Write an essay on Romantic poets
Question: Write an essay on Romantic poets?
Introduction
Romantic age is one of the most important ages in English literature. This age comes into bringing a new era in English literature. On the other hand, Romantic poets lay down the love of Nature, imagination, Melancholy, supernaturalism, subjectivity, Love for beauty in the poems. The most popular romantic poets are William Wordsworth, S.T. Coleridge, P. B. Shelly, John Keats, and Lord Byron. William Blake is a prominent romantic poet too.
Short information on the Romantic Period
The duration of this age is (1798- 1832). William Wordsworth and S.T Coleridge wrote, “Lyrical Ballads” which was published in 1798. Romantic poetry composers are divided into two generations. The poets of the first-generation are William Blake, William Wordsworth, and Samuel Taylor Coleridge and the poets of the second-generation are Lord Byron, P. B. Shelley, and John Keats.
William Blake (1757-1827)
William Blake is an English poet and painter. He is considered a romantic poet. He has written “Song of Innocence” and “Song of Experience” although, it was published before the start of the romantic age. His poems are replete with romantic elements that is why he is a romantic poet. Actually, he is a social reformer and critic of contrary states of the human soul. His famous works are “The Ancient of Days” “Adam Naming the Beasts” “Newton” “Satan”.
William Wordsworth (1770- 1850)
William Wordsworth is the vital figure of the romantic age in English literature. He was the poet laureate of England. He is considered to be the pioneer of English romanticism and a lake poet. He is also a worshiper of Nature. His love for nature is motherly and authentic than any other English poet. There is an individual situation of Nature in his poems. He believes that there is a heavenly spirit in nature. He further believes that the company of Nature gives joy to the human heart and he looks upon nature as a healing force. William Wordsworth is primarily known for his metaphysical figurations of nature, development of Romantic sensibility and imagination, and a kind of philosophical Poetry on love, man, and god. His most famous works are Lyrical Ballads, London 1802, The prelude, Guide to the lake, etc.
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S.T. Coleridge (1772- 1834)
S.T. Coleridge was an English poet, literary critic, philosopher, and one of the founders of the romantic age. He wrote Lyrical Ballads with William Wordsworth. Among 23 poems of the “Lyrical Ballads”, he wrote 4 poems including “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner”. In his poems, he lay down supernatural elements. His most famous work is “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner”. It is the symbol of the Supernaturalism. On the other hand, “Kubla Khan” is the fulfillment of beauty of nature, fancy and high imagination, and certainly supernaturalism. His poems are the perfection of the romantic elements. His major works are The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, Kubla khan, Biographia Literaria, etc. The evergreen philosophic lines of his poem are:
Lord Byron (1788-1824)
The full name of Lord Byron is George Gordon Byron. He was a poet and politician. However, He is a poet of the romantic age. He was highly popular, wealthy, and handsome. Lord Byron was the prototypical romantic hero. His famous works are “She walks in Beauty” “Darkness” “There Be of Beauty’s Daughter” the series of the mock-heroic poem “Don Juan” etc. Byron is like George Bernard Shaw from the perspective of love and marriage.
P. B. Shelly (1792-1822)
P. B. Shelly is one of the most famous English romantic poets. He is the greatest lyric and philosophical poet in English literature. He is a revolutionary and rebel poet in English literature from a pessimistic and optimistic point of view. He is very pessimistic about the present chaotic and corrupted system but at the same, he is optimistic for the future because he believes that the future form of society and life must be free from negative aspects. After his death, His poems become much famous. His major works are “Ode to the West Wind” “Ozymandias” “To a skylark” “Adonais”, etc.
John Keats (1795-1821)
John Keats was a brilliant poet of the romantic age. His life was very short but He has written many poems. His. Poems are glamorous and impressive. He can be called the father of the ‘term’ ideality vs reality. That is why in his poems we get the message that the subconscious and conscious mind of human beings always search for ideal happiness but this materialistic world is packed with chaos and restlessness. His major works are “Ode to a Nightingale” Ode on a Grecian Urn” Ode to psyche” “To Autumn” etc. which are packed with romantic elements.
Conclusion
All above the discussion, we can guess why Terry Eagleton has considered Romantic poets to be the complete pioneers of the English Modern Period.
