Major Works Of The Romantic Poetry Era
The beginning of the Romantic Period in English literature is usually considered the publication of William Wordsworth’s “Lyrical Ballads” in 1798. “The Prelude,” a work unknown until after his death, is a philosophical meditation on what it meant to be alive and an artist. Wordsworth’s innovation was to embrace simplicity and natural inspirations rather than the strict and formal neo-classicism of the earlier generation. Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s “Rime of the Ancient Mariner” continues the pattern, with a healthy dose of fantasy and gothic horror thrown in as well. Lord Byron died young, but his contribution to Romantic poetry was immense.Want more? Click here/tag “Don Juan” is an epic poem which follows the trials and tribulations of a cavalier youth. Byron’s style sparked a lot of controversy, as much of his writing was vulgar by the standards of his time. Percy Shelley’s “Ode to the West Wind” describes in vivid language the role of the poet in modern society. He worked throughout his short life for social change, using poetry as the vehicle of his ideas. Until fairly recently, William Blake was an often overlooked Romantic poet. He produced his greatest work prior to Wordsworth, putting him out of step with the times. His “Marriage of Heaven and Hell” is a complicated yet whimsical examination of theological and moral principles.
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