English Literature | Page 12 of 16 | English Literature | English Literature Zone

Romantic Poetry In English Literature | Romantic Poets In English Literature

Introduction

Poetry is written between 1798 AD to 1837 AD known as “Romantic Poetry”. Literary legend also terms Romantic Poetry as The Return To Native. The romantic period is the reaction against the Age Of Enlightenment. Before the Romantic period, the reasoning was given a lot of importance. In the Romantic age, Romantic poets stressed imagination, passion, emotion, nature, and the life of common men which became the features of Romantic poetry. The romantic age was highly influenced by the ideas of the French Revolution. Romantic poets like Wordsworth & Coleridge supported the ideas of the French Revolution such as the freedom of an individual. The publication of Lyrical Ballads in 1798 by William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge, gave birth to Romanticism in the history of English Literature.

Romantic Poetry

Romantic Poetry has no specific association with love. It is associated with feeling or emotion, in particular with the feeling and emotion related to nature or art but not what we call romantic love.

Features of Romantic Poetry

(a). Reaction Against The Neo-Classicism

The beginning of Romantic Poetry was the movement against Neo-Classical poetry. Neo-Classical poetry was the product of intellect and reason, while Romantic poetry is the product of emotion.

(b). Emotion was the Key to Romantic Poetry

Romantic poetry abounds in motion. Romantic poets stressed expressing subjective emotion and it is usually the poet’s personal experience. Emotions were the heart of Romantic Poetry.

(c). Imagination was Prominent in Romantic Poetry

Apart from emotion, the poets of Romanticism also indulged in plenty of imagination and mysticism in their poems.

(d). Nature of central Romantic Poetry

Another important feature of Romantic Poetry is nature. The poets pick up the different aspects of nature and put them in a new form every time. Nature remains the spirit of all Romantic Poetry.

(e). Supernaturalism

Supernatural elements are found in the most of poems of the Romantic era.

(f). Easily Comprehensive and free verse style

Romantic poets use language that was very easy to understand for the common man. Poets rejected strict poetic meter such as Heroic Couplet.

Poets of the Romantic Period

The most prominent romantic poets are still some of the most popular poets today. The first generation of poets includes – “Samuel Taylor Coleridge” and “Willliam Wordsworth”. The most recognizable name of the second generation was – George Gordon better known as Lord Byron, Percy Bysshe Shelly, and John Keat.

1. William Wordsworth

William Wordsworth was one of the founders of English Romanticism. P. B. Shelly another great poet of Romanticism called him Poets of Nature and he himself called him. A Worshiper Of Nature. He defined his and Coleridge’s innovative poetry in his preface of lyrical Ballads –

”Poetry is the Spontaneous
overflow of Powerful feelings;
it takes its origin in emotion
recollected in tranquility.”

Imagination, Subjectivity, Nature Pantheism, and Mysticism, Humanism are the basic theme of Wordsworth’s poetry. His most famous poems are I Wander Lonely As A Cloud, She Was A Phantom Of Delight, The Solitary Reaper, The Lucy Poems and We Are Seven, and Tintern Abbey.

2. S.T. Coleridge

S. T. Coleridge along with Wordsworth is the pioneer of romantic poetry. He is the friend of William Wordsworth. S. T. Coleridge has been greatly influenced by Wordsworth; in fact, it is said that Wordsworth has helped him in writing poetry. He has good observation and a sense of feeling. He not only observes nature but also feels it. He loves landscapes, sceneries, countryside images, rivers, forests, and plants. He finds beauty in them and mentions it in his poetry. Among his world-famous Romantic poem include – The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, Kubla Khan, Christabel, Dejection, and An Ode.

3. Percy Bysshe Shelly

Percy Bysshe Shelly was the most imaginative poet. He regarded poetry as “The expression of the imagination”. Shelly lived in the world of Fancy and Imagination. The major Romantic elements found in their poetry of Shelley are – Love Of Nature, Imagination, Melancholy, Supernaturalism, Hellenism, Beauty, Idealism, and Subjectivity.

He wrote many iconic poems during his short including – “Ode to the West Wind”, “To a Skylark”, and “The Cloud”. According to Donald H. Reiman –

“Shelley belongs to the great
tradition of western writers
that include Dante, Shakespeare,
and Milton.”

