Romanticism

Romanticism appeared at the end of the 18th century as a logical consequence of reasonable classicism and French Revolution. Romanticism turned out to be an absolutely new ideology that influenced on the national awakening of many European peoples that lacked their own national states. It was a period of constant wars, revolutions, coups and instability in general. As a result, there appears a new trend with a new hero that is very emotional, deep-loving, tragic, looking for an escape from the surrounding reality and has great folklore roots. Romanticism becomes a source of aesthetic experience, placing new emphasis on such emotions as trepidation, horror or awe. The main subject is confrontation between surrounding nature/society and human being.

Among American men of letters, there are Edgar Allan Poe and Nathaniel Hawthorne. Both based their writings on supernatural/occult traditions.

In Germany, it was Johann Fichte and Friedrich Schelling that established tha foundations of German romanticism, making Jena a centre of early German romanticism. Later, Heidelberg became a corresponding center with E. Hoffmann and J. Eichendorf.

In Britain, the main romanticism representatives were W. Wordsworth and S. Coleridge. The other no less well-known names are Lord Byron, P.B. Shelley and John Keats.

The French poet Chateaubriand is considered to be the "Father of French Romanticism".

Thus, the geography of romanticism is extremely wide influencing thinkers all around the world and bringing its own bit to the general progress of the World Literature.