Page 1: The Romantic Age and Its Key Features
The late 18th century witnessed a significant shift in literary sensibilities, moving away from objective poetry towards more personal and subjective expression. Writers began incorporating autobiographical elements and personal experiences into their work, marking a departure from traditional objective poetry.
Definition: The Romantic Age represents a literary period characterized by emphasis on individual experience, emotion, and imagination over rational thought and classical rules.
Highlight: Key interests of the period included humble life, melancholy, ruins, and a new concept of nature as a living entity rather than an abstract set of divine laws.
Quote: Edmund Burke's "A Philosophical Enquiry into the Origin of our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful" 1757 revolutionized aesthetic theory by introducing the concept of the sublime.
The Gothic novel emerged during this period, pioneered by Horace Walpole's "The Castle of Otranto" 1764. This genre established several characteristic elements that continue to influence literature and media today.
Vocabulary: Gothic elements include:
- Castle settings with secret passages
- Mysterious and suspenseful atmosphere
- Supernatural events
- Isolated heroes
- Specific vocabulary creating dark atmosphere
The section concludes with an introduction to Mary Shelley, detailing her intellectual background, relationship with Percy Bysshe Shelley, and the circumstances leading to the creation of "Frankenstein."