4. John Keats

John Keats is the last but the best romantic poet in English literature. He is referred to as a pure Romantic poet. Like other Romantics poets, imagination played a vital role in his poetry. His Ode To A Nightingale is a fine example of eternal beauty. The Eve Of St. Agnes and The Eve of St. Mark are poems based on two different Medieval superstitions. He personified Nature in many of his great odes, that as Ode to Autumn, Ode on Indolence, Ode on a Grecian Urn, Ode on Melancholy, and Ode to Psyche. Keats defined beauty in his Poetry as

“A thing of beauty
is a joy forever.”

5. Lord Byron (George Gardon)

Lord Byron was a well-known Romantic Poet of the second Generation. His poems are deep and reflect his personal feelings. In his literary career, he wrote many poems such as – Child Harold’s Pilgrimage, The Vision of Judgement, Don Juan, and She walks in Beauty.

Conclusion

Thus, Romantic poets of the 19^th century write subjective poetry. They themselves became the subject of matter of their poetry. They are guided by imagination which is a great source of creating them. Instead of writing poetry in heroic couplets, they wrote poetry in form of Ode, Lyrics, Elegy, Ballad, and Epic.

Are you struggling to keep up with your English Literature Coursework? Do you need detailed, customized English Literature Notes to help you better understand the texts you’re studying? “Look no further! Our customized paid notes will help you achieve your study goals quickly.

Literature Notes

– Varsha Singh

Romantic Poetry In English Literature | Romantic Poets In English Literature Read More »

Lady Macbeth Character Sketch | Character Sketch Of Lady Macbeth

Literature, Character Sketch, English Literature

Introduction

Lady Macbeth is one of the most powerful and dominating female characters in Shakespeare’s tragedy – Macbeth. She is the wife of the Scottish general and the play’s protagonist, Macbeth. Throughout the course of the play, she manipulates her husband Macbeth. She spurs him to commit murder. Lady Macbeth is shown to the audience as a loyal wife who wants the best for his husband, but at the same time, she is portrayed as a malicious character from the very beginning of the play. Some critics consider her The fourth Wicth of the drama. To Goethe, she is “The Super Witch”.

The fact that three Weird Sisters’ predictions would not have become true without the supreme influence of Lady Macbeth.

There are the following traits in Lady Macbeth’s Character –

Ambitious

William Shakespeare the greatest dramatist of whole English Literature sketches the character of Lady Macbeth as an ambitious woman. She is as ambitious as her husband. The only difference between her ambition and that of her husband is that she is not ambitious for herself but for the sake of her husband. She wants him to wear the crown of Scotland. One of the critics named Mrs. Jameson says,

“It is particularly observable
that in Lady Macbeth’s
concentrated, strong nerved
ambition, the ruling passion
of her mind, there is
yet a touch of woman
she is ambitious less for
herself than for husband.”

In the first instance, she plans with her husband the murder of Duncan, in fact she takes the initiative in it. Thus Lady Macbeth is an ambitious woman.

Strength of will

Lady Macbeth excels even her husband in her strength of will, determination, and resourcefulness. Once the decision to murder king Duncan is taken, she knows no wavering or retreating back. No sense of morality, gratitude or compassion can deter her from striving to achieve her goal. This force of will made her bold, courageous irresistible, passionless cruel. She invokes the spiritual powers

“Spirits
That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here
And fill me from the crown to the toe top full
of direst cruelty”

She invokes the spirits to make her blood thick and stop up all access and passage to pity and remorse, so that no powers may

“Shake my fell purpose;
nor keep pace between
The effect and it”

It is right to say, that without her murder of the king would have been impossible.

Tactful

Lady Macbeth is highly resourceful at the same time. She is tactful and does not lose her mental equilibrium even in the most critical situation. She advises her husband to,

“look like the innocent
flower and be the
serpent under it”.

She is a woman of every practical wisdom:

“To beguile the time, look lie the time”

When Macbeth dreads his filthy hands she says:

“A little water clears up of this deed how easy is it the”

Her feminine Nature

Yet she is essentially a woman possessing the essential feminine nature. She can wholly discard her feminine weakness in spite of her devilish will and unwavering determination. Her feminine nature fully possesses her in the sleepwalking scene. Every scene of murder has gone deep into her mind and heart. She recalls the event and shader at its very thought –

“Yet who have thought the old man
To have had so much blood in him?”

