The Romantic Era

in British Literature

1780-1832
 Romanticism
• The words Romantic or Romance originally referred to
Medieval tales of knights written in the original Roman
language - Latin. These tales often included love stories
between a knight and his lady - resulting in the modern
meaning of romance.

• When talking about the Romantic Era in literature, we

are actually referring to romantic as “freely imaginative
fiction” and not romantic as in “romantic love”
 Age of Reason vs. Romantic Era
In the Age of Reason,
Writers stressed:
• Reason and Judgement
• Concern with the
universal experience
• The value of society as a
whole
• The value of rules
In the Romantic Era, Writers
stressed:
• Imagination and Emotion
• Concern with the particular
experience
• The value of the individual
human being
• The value of freedom
 Characteristics of the
Romantic Era
1. Common Man and Childhood over Urban Sophistication
Romantics believed in the natural goodness of humans,
which is hindered /перешкоджає / by the urban life of
civilization. They believed that the savage can be noble,
childhood can be good and the emotions inspired by both
beliefs causes the heart to soar.
2. Emotions over Reason
Romantics believed that knowledge is gained through
intuition rather than deduction. This is best summed up by
Wordsworth who stated that “all good poetry is the
spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings.”
3. Nature over Artificial
Romantics stressed the awe/благоговіння/ of nature in art
and language and the experience of sublimity / високість /
through a connection with nature. Romantics rejected the
ideas of the industrial revolution .
4. The Individual over Society
Romantics often elevated/ підвищувати/ the achievements
of the misunderstood, heroic individual outcast/
вигнанець/.
5. Imagination over Logic
Romantics legitimized / узаконити /the individual
imagination as a critical authority.
Robert Burns
1759–1796
10 INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT ROBERT BURNS
Burns wrote his poems in Scots,
standard English and Scots dialect.
Robert Burns originally spelled his
name ‘Burness’.

Burns was a brilliant lyricist and he

contributed over 100 songs to a book
called The Melodies of Scotland. He
also wrote lyrics for A Select Collection
of Scottish Airs for the Voice and The
Scots Musical Museum.
Robert Burns wrote Auld Lang
Syne (he added new lyrics to a
traditional Scottish tune) and A Red,
Red Rose.
My heart’s in the Highlands, my heart is not here;
My heart’s in the Highlands, a-chasing the deer;
A-chasing the wild deer, and following the roe,
My heart’s in the Highlands wherever I go.

Farewell to the Highlands, farewell to the North,

The birth-place of valour, the country of worth;
Wherever I wander, wherever I rove,
The hills of the Highlands for ever I love.

Farewell to the mountains high cover’d with snow;

Farewell to the straths and green valleys below;
Farewell to the forests and wild-hanging woods;
Farewell to the torrents and loud-pouring floods:

My heart’s in the Highlands, my heart is not here;

My heart’s in the Highlands, a-chasing the deer;
A-chasing the wild deer, and following the roe,
My heart’s in the Highlands wherever I go.
 Test
/ Robert Burns/
1.Copy out two metaphorical epithets / see the verse / and two
compound epithets.
2.Copy out two verbs – synonyms.
3.What was a native language of Robert Burns?
4.What style of living was denied by Romanticism?
5.What’s the main aspect to get knowledge?
6.What trends claimed “the value of freedom” and “the value of
rules”?
7.Do you know the origin of the word “ROMANTIC”? What is it?
8.What’s the special main character of ROMANTICISM?
9.Can you find the names of animals ?/ see the verse /
10.Copy out all words with the meaning “water”?
11.What trend claimed such aspects as “REASON and JUDGEMENT”?
12.What’s the name of the poem/ verse/, which you had to learn by
heart?