Romanticism is shown in this text as a political movement through the
influence that historical periods had, such as the fear and passion that the
French Revolution caused, the class division that industrialization caused, and
the materialism that imperialism caused. The philosophical aspect of
romanticism can be seen through the ideas that began to develop in the creative
minds of romantic authors and how they expressed those ideas through
literature. Values of liberty, justice, and equality motivated the writing of
some notable Romantic poets. The philosophical mindset of discovering the
individual is also a major theme in romantic works, as well as the natural
world.
Women’s role in the romantic movement emphasized the
importance of education for women. The writing of female authors of the time
included themes of class division and social justice.
This section of the anthology briefly examines the
significance of the novels Emmeline, The
Orphan of the Castle by Charlotte Smith, The Romance of the Forest by Anne Radcliffe, and Zofloya by Charlotte Dacre. These texts
all have gothic settings and explore themes of gender equality and the
influence of social status.
After reading this broad overview, I feel impressed with the
strides that women writers made despite the obstacles they already faced during
the Romantic Period. This movement allowed a marginalized group of people to
express their interests, desires, and issues with a society that seemed rather
unconcerned with those things. I find it amazing that women got little to no
monetary or social gratification for their writing, but still wrote and worked
hard for an outcome they might never see in their lifetime.
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