Not Human Monster

Lady Macbeth is not quite inhuman. It is a mistake to call her the “fourth width” in Macbeth. She is not inhuman by nature. At one place she says:

“Here is the smell of blood still;
all the perfumes of Arabia will
not sweeten this little hand”

Conclusion

Thus, Lady Macbeth is one of the major characters of the play ‘Macbeth’. She is widely considered to be one of Shakespeare’s most memorable and fascinating female characters.

Are you struggling to keep up with your English Literature Coursework? Do you need detailed, customized English Literature Notes to help you better understand the texts you’re studying? “Look no further! Our customized paid notes will help you achieve your study goals quickly.

Literature Notes

– Varsha Singh

Lady Macbeth Character Sketch | Character Sketch Of Lady Macbeth Read More »

What is English Literature, Origin, Definition, History, Periods, and Authors

Indian Literature, English Literature, Literature

Definition Of English Literature

English literature is the study and analysis of written works produced in the English language. It encompasses a wide range of texts, including poetry, novels, plays, and non-fiction, spanning from the Anglo-Saxon period to the present day.

Literature simply refers to any piece of writing that is valued as a work of art. In a general sense, it is the expression of human thoughts, feelings, and experiences. Literature can display both good and bad aspects of society. Hence, literature can be regarded as a mirror of society whatever changes the society undergoes they will be reflected in contemporary literature in one way or the other. Literature then is a successful medium to express human emotions: sadness, happiness, pleasure, pain, love, hate, fear, disgust, and anger such human emotions in literature are expressed artistically through language. It means literature needs to be beautiful and trustworthy.

Origin Of Literature

The word “literature” originated from the Latin word “literatura” which means “learning, writing, grammar.” This word was formed from “litera” which means “letter” or “character.” It was used in the context of education and learning, specifically the study of written texts. In the Middle Ages, the term “literature” was used to refer to the works of scholars and poets, and it was not until the 18th century that the term began to be used more broadly to refer to all written works.

Authors

One of the most iconic works of English literature is William Shakespeare’s plays. His plays are still performed and studied all over the world. Other notable works include the epic poem Beowulf, the novel Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, and the novel Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte. Geoffrey Chaucer (1340s – 1400) has been called the “father of English literature“, or, alternatively, the “father of English poetry“.

Study Of English Literature

The study of English literature can encompass many different elements, including literary history, literary theory, literary criticism, and literary analysis. It can also encompass the study of literary movements and genres, such as the Romantic period, the Gothic novel, and the sonnet.

In addition to studying the literary texts themselves, the study of English literature also often involves the examination of the historical, cultural, and social contexts in which the texts were produced. This can include studying the life and times of the author, as well as the cultural and political climate of the period in which the text was written.

The study of English literature can also encompass the analysis of literary form and technique, such as the use of symbolism, imagery, and metaphor. It can also encompass the study of literary genres, such as novels, poetry, and drama.

Overall, the study of English literature is a diverse and multifaceted field that offers a wide range of opportunities for exploration and analysis. Whether you are interested in the literary texts themselves, the historical and cultural contexts in which they were produced, or the technical elements of literary form and technique, there is something for everyone in the field of English literature.

History Of English Literature

English literature and history are closely intertwined, as the literature of a particular time period is often a reflection of the historical and cultural context in which it was produced.

Old English Period (Anglo-Saxon Period) 449 to 1066

The history of English literature dates back to the Anglo-Saxon period, which lasted from the 5th to the 11th century. During this time, literature was primarily oral and was passed down from generation to generation through storytelling and song. Some of the most notable works from this period include the epic poem Beowulf, which tells the story of a heroic warrior and his battles with monsters, and the poem The Seafarer, which reflects on the themes of exile and the sea.

Middle English Period (1066-1500)

The Middle Ages, which lasted from the 12th to the 15th century, saw the emergence of written literature in the form of Chaucerian poetry, as well as the emergence of the first plays and dramas. Some of the most notable works from this period include The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer and the plays of William Shakespeare.

