Romanticism: History, Origins, Characteristics
Historical Context of Romanticism
To understand the cultural movement of which we speak, we must examine its history and its far-reaching consequences, particularly its opposition to the characteristic principles of the Enlightenment. The war against the invading French troops led by Napoleon involved social, economic, and political changes of varying magnitude. As for the bourgeois classes, they seized the moment of weakness of the old regime to convene in Cadiz, leading to the promulgation of a liberal constitution in 1812. This constitution was liberal, but the Church still held significant political force, as the official religion was Catholic, Apostolic, and Roman. In the social aspect, there was a significant cracking of the stratified society that had until then been so important, also moving from a subjective perspective to a more objective one. Another consequence was the decline in population caused by the war. Finally, in reference to philosophy, there was a more marked progress that allowed for the configuration of a society based on idealism.
Origins of Romanticism
The origins of Romanticism can be found as early as the eighteenth century, especially in philosophy and German culture. Here is where Preromanticism first occurred, marked by a loss of confidence in reason. It is characterized by the affirmation of feelings and emotions and rejects neoclassical rules. It was at this time that the movement Sturm und Drang emerged. A well-known author at the time was the young Goethe, whose major work was Faust.
Types of Romanticism
There is a difference between traditional (moderate and conservative, e.g., Zorrilla, The Duke of Rivas) and liberal Romanticism (characterized by total rebellion and a continuing struggle with conservative ideas, e.g., the English Lord Byron, the French Victor Hugo and Alexandre Dumas, and the Spanish Espronceda and Larra).
Key Characteristics of Romanticism
- Irrationalism: For Romantics, the world is essentially a mystery, something hidden that reason is incapable of reaching.
- Subjectivism: Opposing reason, Romanticism raises the flag of feeling.
- Idealism: Romantics sought not just progress or the contemplation of beauty, but were driven by the pursuit of freedom, progress, and Beauty itself. (A desire for everything)
- Individualism: The Romantic individual desires to be different from others. This constant assertion of the self against the surroundings often leads to loneliness, a fundamental theme of Romanticism.
- The Creative Genius: The artist is not merely a craftsman who produces and refines works; art becomes a form of expression of the creative genius within.
- Radical Insecurity: The Romantic nature is inherently insecure and unhappy due to the loss of trust in reason. This leads to Romantic anguish, which paradoxically serves as an engine of creation, constantly seeking answers and solutions to doubts.
- Dodsworth: Need something unusual.
- Avoidance: The Romantic chooses to flee the immediate reality that is disliked.
- Solitude: It is a theme par excellence, representing the flight from reality.
- Dynamic Nature: In contrast to neoclassical views, Romantic nature is represented as dramatic, moving, and often features a preference for nocturnal atmospheres.
- New Sensitivity: Romanticism brings privacy to the forefront. It emphasizes the feeling of unhappiness in human life that causes Romantic anguish.
- Nationalism: It was during this period that the concept of a nation as a group of individuals sharing common characteristics emerged.