Much of the poetry you are reading for class tomorrow, 12/3, is kinda crazy about Nature (and yes, you must write it with a capital N).
Why is that?
What could possibly be happening in the early to mid 1800s that would instill such a desire for Nature?
What just happened that would cause people to seek refuge in the supernatural?
Are these guys just overindulging in the opiates?
Happy Thinking,
Mr. B
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I'm not too sure as to why people int his period sought refuge in the supernatural, but I think maybe one reason that could be causing all of this poetry with such an emphasis on Nature, could be the Industrial Revolution. At this time in history, large urban cities with factories, slums, and high populations are rising up everywhere in the world. Maybe the romantic poets wanted to make sure that people didn't lose their attachment to nature amidst the wonder of urban societies.
ReplyDeleteI believe much of the poetry is "kinda crazy about Nature" because the authors did not want readers to lose sight of life's importance. Material objects are not the center of life. The amount of money one made or the prestige of one's job does not determine whether he or she has led a successful life. Good character is not determined by material items.
ReplyDeleteDuring this period of poetry, Nature may have symbolized a higher power. The poets may have wanted readers to realize that all circumstances can be referred back to the Lord. One can always seek refuge in the Lord. When it comes time for an individual to go on to the afterlife, the amount of money he or she has obtained will not determine his or her destination. The greatness of his or her character will determine his or her eternity.
Overall, I believe that in the hustle and bustle of the Industrial Revolution, as Andy mentioned earlier, the romantic poets did not want readers to lose sight of those things most important in life, such as Nature.
Agreeing with Andy and Heather I also think that the goal of writing about Nature was to help people not forget about it completely. Nature is the one thing in this world that we've known from birth that never really changes. Sure, leaves change in the fall, snow covers the ground in winter (except in Stafford, of course), and flowers bloom and in Spring and Summer but it's beauty and magnificence never truly changes. It is something that we, as small children, can understand and appreciate. While we grow we tend to forget about the simply beauty and joy that comes from Nature and the important things in our lives become things such as money and belongings. Things that may be described as more secular. The poets hope to take us away from those things and bring us back to our time as children.
ReplyDeleteDuring the Industrial Revolution, things were constantly changing and not always for the better. Death rates raised dramatically as factories became more and more dangerous. I think that these poets saw this and were deeply saddened by the reality of what our world and our lives were becoming. They wished to take us back. To help us believe in something better, the supernatural. They sought to help us be able to find happiness in a world that was turning out to be very morbid.
Nature is pure and ever changing. People can interpret it in so many different ways, making each interpretation beautiful in it's own way. Hearing many different views on similar things (in nature) gives us variety. People love variety.
ReplyDeleteThe world was growing and changing at this time and people were learning new things and going farther away from nature as a source of refuge. Maybe those writing these poems wanted people to still be able to go back to simpler things and times. And reflect on no matter whats going on in life, we still have nature, such a beautiful thing to surround us and keep us company.
I don't think these writers were "overindulging." You can never have too many reminders that we focus on the wrong things in life and need to remember what is most important. We as humans need to reminded of things often.
i think it was crazy about nature was becuase they were'nt smothered in all the material things that we have. It's like what Mr. Bruno said, where do you go to find yourself? in most cases, it's somewhere where there's no sound, no distractions...it's just you and Nature. Kind of like what Becky, no matter what, we still have Nature, it's something that will remain...and we can always use it as a way to just get away from all crap that bothers us in our everyday lives.
ReplyDeleteFrom what I remember about studying Romanticism last year, Romanticism was somewhat of an ideological protest against the ideas brought up from the Enlightenment and at an age of Industrial Revolution and war. As a break away from science, Romantics fled to ideals contradicting those of abandoning faith and opinion over reason. Going back to the simplicity and divinity of embracing Nature and the curiosity of the supernatural was a perfect escape away from man. In Nature one can become self-conscious in search of their identity and true self. The solitude that Nature provides is essential to getting away from the arbitrary acts of man. Personally when I am out in nature I can actually hear myself think and break away from all outside stresses, which I think also attributes to such rationings.
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting that you would mention opium. Putting that aside, the 1800s was the beginning of the industrial era. Where a lot of work concerned heavy machinery. No wonder they would want to go to Nature. It's calm, there are no loud clanking noises. A person could just relax, and maybe find himself/herself. Something we try to take advantage of when we get the chance.
ReplyDeleteThe Industrial Revolution and the changes it brought to society led the Romantics to head for the hills for more than just the noise or the pollution. Nature was perfect, pure, flawless, and timeless. Where in society could they find such an anchor? Nowhere. Society was becoming more and more corrupt, and more and more dangerous for the commoners. Poverty spread, along with disease and death. The rich preyed on the helplessness of the commoners and became even richer. Nothing in Nature reflected this society they saw around them. Harmony rather than discord, pure rather than flawed, innocent rather than corrupt, equality rather than stratification; all are reasons in themselves to seek Nature as a retreat and even a spiritual entity.
ReplyDeletei think because of the changing times of the time, what with Revolutions, french, american, industrial, and new ideals, the only constant thing in life was nature and the natural things that are constant in everyone's life.
ReplyDeleteI think the romantics were simply concerned with getting back to the basics, without stunting the developement of their abilities and future. Perhaps they wanted people to take Nature in regularly, to absorb the intensity of it and the spiritual cleansing it provides because ultimately everyone becomes defeated by Nature.
I think it's funny how people on different continents can think different things about Nature. In one case, we have Arthur Miller depicting the Salem communities seeing the forest as the last strong hold of the Devil. And some time later, the British Romantics embrace Nature and believe it to be the most divine thing in the world. I believe you said before, Mr. Bruno, that each successive trend in Literature is a reaction to the former. If it wasn't you, it was Mrs. Black. I can't remember what was going on in this time period, but the reaction to it is what we have here.
ReplyDeleteEver since Grog the Cave Man invented the wheel, mankind has a kind of guilt-complex that says truth is in Nature. I think it's because in the man-made world, you are constantly reminded of all the stuff you have to do, all of your obligations, and all of the people that keep you from being happy. In Nature, you can sit and watch the grass grow, or sit and watch wood be wood, which frankly is more fun than writing an essay.... i mean working in industrial age. So in conclusion, I think "Nature" was just an old school "Facebook", and that's how those lazy-bum poets avoided responsibility. I mean ol' Thoreau just up and left his life, got a cabin, and planted beans for like a year. That's just work avoidance, if you ask me.
ReplyDeleteI think the Romantics wanted to emphasize the simplicity of Nature. In a world where the focus was the Industrial Revolution and the search for wealth, Nature was a timeless place where one could go to think and get away from all the problems of the industrial world.
ReplyDeleteThe world was full of poverty and discord, but Nature follows a completely different set of rules from that of the struggle between the rich and the poor.
Did I hear Industrial Revolution? That seems about right seeing how industry brought along chaos such as new technology, unrest in the lower class, a new middleclass, and slummy areas. The Enlightenment occurring the previous century probably shook up a few people as well. The age of reason had actually disregarded certain aspects of religion and, by association, authority. So if they didn’t have their organized religion anymore and were now surrounded by hoards of people in machinery driven areas, what better place to turn to than quite and subtly changing Nature? Opiates probably also had something to do with this, yes.
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