notes for midterm exam
Romantic period
Blake's poetry is against the industrial world.
As a result of the scientific world, we do not believe in men or woman. Que we see a society that is godless.
the Romantic is from 1789 - 1832.
Each period has different issues. For romantics, the words are NATURE AND IMAGINATION.
the Victorian age is from 1832-1924.
Victorianism from beginning of the French Revolution until first Parliament meeting. victorianism is nostalgia of nature. A tremendous focus in morality becomes important during this period.
before Darwin, the world for these people was 2 to 3 thousand years old.
modernism alienated human beings. It separated them from nature and these people had no religion. There is also a sense of helplessness.
Some poets like Yates, created their own mythologies.
The issue during this three periods is industrialism.
From 1950-1945.
the power of love is centered around the power of emotion.
20th century.
a general lust in faith. human beings become powerless.
Some critics place 1798 as the beginning of romanticism. William Wordsworth's language and poetry changed poetry.
A movement of democracy in 1832 took place in England.
1789 French Revolution.
This 34-year period of romanticism is very rocky. This is the moment when poets realized that their was a change for democracy, Political revolt, industrial revolution. England is described as ugly.
Blake captured the pain of life in London.
The romantic writers did not call themselves that.
characterized by a release of Energy. Experimental poetically and creative ' power. Sense of limitless possibilities. Everything could be done and acquired.
Trends in romantic poetry.
emphasis on the individual poet.
The content is the feelings of the poet.
the lyric poem is the dominant poetic form. emphasis on the I.
the topic is consistent with spirituality.
Poetic creation must start with a feeling, not a thougt.
adoration and warships of nature.
The objects of nature are not only described but also given feelings.
Movement in this period is from society to individual.
Nature becomes at the occasion for meditation.
nature is everything that's everything.
A poetic revolution.
the diction is no longer elevated. Now this is the language of common man. Wordsworth is the radical innovator.
Imagination can reshape the trivial.
Strenght of the creative power of the mind. The mind can do anything. the poet is truly a creator.
There is a wonder in the supernatural. Not only in nature but mystically as well. Kubla Khan is a supernatural work.
Coleridge was an opium addict.
his works were dreams and nightmares.
There is truth for the romantics in the power of the ego. " The mind creates the universe it perceives through imagination."
Coleride saw that:
subjects = imagination
objects = nature
Coalescence of subject and nature
romantics say that pride is not a sin but a virtue.
The 18th century vision is that a poet is part of society. In the 19th century that poet is an outcasts off society.
Lord Byron ' s Don Juan is the outcast of society.
Here we see alienation of the hero. for all the romantics; " the mind is capable of recreating the world, just as God in revelations will recreate the world we know. " ( As per Sotirriou).
Blake writes ( creates) Jerusalem.
William Blake
1757-1827
he was one of the most eccentric writers in the English language.
In order to understand his poetry his visual works have to accompany the poems. he saw the imagination as a creative force. He and Yates create a mythology of a world with imagination. Works such as his prophetic works: Milton and Jerusalem.
He believes in what is called the apocalypse of the imagination. He says that " we achieve redemption by intensifying the bodily senses. " imagination reshapes experience.
At times, he is deceiving simple. At other times he is ambiguous. he speaks in paradoxes. He works dialectically. Believes that the extremes leave to a hightened understanding.
opposites Unite to create a truth.
Thesis = innocence
antithesis = experience
synthesis = contraries
he is a visionary and a rare poetic genius.
he was discovered in the the 40's, and in the 60's he became famous.
He uses metaphors---- in a mosaic style.
What does he mean by innocence, experience, and contraries? What did the boy see in industrialized London? (" there is no natural religion")
Blake saw the infinite in everything.
his epistomology theory of knowledge.
" THERE IS NO NATURAL RELIGION "
I. men and women are much more than they appeared and are very spiritual. Once you measure, you will destroy. You worst enemy is the reason. Reason destroy imagination.
II All this kind of reason will destroy us. Reason can create a-bombs, hydrogen bombs, and other destructive items. Knowing more is very important.
III. lacking.
IV. no need for interpretation.
V. the more you process, the more you want.
he does not believe in opposites. Opposites for him are contraries. his is saying that less is contrary to more. You can not have more without less. there is a lot of multi-texture to his work.
VI. no need for interpretation.
VII. we all are infinite.
ratio comes from his understanding of the Latin word: RATIOCUNATION = measured reason.
" SONGS OF INNOCENCE AND EXPERIENCE"
Meter : Iambic tetrameter.
(4) ----- ----- ----- -----
rhyme: a, b, a, b, c, d, c, d.
Speaker: the Piper and the Piper is the poet. The poet talks to children.
Child: Could be a muse, inspiration, himself, God.
" THE LAMB"
There is a Christ like in the child. the child's innocent; Christ's innocent. Christ's is the little lamb, Christ is the little child. The child is Christ there an
(From Blake-s dictionary)
Divine body = imagination which is the body of Christ.
Mercy = firsts attribute of God: forgiveness.
Pity = Virtue.
Peace = peace.
Love = Love.
Meter: unit of measurement in terms of beats (music)
Innocence is a contrary to experience
Mercy is a contrary to cruelty.