Renaissance Period (1500-1600)

The Renaissance Period, which lasted from the 16th to the 17th century, saw a renewed interest in the classical literature of ancient Greece and Rome, as well as the emergence of the novel as a literary genre. Some of the most notable works from this period include the plays of Shakespeare, the poetry of John Milton, and the novels of Daniel Defoe.

Neoclassical Period (1600-1785)

The 18th century, also known as the Age of Enlightenment, saw the emergence of the novel as a dominant literary form and the rise of the novel of sensibility, which focused on the emotional experiences of characters. Some of the most notable works from this period include the novels of Jane Austen, the poetry of William Wordsworth, and the plays of Oliver Goldsmith.

Romantic Period (1785-1832)

The 19th century, also known as the Romantic period, saw a renewed interest in nature and emotion, as well as the emergence of the Gothic novel. Some of the most notable works from this period include the novels of Jane Austen, the poetry of Lord Byron, and the plays of Oscar Wilde.

Modern History Period

The 20th century saw a continuation of the trends established in the 19th century, with the emergence of the modernist movement and the rise of the novel as a dominant literary form. Some of the most notable works from this period include the novels of James Joyce, the poetry of T.S. Eliot, and the plays of Samuel Beckett.

The history of English literature is also closely tied to the history of England. Many of the literary works from different time periods reflect the political and social changes that were taking place in the country at the time. For example, the literature of the 18th century reflects the rise of the middle class and the emergence of new economic and political systems, while the literature of the 19th century reflects the industrial revolution and the rise of the working class.

It’s important to note that English literature and history are not limited to England alone, it also encompasses the literature and history of the British Isles and its colonies. This includes literary works produced in Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, as well as literature produced by writers of the British Empire, such as Rudyard Kipling, Chinua Achebe, and Joseph Conrad.

English Literature As A Subject

English literature refers to written works produced in the English language. It encompasses a wide range of texts, including poetry, novels, plays, and non-fiction, from the Anglo-Saxon period to the present day. The study of English literature includes literary history, literary theory, literary criticism, and literary analysis of the texts themselves, as well as the examination of the historical, cultural, and social contexts in which the texts were produced.

Literature also encompasses the analysis of literary form and technique, such as the use of symbolism, imagery, and metaphor, as well as the study of literary genres, such as the novel, poetry, and drama. Additionally, the study of English literature also encompasses the analysis of contemporary literature and popular culture, including the study of film, television, and digital media.

Conclusion

Thus, literature is a vital record of what men have seen in life, what they experienced of it, and what they have thought and felt about those aspects of it
that have the most immediate and enduring interest for all of us. It was thus fundamentally an expression of life through the medium of language. Literature could be said to be a sort of disciplined technique for arousing certain emotions.

It begins with the creative possibilities of human language and the desire of human beings to use their language creatively. Literature enriches our lives because it increases our capacities for understanding and communication. It helps us to find meaning in our world to express it and share it with others. And this is the most humane activity of our existence.

Overall, the study of English literature and history offers a rich and diverse field of exploration, providing insight into the cultural, political, and social contexts of different time periods and the literary works that were produced during those times. Whether you are interested in the literature itself or the historical and cultural contexts in which it was produced, there is something for everyone in the field of English literature and history.

Are you struggling to keep up with your English Literature Coursework? Do you need detailed, customized English Literature Notes to help you better understand the texts you’re studying? “Look no further! Our customized paid notes will help you achieve your study goals quickly.

Literature Notes

– Varsha Singh

What is English Literature, Origin, Definition, History, Periods, and Authors Read More »

Obituary By AK Ramanujan | Obituary Poem Analysis

Literature, English Literature, Indian Literature, Poem Analysis

Introduction

The poem “Obituary” is written by A. K. Ramanujan, full name Attipate Krishnaswami Ramanujan who was an Indian English Literature. The poem was published in 1971. In the present poem “Obituary” means a notice of death in a newspaper including a brief biography. The poem is written about the death of his father. The poet explains how his death has affected his family and what his father has achieved in his life.

