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Questions and Answers
What was the primary cause of the decline of faith in reason during the late 18th century?
What type of poetry did the Pre-Romantic poets compose?
What was the primary focus of Pre-Romantic poets?
Who introduced the term 'Pre-Romanticism' in 1912?
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Who is credited with anticipating the romantic idealization of nature?
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How did the Pre-Romantic poets view nature?
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What is the title of Thomson's finest work, according to most authorities?
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What was a common theme in Pre-Romantic poetry?
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What is a characteristic feature of Thomson's topographical poetry?
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What is a common theme among poets like James Thomson, William Collins, and Thomas Gray?
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Study Notes
Pre-Romantic Poetry
- Emerged as a reaction to Neo-Classical poetry, but did not appear suddenly, rather it was a gradual shift through the works of precursors to Romanticism, known as Pre-Romantics.
Characteristics
- Pre-Romanticism as a literary term was first introduced in 1912 by Fortunat Strowski.
- The Pre-Romantic school was a period of transition between Neo-Classicism and Romanticism.
- The industrial revolution led to a dissatisfaction with the present situation, causing men to turn their attention to feelings and emotions.
- Nature became a real and living entity, existing as a person exists.
Themes and Features
- Everyday life, stories of poor people, and folk traditions became common themes.
- Poetry was strictly related to the poet as a person, reflecting their feelings, thoughts, and personal experiences.
- Melancholy and sadness were dominant feelings, connected to the historical and social context.
Poetic Features
- Poetry combined classical forms with romantic content, anticipating the romantic idealization of nature.
- It combined the forms of John Dryden and Alexander Pope with the themes of the Romantics.
- Topographical poetry was a unique feature, but with highly artificial diction.
Key Pre-Romantic Poets
- James Thomson, William Collins, Samuel Johnson, Oliver Goldsmith, Thomas Gray, Robert Burns, Thomas Percy, William Cowper, and William Blake were key forerunners of Romanticism.
James Thomson
- Was a forerunner of Romanticism in the age of Classicism.
- His poem, The Seasons (1726-1730; revised edition, 1744), anticipated the romantic idealization of nature and inspired William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge.
- His work, The Castle of Indolence (1748), is regarded as his finest work, consisting of two cantos in Spenserian verse about the pleasures and pitfalls of idleness.
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Description
Explore the transitional phase from Neo-Classicism to Romanticism through the works of Pre-Romantic poets. Learn about the key figures and their contributions to the literary movement.
