Context Flashcards
When was King of France killed
1723
40 years before killing of king - how was the world set
Based on authority and hierarchy, only nobility and clergy had personal liberty. Everyone had duties not right
At heart of the new order was Paris. Paris police force was biggest. Those undesirable to state would disappear
Who began romantic movement
Explain
1742
Diderot (future built on reason)
Roussou (believed in feeling to exist)
Both preached freedom and liberty for individual
DANGEROUS
1749- Diderot arrested for writing an Encyclopaedia in which there was no place for the existence of God - questioned God
Roussea went to visit him in cell
And came up with concept
“Man was born free yet everyone he is in chains”
Roussea experiences inspiration for romantics
Emotion could unlock prison of society
Roussea called for end of civilisation
Later forced out of France
Thomas Paine
1774 young English idealist arrived to America after infortune in Europe
Wife died in Europe and bankruptcy
Reacted strongly and violently by taxes of English rulers
Paine wrote pamphlet called ‘common sense’- attacked monarchy
Publication of common sense led to american independence 1776
ALL MEN ARE EWUAL TO LIFE LIBERTY AND PURSUITS OF HAPPINESS
Did Blake have many readers to begin with
No
Who did Wordsworth fall in love with
French girl
What was Wordsworths thoughts towards the France revolution etc
Threat of foreign invasion and French Royalist led to blood shed
Priests and nun slaughtered for refusing Republican Oath
Wordsworth was sad by this
Why did Wordsworth go home leaving his wife
Dangerous for British living in France and France living in Britain
He head home leaving family behind
Revolutionary authorities seized his wife’s letters to him
Wordsworth became a wondered- revolutionary act
Wordsworth met coleridge :
Bond to last a lifetime
Wordsworth and Coleridge wrote poems - define romantic age
Wordsworth and Coleridge both wrote lyrical ballads
They didn’t put name on it when first published 1798- were proclaiming new poetic faith- beyond individual authorship
John Clare
Son of agricultural labourer
Loved freedom of natural world
Missing for a day and evening
Parents afraid he was dead
Grew up to be a poet
Late 18t an 19th century - enclosure agreements - common land fenced off
Barriers
Clare could no longer wonder
24 lunatic asylum
Mount Tambora
1815
Most powerful volcanic eruption in history - retaliate by those who tried to tame and control nature
Bryan wrote about itin ‘darkness’
Mary Shelley
As a girl - heard of experiments with electricity
Led to Frankenstein - prophecy that science may be misused by those who want to tamper with nature - novels frightful horror - dark reflectio of romantics sublime
Message powerful - respect nature - power to destroy
1811
Oxford
Anonymous pamphlets to heads of colleges and bishops
Entitled: the necessity of atheism
W out proof of God - nonsense to believe him
Blasphemy
Pearce Shelley wrote it
Expelled from uni
Tired of his wife - met another woman - Mary - took her virginity on grave on her mum where they met
1814- Shelley waiting - 2 women - Mary and her step sister running away w him - violating social conventions. Pioneering notion of free love
Lord Byron
1812- prepared poem for publication
Romantic
Famous
Sexual scandals
1816 wife wanted divorce
London rumours
Alleged sexual relations with half sister
Publically accused of homosexuality
Keats
Believed genius of poet - ordinary self
Imagine himself in 1000 diff lives
Byron hated his poetry - mental masterbarion
8 years old - dad died
Mum and brother does by time 23
Turburculosis - he would die. No allegiance to god (New Romantics)
Feared after death he would be forgotten