About A. K. Ramanujan

A.K. Ramanujan was a great Indian Poet, translator, and scholar of Indian Literature and linguistics. He was born in Mysore, Karnataka, to a Brahmin family that loved and encouraged learning. He was fluent in many languages including English, Kannada, and Tamil. Ramanujan was also awarded “Sahitya Akademi Award” posthumously in 1999 for “The Collected Poems”. His notable works include The Stories, Second Sight, A River, and Relations.

Structure of The Poem

It is an eight Stanza poem and each stanza contains seven lines. These lines do not follow a specific rhyme scheme and meter.

Theme Of Obituary

Death of the father, the consequences the son and his family faces the death of his father, and the ridicule of rituals is the main theme of the Poem.

Analysis Of Obituary Poem

The poet started this poem by saying when his father died he left nothing for the family but problems like dust on a table of paper debts, unmarried daughters, and bedwetting a grandson whose name is after him because of “Toss of a Coin”. The lines show the poet’s dissatisfaction with his father. He does not seem to be sorrowful because of death. The poet is more concerned about the duties of his family which he has performed. He has to pay the debts of his father, he has to marry off his sister and also has to take care of a young child who urinates in bed.

In the olden days, daughters were considered a burden because the girl’s family had to not only take responsibility for all the marriage expenses but also give a huge dowry to the boy’s family. This indicates that the father has left his family with nothing but liabilities to be paid off.

These lines also show the culture of a typical Indian family which is patriarchal in nature. Neither the mother of the poet nor his sister is earning. As the poet is now the eldest male in the family all the duties are bestowed on him. The poet continues that his father has left a house that leaned slowly through our growing years on a bent coconut tree in the yard.

The lines mean that they have inherited a house from his father who is leaning on a coconut tree and thus in bad condition. The poet calls his father the burning type, indicating that he was a bad-tempered man and would never behave properly with him or the other family members. Being not tempered he burned properly at the cremation.

The lines continue from the previous one. He is burnt very easily from both sides, except his coins here coins mean – the anger of his greed for money which didn’t look one bit different even after burning, and also several spinal diseases though some of them burnt to coal.

This stanza continues from the previous one. According to the poet, the remains of his father’s pyre are left for sons to pick as the priest said, facing east where their rivers met near the railway station. The lines show that the priest forces the son to perform Hindu rituals. The poet is in no way ready to do it. His father has no grave as his ashes and remains are thrown in the river with his full name.

In the fifth stanza, the poet says that his father was born into the Brahman, family. In Hinduism, the Brahmans are worshipped as “Avtaras Of Gods”. However, the poet shows that his father took birth as Brahman got his birth was Surgical and even his death could not be controlled. His father died in the market of heart failure and he could not save himself.

These lines in other sense mark that he has achieved nothing in this world. His birth was surgical and what he did in his life showed his incapability.

In the sixth stanza, the poem sees that two lines were written for his father inside the column of a Madras newspaper which is sold by the kilo after four weeks after his death to street hawkers. These street hawkers sell it in turn to the small groceries. From these groceries, the poet buys salt, coriander, and jaggery in newspaper cones which he reads for fun.

In the last stanza, the poet says that he began to buy more of these things in the hope of finding these Obituary Lines which were written for his father. His father left for him a changed mother and more than an annual ritual. The poet is showing his dislike for the ritual which is celebrated in memory of his father for his peace.

Conclusion

Thus, the poet A. K. Ramanujan says that his father achieved nothing in this world except those two lines of the Obituary which were written in the newspaper he could never find out. The poem “Obituary” is hence a Critique of the poet’s father and his incapabilities.

Are you struggling to keep up with your English Literature Coursework? Do you need detailed, customized English Literature Notes to help you better understand the texts you’re studying? “Look no further! Our customized paid notes will help you achieve your study goals quickly.

Literature Notes

– Varsha Singh

Obituary By AK Ramanujan | Obituary Poem Analysis Read More »

To His Coy Mistress Summary & Analysis By Andrew Marvell

Literature, English Literature, Poem Analysis, Poetry

Introduction

“To His Coy Mistress” is a perfect example of a love and Metaphysical poem written by ‘Andrew Marvell’, who was a great English metaphysical poet, satirist, and politician of English Literature. Love, religion, patriotism, and nature were favourite themes of his poetry. Like John Donne’s Marvell’s poetry exhibits all the qualities of metaphysical poetry.

