What is literary Romanticism?

Romanticism is a literary period spanning from the late 18th century, through to the early 19th century (followed by the Victorian Period). It is defined by the use of the Sublime, states of Romantic Rêverie, and common dialect/colloquial language in order to explore: the power of Nature (and its relationship with Man and the mind), states of childhood/innocence and adulthood/experience, power and conflict, imagination and emotion, and freedom. The movement became more powerful in response to widespread dissatisfaction with an increasingly industrialised Britain (the Industrial Revolution spanning from 1760 to 1840) and growing feelings of loss of individuality. Examples of Romantic writers include Coleridge, Wordsworth, Keats, Byron, and Shelley. 

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Answered by Crispin W. English Literature tutor

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