Adoration, Ascension, and Anamnesis

While Romanticism is a large category that is sometimes hard to define, there are many artistic and subjective themes that tie the genre together. Authors such as Keats, Byron, Shelly, Radcliff plus a shrew of other famous authors, poets, and essayists during this period focus on themes such as nature, human passion both romantic and otherwise, the supernatural, sublime, humanity teetering on immortality, and gothic drama that induces fear. While this list within itself seems almost all encompassing, there are still a multitude, almost a never ending amount of themes and subjects explored by Romantic writers.  For the purposes of this essay, I will be focusing on the three main repetitive themes found in Romantic writing those being: nature, superiority, and the desire of legacy. 

    Nature is perhaps the most common theme that comes to mind when people today think of Romanticism. It is hard ` deny the Romantics' connection to nature as it is represented in almost every work be it gothic or more traditional in style. The Romantic writer seems to be fascinated and connected to nature in a way that authors before them hadn’t been. The Norton Anthology notes in its introduction to Romanticism that many romantic writers wrote about “the restorative powers of benevolent Nature” (Lynch 13). Yet the Romantics' draw to Nature was not merely observatory, but served “as a stimulus to the most characteristics [of] human activity, that of thinking” (Lynch 13). Unlike writers before them, the Romantics focused on how nature was a stimulus to human thought and even a representative of human emotion and experience. Ann Radcliff touches on this throughout her novel Mysteries of Udolpho which contain many dramatic descriptions of nature. In an excerpt from Chapter Five the narrator depicts how, as Emily approaches her new home, “the light died away on its walls, leaving a melancholy purple tint, which spread deeper and deeper, as thin vapour crept up the mountain” (Radcliff 527). These frightful descriptions of nature continue as with phrases like “solemn duskiness of evening” and “long grass and wild plants, that had taken root among the mouldering stones, which seemed to sigh as the breeze rolled past, over the desolation around them” (Radcliff 527). While upon first inspection it might seem like Radcliff is simply recording the surroundings that encompass Emily, upon closer inspection it becomes clear these depictions of nature are a direct correlation with Emily’s emotions and fear. As Emily enters her new home, light and hope are literally swallowed away by these gigantic mountains that entrap her, keeping her from the world and from escape. Likewise, the specific attention paid to the long grass and wild plants that have ‘taken root’ in the castle rock represent how this place that Emily is going is desolate. It crushes all forms of life--especially those that differ from its own and force conformity. Nothing good can grow or live here, nothing pure or free. This is Emily’s future to be like the plants rooted in this place while naturally striving to grow towards the little bit of light and hope that lives. Yet this toxic, man made place prevents her from doing so. Emily reads all of her fear and sorrow into the nature around her which gives it much more significance than a simple, picturesque  setting for the reader.

Ironically, nature almost seems to embody another theme that is largely explored throughout Romanticism: superiority. It is clear via the writers’ language that Nature is above man, however, this is not always a good thing. In Lory Byron’s drama Manfred this depiction of Nature being above the ordinary man is quite apparent. During the opening scene of the play Manfred cries out saying “...The Tree of Knowledge is not that of Life. Philosophy and science, and the springs of wonder, and wisdom of the world…” (Byron 635). Though clearly a dedicated student of the arts and sciences, Keats points out that Manfred does not receive life from these subjects in fact they often befall him especially in his greatest hour of need. This leads him to call on the “Spirits of the earth and air” which Manfread believes are more powerful than religion, science and other earthly means offered to him, illustrating the Romantics belief that nature is above worldly powers and is practically supernatural. Yet within the same opening monologue Manfred states “the thought which is within me and around me, I do compel ye to my will--Appear!” (Byron 636). This stark juxtaposition exposes the Romantics' ironic and almost hypocritical view that even if nature is superior to man due to its perfect condition, that nothing is superior to man--all must bow to man’s will, including nature. This concept is very heavily explored and discussed throughout Keats’ drama Manfred who refuses to give up his superiority over nature and the spirits and ultimately suffers insanity, unhappiness, and ultimately death. This of course makes Manfred a classic Byronic hero as he refuses to submit to the powerful forces around him whether they be religious or (super)natural. When confronted by the witch who offers him solace from his grief in return he must submit and worship her Manfred cries out saying “I will not swear--Obey! and whom? the spirits whose presence I command, and be the slave of those who served me--Never!” (Byron 650) Though referred to by the spirits and natural forces as ‘The Son of Earth’ or ‘man made of clay’ a clear indicator that he is lesser than these spirits who hold great natural power compared to Manfred who believes himself superior to these spirits partly due to his abilities in the sciences and arts. This same sense of man’s superiority of nature is seen in Mary Shelly’s novel, Frankenstein as through his obsession with science Victor ceases to conquer it, become greater than the natural sciences and dive into the realm of the supernatural. 