About The Poem

The poem “To His Coy Mistress” is considered one of Marvell’s finest and best-recognized “Carpe diem” poem means to capture the day. The poem was published in 1681, three years after Marvell’s death. The title of the poem “To His Coy Mistress” tells us that the speaker is saying something to his ladylove who is shy. The word ‘Cay’ is used with a specific meaning that the ladylove is not at all responsive to her lover’s call of making love.

Structure Of The Poem

It is 46 lines long poem “To His Coy Mistress” with three sections. The first section consists of 20 lines and speaks of what the lovers would do if they had a limitless life. In the second section of 12 lines, the speaker talks of death and how time would destroy the beloved’s beauty. And the last section consisting of 14 lines conveys the speaker’s urge to his lady to make love before time flies. The speaker addresses his mistress and argues about the need to make love without wasting time. The whole poem is written in iambic tetrameter, each line has 8 syllables.

Analysis Of The Poem

The first Stanza opens dramatically with an argument. The poet tells his lady love ‘The Coy Mistress’ in clear terms and very pointedly that if they could love through eternity, he would as her beauty deserved to spend thousands of years just for the appreciation of her physical beauty. He would spend her one hundred years on her eyes and forehead, two hundred years on each breast, thirty thousand on the rest of the organs of her body. The last age he would spend exploring the beauty that lay in her heart. Obviously, while Marvel lays stresses more on physical charm and the attraction of the flesh, he gives less importance to the heart.

While the first stanza poignantly points out the brevity of life, the second stanza expresses the poet’s awareness of approaching death.

“Time Winged Chariot hurrying near”

The speaker was talking about the possibilities of the extent of love that they could enjoy if they had eternal life in this world. But Alas! It is impossible. He says that he bears the sound of time’s wings as it flies closely behind their back. Time waits for no one. It flies leaving everything behind. He also says that the other world is waiting for us at a distance. Thus the lover reminds his beloved of life’s brevity.

The poet further describes the situation after death. In our destined tomb, our beauty will slowly but surely turn into dust. So the beloved’s beauty will fade as soon as she dies. After mentioning the beloved’s beauty the speaker speaks about the virginity that she has preserved for a long time. After death, the worm would destroy this long-preserved virginity. Thus, we see the speaker trying to make his lady realize that things like beauty and virginity are no use after death.

The last section of “To His Coy Mistress” Poem starts with “Now Therefore”. It means the speaker will now talk about the things they need to do right now before time flies. He says that youth is the best part of life to enjoy. At this time one becomes energetic and passionate. The skin is as fresh as the “Morning Dews”. The speaker here is actually talking about his lady’s erotic desire which he believes he can see in her body so, he suggests that they should indulge in physical lovemaking without wasting time. This is like making hay, while the sun shines.

Poet further says:

“And Now, Like am’rous birds of Prey,
Rather at once out time devour.”

Here the speaker suggests that the two lovers should be like passionate preying birds and eat time before time eats them. He means to say that unless the lovers enjoy their time at their youthful heights, time won’t wait for them and they will slowly suffer the destructing power of time. Life is just an iron gate that doesn’t open easily. It is filled with struggle and resentment. Will all their strength and passion, the lovers will tear the iron gate to get that happiness.

In the last couplet, the poet wants to say that they cannot stop time, but they use it in a way that will leave them victorious.

Conclusion

Thus, the poem “To His Coy Misstress” contains beautiful romantic touches. It has several theme touches. It has several themes including Short Time, Sex, Morality, Freedom, Love, Carpe, Diem, and Confinement. The poem “To His Coy Mistress” explores expressions of a man to a woman with mixed emotions of love and lust. So “To His Cay Mistress” is a great love poem by “Andrew Marvell” in which he spends the poem trying to convince his mistress that she should have sex with him.

Are you struggling to keep up with your English Literature Coursework? Do you need detailed, customized English Literature Notes to help you better understand the texts you’re studying? “Look no further! Our customized paid notes will help you achieve your study goals quickly.

Literature Notes

– Varsha Singh

To His Coy Mistress Summary & Analysis By Andrew Marvell Read More »