History
Before we go on to our next poem, it's a good idea to give you some background information about the period. We are going to do this because poets, like everybody else, are shaped by their times and history. They respond and react to what happens in their time. Even if they reject what writers did before their time, their reaction is still a respons to what happened in their time. So, it makes sense to inform ourselves about the Romantic period if we want to understand these poets and their poems.
First, a few facts:
First, a few facts:
- Romantic period: 1785 - 1830
- Famous poets: Wordsworth, Blake, Coleride, Byron, Percy Shelley, Keats.
The Times
These were times of great changes. In the first place there was the industrial revolution. Society changed from an agricultural society in which everything was done by hand and most people worked the land, to an industrial age. Thanks to the invention of the steam engine, machines took over much of the work that people had done by hand and a new kind of employment came in its place. Many moved to the cities to work in factories and many others worked in the coal mines. The cities were crowded and filthy, the work was hard and the pay was low. Everyone, children and old people included, had to work long hours, up to 14 hours a day. Many people were poor and lived and worked in horrible conditions, whereas a few got very, very rich. So, there was a shift from agricultural to industrial, as well as a power shift from the aristrocracy to the middle class (merchants, factory owners).
Then there were the revolutions in France and in America. In France people revolted against their king and the aristocracy. At first, people in Britain thought that this would be a good change; new times were coming. No more kings! Power to the people! No more poverty! Then things turned ugly in France. Many were killed and the revolutionaries started killing each other and the common people as well. It was so bad, they invented a special machine to speed up the executions: the guillotine. Now people in Britain, the poets included, became horrified and scared.
Then there was the revolution in America. America had been a colony of Britain up till then. Now the people in the colonies wanted their independence. They felt that they shouldn't have to work for a "mother country" that was so far away and did nothing but collect money. As we all know, the Americans won their War of Independence.
As you can see, these were times of enormous changes. Life as people had known it, completely changed within a life time. Adapting to changes is never easy. Imagine having to get used to a new life like this. It's no wonder that some people longed back to the good old days or became critical. In any case, these changes provided some of the main subjects for the Romantic poets.
Then there were the revolutions in France and in America. In France people revolted against their king and the aristocracy. At first, people in Britain thought that this would be a good change; new times were coming. No more kings! Power to the people! No more poverty! Then things turned ugly in France. Many were killed and the revolutionaries started killing each other and the common people as well. It was so bad, they invented a special machine to speed up the executions: the guillotine. Now people in Britain, the poets included, became horrified and scared.
Then there was the revolution in America. America had been a colony of Britain up till then. Now the people in the colonies wanted their independence. They felt that they shouldn't have to work for a "mother country" that was so far away and did nothing but collect money. As we all know, the Americans won their War of Independence.
As you can see, these were times of enormous changes. Life as people had known it, completely changed within a life time. Adapting to changes is never easy. Imagine having to get used to a new life like this. It's no wonder that some people longed back to the good old days or became critical. In any case, these changes provided some of the main subjects for the Romantic poets.
Task 4:
Make a list of subjects for the Romantic poets that would result from these changes.
Task 5:
Make a collage to describe the events and the mood of the times. Add comments and explain your choices.
Task 6:
Read "I wandered lonely as a cloud" again. Relate what you have read in this section to this poem. Your article should be about 1/2 A4. Support your reasoning with lines from the poem.