British Romanticism (1785-1832)
- Many critics prefer the span between 1789, the year in which
the French Revolution began, and 1832, when the Reform Act was
passed.
Things to Consider:
- French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars (1789-1815)
- Abolition of Slave Trade
- Counterrevolutionary Measures in England
- Movement towards Reform
- Class and Gender
- Race and Empire
Discussion Questions:
3:
- What
did the Reform Act of 1832 accomplish? (See also 11.)
7-8:
- What
major changes did England experience during this period?
- Describe England's response
to the French Revolution, both at its beginning and at its
height.
8:
- Describe enclosure and its
effects.
10-11:
- How do
the editors describe the position of women at this time?
13-15:
- Describe
the importance of Wordsworth's Preface to Lyrical Ballads.
15:
- Describe the role of Nature
in Romantic poetry.
- Describe the significance of
the lyric form during this period.
22:
- Explain
the significance of Satan and Prometheus to Romantic period
writers.
31:
- In what year was Lyrical Ballads published
by Wordsworth and Coleridge?
Other Discussion Questions:
4:
- Describe the genre of the
romance. (See also 19)
6:
- Name the six poets most
associated with the Romantic period.
7:
- What is the main argument of
Godwin's Enquiry Concerning
Political Justice?
9:
- Explain the philosophy of
"laissez-faire."
11:
- Who were the Bluestockings?
12:
- Which writers were associated
with the following schools: Lake, Cockney, and Satanic?
18:
- Describe the role of the
ordinary in Romantic poetry, especially in relation to the
pastoral.
21:
- Describe the significance of
the Romantic fragment poem.
24:
- Explain the significance of
Thomas Bowdler.
24-25:
- Describe the evolving role of
the literary critic at this time.
26:
- Describe the closet drama.
26-27:
- Describe the evolution of the
novel during this period.
27:
