Romantic Poetry Test review Flashcards
It is a mistake to think of the Romantics as “nature poets.” Rather, these poets were “___ ____” who sought a deeper
understanding of the bond between human beings and the world of the senses. They had a strong sense of nature’s
mysterious forces, which both inspire the poet and hint at the causes of great changes taking place in the world.
During the Romantic period, poetry was no longer used to make complex arguments in a witty, polished style.
mind poets
Romantic poets found a more mysterious element present in both the mind and nature. It is an element that is a creative
power that makes things happen; this power is the ____.
imagination
Romantic poets used ____, ___ ___ __ ___ __ ___ __ ___ ___, __ ___ __ ___, __ __ __ __ ___ ___, and their poems usually presented imaginative experiences as very powerful or moving which suggested that the ___ ___ __ ___ __ __ __ ___ - _ __ __ __ _ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ _ __ _ __ ___
simple, unadorned language to explore the significance of commonplace subjects, the
beauty of nature, and the power of human imagination
human imagination is also a kind of desire - a motive that drives the mind to discover things that it cannot learn by rational or logical thinking.
The Romantics thought ____ ___ __ ___ ___. Each of the Romantics had his or her own
special view of the imagination. However, all of them believed that the imagination could be stimulated by
both ___ and the ____ itself.
imagination superior to human reasoning
nature, mind
The Romantics saw the poet as someone human beings and society could not do without; …….
they saw poets in a role similar to that of a priest, teacher, or master who functioned as a sort of spiritual guide to the inner realms of intuition.
The Term “Romantic” Means Three Things to Romantic Poets
1: A Child’s Sense of Wonder
#2: Social Idealism
#3: Adaptation to Change
signifies a fascination with youth and innocenc
A Child’s Sense of Wonder
The term “Romantic” refers to a view of cyclical development of human societies. This is the stage when people need to question tradition and authority in order to imagine better - that is, happier, fairer, and healthier - ways to live. Romantic in this sense is associated with idealism.
Social Idealism
The term “Romantic” suggests an ability to change - an acceptance of change rather than a rigid
rejection of it
Adaptation to Change
Robert Burns was working in the fields as a ___ and accidentally destroyed a field mouse’s nest. He describes his feelings in this now famous poem. His apology becomes ….
farmer
a reflection on a life of struggle with little reward
at the end.
What is the significance of the farmer addressing the mouse as “companion”?
The farmer addresses the mouse as a small, sleek, huddled, frightened little animal and notices how scared sheis.He tells her that she doesn’t need to scurry away in such a rush—he isn’t going to chase and attack her.
The farmer grieves for the loss of the mouse’s nest, excuses its need to steal corn and empathizes with the ruin of its plans. But, he adds, the mouse is blessed compared to him because ……
it knows only the present while he looks to the past with pain and to the future with fear.
How does the farmer’s apology reflect Romantic views?
The farmer knows that the mouse sometimes steals food from his storesbut asks whether that should matter—the poor mouse must stay alive after all!The occasional ear of corn from a large bundle is a small thing to ask.The speaker counts himself lucky to have what is left over and will never suffer because of what the
mouse takes.
The speaker turns his attention to the mouse’s little nest, which is destroyed;its weak walls are being blown around by the wind.Unfortunately, there is no more grass left for the mouse to use to build a new nest,for the biting, bitter December winds are already starting to blow.
How does Burns’s comparison of mice and humans in the final two stanzas contribute to the poem’s overall meaning?
Look at Lines 37 – 38.
The farmer - the poem’s speaker - compares the thoughts, emotions, and experiences of the mouse to those of humans. Both humans and mice are capable of preparing for the future. Humans are constantly looking forward, and the mouse has anticipated the cold of the winter.
Look at Line 41.
Mice and humans both feel grief and pain when their plans for the future are unraveled by something unexpected. However, Burns differentiates between the thinking of mice and humans.
Look at Line 44.
The greater awareness that the speaker and other humans possess means that they experience fear and pain as they reflect on the past and anticipate what will happen in the future, This supports the theme that sometimes it can feel better to live in the present, like the mouse, free from worry and disappointment.
Tintern Abbey was a ___, a place where Christian monks lived, worked, studied, and worshipped.
monastery
In the 1500s, monastic life in England and Wales was brought to an abrupt end by the political actions of King Henry VIII. The Dissolution of the Monasteries was part of the King’s ____ ___ ___ ___ ___ over the church in his realm.
policy to establish total control
When it became fashionable to visit wilder parts of the country in the late 18th century, the ___ ___ became renowned for its picturesque qualities, and
Tintern Abbey, then swathed in ivy, was rediscovered and visited by many famous seekers after the romantic and picturesque, including William Wordsworth.
Wye Valley
How does the speaker approach and retreat from connection with humanity?
Romantics idealized hermits, monks, and nuns because they lived lives of quiet contemplation, so in many ways, Tintern Abbey is an appropriate setting for one of the most important poems in Romantic literature. While reading, keep in mind that all of the monasteries in Great Britain were
dissolved in 1536-1541 after Henry VIII broke with the Catholic Church to marry Anne Boleyn, so Tintern Abbey had been a ruin for many, many years. Wordsworth never describes Tintern Abbey itself, nor does he mention it in the poem. The Abbey is unimportant in and of itself, and Wordsworth is both physically and emotionally removed from it. There’s an irony in this, particularly since Wordsworth is describing his “religion” in explaining the impact of his experience of being at this location has had on him, especially the impact of being immersed in the natural landscape.
