Romantics FRQ

To what extent did Romanticism challenge Enlightenment views of human beings and the natural world and how did this challenge illustrate changes between the Enlightenment and Romantic views of the relationship between God and the individual?


The rise of Romanticism began in the 19th century as a rebellion against French occupation in Germany.  The people wanted to express their contempt for the French people by creating art and music.  Many different artists, writers, and composers that came from this time period are still celebrated in today's society.  This was a time in which people found a new way to express themselves instead of making speeches and marching in protest.  People could now express themselves on an entirely new level, which reached the darkest emotions of their souls.  The rise of Romanticism completely went against the Enlightenment views of human beings and the natural world through the works of Percy Bysshe Shelley, John Keats, and many others; this shows how art, music, and literature are no longer centered around God, and how Romanticism began the transition of a completely religious society into a more secular society.


During the Enlightenment period, many new discoveries were coming about and many new inventions were created, but everything that happened had to be approved of by the Church.  If the Church did not agree with something that was going on or a new theory that was developed, the person, or people, responsible could be  convicted, jailed, and even executed.  A perfect example of this would be Galileo, a scientist who was sentenced to house arrest for the rest of his life because the Church did not agree with his theory of heliocentrism.  The Romantic period completely went against all of these things.  People were creating art, literature, and music that could be used to speak out against oppressors.  The music of this time period was peaceful, calming, and unpredictable as opposed to the straightforward and predictable music of the Enlightenment time.  Literature expressed people's deepest emotions, and at times could be quite dark.  Art was no longer the clear-cut Neo-Classical style; it was now more vibrant and pleasing to the eye.  The Romantic period completely changed the ideas instilled during the Enlightenment period.


Prominent literary artists during the Romantic period were Percy Bysshe Shelley, Lord Byron, John Keats, and Coleridge.  All of these people explored the deepest depths of their imaginations in order to produce beautiful poetry.  They saw the world in a whole new way, and also changed people's views of the world around them.  Prevalent artists were Delacroix and Gericault; one of Delacroix's most popular paintings was "Liberty Leading the People."  This painting showed lady liberty carrying the French Revolutionary flag through a battlefield filled with the bodies of fallen soldiers.  It is important to realize the impact that these artists along with many others had on society.


Throughout the Romantic period, society became less and less centered around God.  Art, literature, and music were not created about God; they were created to express the feelings of the people.  The German people were being oppressed by the French; this is the reason that they were creating their art.  They wanted to express their dislike of the French occupation.  The Church was no longer such a huge power that they could control every aspect of the people's lives and how they expressed themselves.  Society became much more secular and less and less religious.


The Romantic period was a prominent time in the history of Europe, in which the arts flourished.  The arts were used to express people's emotions and thoughts.  Arts no longer sought the approval of the Church, and no longer needed the Church's approval.  This was the time that would forever change the history of art.  The views of the Enlightenment period were no longer prevalent, and people could express themselves like never before.