Romanticism in English Literature

Romanticism can be termed as a literary movement which is a protest against the Neo-classic poetic ideals. This movement starts with the publication of Wordsworth and Coleridge's lyrical Ballads. It prefers emotions and imagination to reason or intellect. C.H. Herford says, "Romanticism is the extra-ordinary development of imaginative sensibility." Another eminent critic says, " One poet is romantic because he falls in love; another romantic because he sees a ghost; another romantic because he hears a cuckoo." It is an unconventional and revolutionary theme. It has a high regard for nature and subjectivity. The subjectivity is at the root of sensuousness, Hellenism, escapism, allegory, pantheism, mysticism, and many other figures of speech. According to Wordsworth, “Poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful imagination recollected in tranquility." This definition highlights the main traits of romanticism- the flow of imagination, high tone of subjectivity, robust individualism, and less care for the rules.

Escapism in English Literature

Lexically, escapism means a tendency to run away or to flee from. Escapism, in literature, means an afford to escape from the hard realities of life. Especially, the romantics tormented by the stings of practical life, wanted to leave this world of misery, sorrow, suffering, and to resume a country of mind, that is, into an imaginary world of the poet’s own creation. An escapist keeps aloof from real life and its problems. He cowardly shrinks from the spectacle of human suffering and escapes from it into an imaginary world of beauty and pleasure, of all the romantics, Keats is regarded as the worst sinner in respect of escapism.

In Keats’ poetry, there are many touches of escapism. In his famous poem, Ode to a Nightingale, we see that he has wanted to escape from the world in various ways like by taking drug and poison, by drinking wine, and even through death.

Epic in English Literature

The epic is a long narrative poem that deals with the history and aspirations of national hero. The style is objective, elevated, and dignified. The traditional elements of an epic are:

a) Invocation to the Muses and proposition of the subject matter in the
beginning,
b) Involvement of supernatural elements,
c) A central hero of superman quality who fights for national or collective
interest,
d) A long perilous journey often on water,
e) An underworld journey,
f) Lofty language and grand style,
g) Long speeches,
h) Mighty battles,
i) Homeric similes and,
j) Glorification of justice and peace.

The epic maintains only the unity of action. Its plot should be dramatic. In centers upon a single action having a beginning, middle, and an end. It employs a single metre. Aristotle’s choice is the heroic metre. An epic consists of plot, character, diction, and thought.

The epic is divided into two types: the primary or folk loral epic and the secondary or literary epic. Through the primary epics, the epic tradition has been evolved. These are composed out of existing myths, legends, history, fairy tales, and so on. Homer’s Iliad is a primary epic. The secondary epics have been written by the learned poets imitating the model of the primary epic. For example: Milton’s Paradise Lost. So whereas the primary epic is flesh and spontaneous, the secondary one is learned, bookish, an imitative.