Section 2 - Context

Romantic Period

Context 

Keats belonged to the second generation of Romantic poets, along with Shelley and Lord Byron; the first generation of Romantic poets was constituted of Wordsworth and Coleridge. 

This painting by Caspar David Friedrich, 1818, is a clear example of Romanticism in art. The man is contemplating nature at its rawest; the mist and the mystery are key concepts in romanticism, where the enigmatic plays a big role and imagination and intuition as well. The man seems melancholy; emotions are regarded as essential to Romantic artists.
The Romantic Period is said to have happened between 1770- 1850.

The French Revolution 

The French Revolution, which began in 1789 with the storming of the Bastille, influenced the English writers profoundly. The French Revolution paved the way for these writers, who believed in emotion over logic and generally disliked institutions as they represented rigidity and structure. The French Revolution gave the common people a new power, the power of democracy. Liberty was a promise that, because of the Revolution, Romantic writers could believe in. The Revolution meant freedom of expression, freedom of thought, freedom from repression.

Characteristics of Romanticism

• Emotions over logic or reason 
• Glorification of outcasts and loners
• Imagination and creativity over structure and formality. Artistic output should surge from the author's creativity with as little interference as possible from rules and conventions. 
• 'Religion in particular was treated with much less respect and awe than in past literary practices. Writers were likely to use religious imagery because of its beauty and effectiveness in conveying emotionally-charged meaning.' (Source)
• Natural impulses and the rawness in children's innocence are highly praised: spontaneity is instrumental.  
• Connection to nature as a means to a healthy life, as opposed to the corruption in society and the city is sought
• 'Glorified huge, complex concepts such as liberty, survival, ideals, hope, awe, heroism, despair, and the various sensations that nature evokes in humans. All of these are felt -- and felt on an individual, highly subjective level.'(Source) 

Casper David Friedrich

The Sea of Ice (Also known as The Wreck of Hope), 1823-1824

Lord Byron

 Byron was an aristocrat whose charm and flamboyancy contrasted Keats' struggling, poor middle-class position; also, Byron's first work, 'Childe Harold's Pilgrimage', was a huge success and granted Byron access to all the benefits of celebrity. Keats considered Byron's work unoriginal and overrated, and while Byron praised Keats, he felt likewise about his aesthetic approach to poetry.

Keats was also jealous of Byron's financial situation, as economic holdup was a main issue in his life.