-1830s Notable writers:Notable writers:

BlakeBlake WordsworthWordsworth ColeridgeColeridge Shelley (both)Shelley (both)

Followed by Victorian Followed by Victorian (1837-1901)(1837-1901)

America:America: 1830s-19001830s-1900 Notable writers:Notable writers:

Poe, HawthornePoe, Hawthorne MelvilleMelville Emerson, ThoreauEmerson, Thoreau WhitmanWhitman

Transcendentalism Transcendentalism branch (1836-1850)branch (1836-1850)

Gilded Age (1870-1900)Gilded Age (1870-1900)

Nature PoetryNature Poetry

Wordsworth’s “It is a Wordsworth’s “It is a Beauteous Evening” Beauteous Evening” Relationship to NatureRelationship to Nature SensationsSensations Companionship Companionship

(daughter)(daughter)

Thoreau’s Thoreau’s WaldenWalden Relationship with NatureRelationship with Nature SensationsSensations SolitudeSolitude

““Solitude”Solitude”Chapter 5 of Chapter 5 of WaldenWalden by Henry by Henry

David Thoreau David Thoreau ““This is a delicious evening, when the whole body is one sense, and This is a delicious evening, when the whole body is one sense, and

imbibes delight through every pore. I go and come with a strange liberty in imbibes delight through every pore. I go and come with a strange liberty in Nature, a part of herself. As I walk along the stony shore of the pond in my Nature, a part of herself. As I walk along the stony shore of the pond in my shirt-sleeves, though it is cool as well as cloudy and windy, and I see shirt-sleeves, though it is cool as well as cloudy and windy, and I see nothing special to attract me, all the elements are unusually congenial to nothing special to attract me, all the elements are unusually congenial to me. The bullfrogs trump to usher in the night, and the note of the whip-me. The bullfrogs trump to usher in the night, and the note of the whip-poor-will is borne on the rippling wind from over the water. Sympathy poor-will is borne on the rippling wind from over the water. Sympathy with the fluttering alder and poplar leaves almost takes away my breath; with the fluttering alder and poplar leaves almost takes away my breath; yet, like the lake, my serenity is rippled but not ruffled. These small waves yet, like the lake, my serenity is rippled but not ruffled. These small waves raised by the evening wind are as remote from storm as the smooth raised by the evening wind are as remote from storm as the smooth reflecting surface. Though it is now dark, the wind still blows and roars in reflecting surface. Though it is now dark, the wind still blows and roars in the wood, the waves still dash, and some creatures lull the rest with their the wood, the waves still dash, and some creatures lull the rest with their notes. The repose is never complete. The wildest animals do not repose, notes. The repose is never complete. The wildest animals do not repose, but seek their prey now; the fox, and skunk, and rabbit, now roam the but seek their prey now; the fox, and skunk, and rabbit, now roam the fields and woods without fear. They are Nature's watchmen -- links which fields and woods without fear. They are Nature's watchmen -- links which connect the days of animated life.”connect the days of animated life.”