Lastly another theme that is explored throughout the Romantics is this concept of legacy. This can be seen in individual works but also in the authors themselves who wrote furiously in an attempt to distinguish themselves from the ever growing profession of writing. The fear of normalcy and fading away haunted the Romantics, who contained such great passion for writing, poetry, and philosophy. This is evident by examining the lives of some of these authors such as Mary Shelly. She was born to great parents and was expected to do great things so much so that the pressure actually causes her great distress and isolation for most of her life. As she notes in her opening explanation in Frankenstein she felt such a heavy burden to write something memorable, shattering, and worthy of praise. During this time, critical eyes were being cast upon writers for the first time and the concept of having your work or opinion not deemed worthy started to come into play. Personally, I believe that this had a large impact on the Romantic writers’ which caused them to write furiously, sometimes sloppily in too large volumes,  in an attempt to gain the acclimate that they so desperately desired. This can be seen in Coldridge’s review of THe Monk who is desperate to have his opinion be seen as one of authority. Though many readers enjoyed Lewis’ The Monk Coldridge was determined to have his say on the matter which would then influence readers to come. He is determined to leave behind his legacy as a critical reader, writer, and reviewer who doesn't merely consume popular novels like the public but separates the worthy from the unworthy. In doing so he is also separating himself from writers that should be deemed as important and legitimized versus those who shouldn’t be. This can be seen echoed in their works through narrators, characters, and subjects. Walace touches on this concept, even fear, of legacy or lack of it in his novel The Castle of Otranto. Due to his son’s Conrad’s death, Manfred becomes obsessed with marrying his deceased son’s betrothed in order to secure an air for his throne. In a horrific scene Manfred states “since I cannot give you my son, I offer you myself” which at first might seem like a noble act until he curses his former wife saying “Hippola is no longer my wife; I divorce her from this hour. Too long has she cursed me by her unfruitfulness: my fate depends on having sons” (Walpole 517 emph. added).  While it is no shock that a King relies on male heirs in order for the royal line to continue, it is Manfred’s thirst and the lengths that he is willing to go to in order to preserve this legacy that are so startling. He states “Heaven nor hell shall impede my designs” (Walpole 517)  further emphasizing the importance of a physical legacy which can also be interpreted as a published novel for Romantic writers which in a sense would allow their fame/royal lineage of writing to push further into the future. 

Romanticism explores a whole new world of themes and subjects that had never truly been examined until this time period. What I find to be most interesting about nature, superiority, and legacy is that they all naturally seem to lead to one another. Nature in its perfect form of humanity must to some degree be conquered by the romantics who believe or wish that nothing, not even nature be superior to them. This concept of superiority then leads into legacy those who are superior wish to make a lasting impact on the worlds that they inhabit and not doing so is one of their greatest fears--another theme that is often explored in Romanticism. All of these works seamlessly combine these theme mentioned alongside multiple others to create dynamic works that still speak to issues of humanity and life today.