Second Generation of Romantic poet

 

This blog is based on thinking activity task assigned by Megha ma'am on Romantic age. 

Introduction: 

The term "Second Generation Romantic Poets" refers to a group of poets who followed the first generation of Romantic poets, which included figures like William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, and Lord Byron. The second generation poets emerged in the early 19th century and continued to explore themes of nature, emotion, and individualism, but often in a more introspective and self-aware manner.

1. John Keats:

Life :

John Keats (1795–1821) was an English Romantic poet known for his vivid and sensual poetry. He was born in London, and his parents died when he was only twenty-five years old.all his works published in three years, from 1817 to 1820. He trained as a surgeon but pursued poetry instead. He had novel idea that, 

" Poetry exists for its own sake, and suffers loss by being devoted to philosophy or politics or indeed, to any cause. "

Poetry : 

• The Eve of Saint Mark(unfinished)
• Lamia (1819) [ source: Burton's The Anatomy of Melancholy]
• The Fall of Hyperion ( unfinished)
• Hyperion
• The Eve of St. Agnes

Endymion : It's a narrative poem that tells the story of Endymion, a young shepherd who falls in love with the moon goddess Cynthia (Selene). Endymion seeks to win Cynthia's love and embarks on a quest filled with adventures and mythical encounters. The poem explores themes of love, beauty, nature, and the pursuit of the ideal.

Sonnet :

• On first looking into Chapman's Homer
• When I have fears that I may cease to be 
• Bright star

Ballad: 

• La Belle Dame sans Merci : La Belle Dame sans Merci" is a ballad written by John Keats in 1819. The poem tells the story of a knight who encounters a beautiful and mysterious fairy-like woman in a meadow.

Ode: 

• Ode to a nightingale
• Ode to an gracian urn
• Ode to psyche
• Ode on melancholy
• Ode to Autumn
• 
  

Features of his poetry :

Sensuous Imagery: Keats used words to create vivid pictures that make you feel like you're experiencing what he's describing. He used details that appeal to your senses, like describing how things look, sound, and feel.

Nature's Beauty: He loved describing the beauty of nature. Keats used nature to talk about big feelings and ideas, like love and time.

Emotions and Feelings: Keats wrote about strong emotions, like love and sadness. He used words to show how these feelings affect people.

Magic and Fantasy: Some of his poems have a magical or dreamy feeling. He used fantasy to explore ideas and emotions in a unique way.

Odes: Keats wrote a lot of odes, which are poems that praise something. He wrote odes to everyday things, like a Grecian urn or a nightingale, making them seem special and important.

Beauty in Imperfection: He believed that even things that might not seem perfect are still beautiful. He talked about finding beauty in ordinary things.

Escape from Reality: Keats's poetry sometimes helped people forget their worries. His words could transport you to another world, away from everyday troubles.

Rich Language: He used words in a way that sounded beautiful and pleasing. Keats's poems often flow like music and make you enjoy the sound of the language.

Short Life, Big Ideas: Keats's poetry had deep thoughts about life and death. Even though he died young, his words left a big impact on literature.

Love for Art and Literature: He admired art and other writers. Keats often talked about how poetry and creativity can make life more meaningful.

Lord Byron :

Life: 

Lord Byron,George Gordon Byron was born in 1788. He was a British poet and leading figure of the Romantic movement. He was known for his flamboyant lifestyle, passionate personality, and controversial views. 

Poetry: 

• Hours of idleness (1807)
• English Bards and Scotch Reviewers (1809)
• The Giaour
• The Bride of Abydos(1813)
• The prisoner of Chillon (1816)

The Vision of Judgement(1822) : The poem is a response to Robert Southey's "A Vision of Judgment," which was a laudatory poem about King George III and his entry into heaven.

Byron's "The Vision of Judgment" takes a different approach, satirizing both Southey's poem and the traditional view of George III as a virtuous figure.

Byronic Hero: 

A Byronic hero is a character in stories who is a bit different from the usual heroes. They're often cool and mysterious, but they also have some problems. Byronic heroes might be moody, rebellious, or have a troubled past. They're not perfect, and they might even do things that aren't so good.

These characters are usually very smart and have a lot of feelings. They might feel lonely or sad sometimes, but they also have a kind of charm that draws people to them.Byronic heroes often have a secret or something they're struggling with, which makes them interesting to follow in a story. 

Overall, they're a mix of good and not-so-good things, and that's what makes them stand out as heroes with a twist.

Childe Harold's Pilgrimage: 

Childe Harold's Pilgrimage is a narrative poem by Lord Byron, first published in 1812. The poem follows the travels and reflections of the young and disillusioned Harold as he embarks on a journey through various European landscapes.

The poem's popularity established Byron as a leading figure in Romantic literature, and it contributed to the creation of the "Byronic hero" archetype character often characterized by brooding introspection, emotional complexity, and a sense of rebellion against societal norms.

Don Juan: 

Don Juan is an epic satirical poem by Lord Byron, written between 1818 and 1824, but left unfinished at the time of his death. The poem is composed of multiple cantos and is known for its humorous and often irreverent take on various themes, including love, society, politics, and human nature. 

Byron uses "Don Juan" as a vehicle for social and political commentary, critiquing the aristocracy, religion, and societal norms of his time. 

Features of poetry: 

Strong Emotions: Byron's poems are filled with big feelings like love, anger, and sadness. He used words to show how he felt, and this makes his poems relatable and powerful.

Individualism: Byron liked to talk about being your own person and not following what everyone else does. He celebrated uniqueness and being true to yourself.

Rebellion: He often wrote about going against rules and authorities. Byron liked to challenge the way things were and make people think differently.

Sarcasm and Humor: Byron had a funny and sarcastic way of writing. He used humor to make fun of serious things and show the silliness of some situations.

Nature and Beauty: He appreciated the beauty of nature and used it in his poems. He described landscapes and scenes in a way that made you see and feel them.

Strong Narratives: Many of Byron's poems tell stories, like adventures or dramas. He created characters and situations that drew readers in.

Controversial Topics: Byron talked about things that were considered shocking or controversial in his time. He didn't shy away from discussing taboos.

Vivid Descriptions: His words painted vivid pictures in the reader's mind. You could almost see, hear, and feel what he was describing.

Heroic Figures: Byron often wrote about larger-than-life heroes or anti-heroes who were flawed but still interesting and captivating.

Percy Bysshe Shelley : 

Life: 

Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792–1822) was an influential English Romantic poet and radical thinker. Born into a wealthy family, he displayed a strong inclination towards literature and poetry from an early age. He attended Eton College and then the University of Oxford, but his time at Oxford was marked by his rebellious spirit and radical political views, leading to his expulsion.

Poetry : 

• Queen Mab (1813)
• Alastor or The Spirit of Solitude (1816)
• Laon and Cythna (1817)
• The Revolt of Islam
• The Cenci (1819)
• The Masque of Anarchy (1819)

Prometheus Unbound: 

Prometheus Unbound is a poem written by Percy Bysshe Shelley. It's about a guy named Prometheus who helps humans but gets punished by a mean god named Zeus. Prometheus is chained to a rock, but later he's freed with the help of nature and other kind gods. The poem talks about freedom, the power of love, and how people can overcome oppression. It's like a story with gods and big ideas about being free and fighting against unfairness.

Lyrics: 

• To a Skylark
• The Cloud
• The Indian Serenade
• To Night
• Ode to the west wind 

Features of poetry: 

Imagination: Shelley loved using his imagination to create beautiful and unique images in his poems. He made nature and emotions come alive with his words.

Freedom: He cared a lot about people being free to think and express themselves. His poems often talk about breaking free from rules and restrictions.

Nature: Shelley loved nature and used it in his poems to show powerful feelings and ideas. He saw nature as a source of inspiration and a way to understand the world.

Love for Humanity: He believed in the goodness of people and wanted the world to be a better place. His poems often show compassion and hope for a kinder world.

Revolutionary Ideas: Shelley was rebellious and wanted to change society. His poems sometimes talked about fighting against unfairness and fighting for rights.

Musical Language: His poems have a musical and rhythmic quality that makes them sound like songs. He used words in a way that they flowed smoothly and sounded pleasing.

Emotions: Shelley's poems are full of strong emotions like love, sadness, and anger. He used these feelings to connect with his readers.

Dreamy and Visionary: His poems sometimes feel like dreams or visions, taking you to different worlds and making you think about big ideas.

Conclusion : 

To sum it up, the second group of Romantic poets, like John Keats, Percy Bysshe Shelley, and Lord Byron, added more feelings and interesting thoughts to the Romantic movement. They wrote about emotions, nature, and personal ideas, but they also looked inside themselves and questioned rules. 

They talked about beauty, sadness, and the world around them. These poets made their poetry sound like music and painted pictures with their words. They showed how imagination and strong feelings can make words powerful. Their poems are like colorful paintings that make us think and feel deeply about life, love, and freedom.

Reference: 

Albert, Edward. A History of English Literature; a Practical Text-Book by Edwardalbert. T.Y. Crowell Co., 1924. 

“John Keats.” Wikipedia, 2 Aug. 2023, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Keats. 

Long, William J. English Literature, Its History and Its Significance for the Life of the English-Speaking World. Enl. Ed. Ginn and Co, 1945. 

“Lord Byron.” Wikipedia, 7 Aug. 2023, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord_Byron. 

“Percy Bysshe Shelley.” Wikipedia, 9 Aug. 2023, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Percy_Bysshe_Shelley. 

“Vallath by Dr. Kalyani Vallath.” YouTube, www.youtube.com/user/KalyaniVallath. Accessed 11 Aug. 2023.