Romanticism

New Critical Idiom

by Aidan Day

Aidan Day considers the history and usage of the term Romanticism, and the changing views and debates which surround it. He traces its history through nineteenth and twentieth-century readings, incorporating contemporary debates such as feminism, post-structuralism and new historicism. Day places the traditional canon in the wider context of their contemporary political and philosophical thinkers. A range of writers, both canonical and non-canonical, are included in his survey, Romanticism takes a clear, wide-ranging view of the subject and is essential reading for students new to the subject.

Genres: Nonfiction, Romanticism, Poetry, Literary Criticism, Philosophy, History, Academic

240 pages, Paperback

First published November 16, 1995

Reviews

[Ornicarcajou · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good overview, but as an introduction to romanticism, I honestly don't think it's the right book. The quoting is a nice touch, but sometimes it just makes you lose the point Day tries to make. I read it twice and the second time round, the book's entire structure made much more sense. Anyway, if you already know about English and American romanticism, I think this book aproaches the question of what is romanticism really well.

[Alyce Hunt · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was probably a 2.5 star read. I'm not sure whether I've been feeling more sleepy than normal recently, or whether this book was sending me to sleep. I was drifting off when I read it in the library. I was drifting off when I read it at my desk. I actually needed to nap TWICE while reading it led in bed. It's just a little... Dry.
It doesn't help that Aidan Day quotes extensively from a bunch of other critical responses, while not really bringing his own thoughts to the material. I've gotten some good recommendations for other titles through this book, but it's not as concise as 'Romanticism' by Lilian R. Furst, which I would highly recommend above this title.

[sam☆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

THANK YOU TO THE LORDS AND UNIVERSE WHO LAID MY EYES UPON THIS BOOK, I THANK YOU SO THAT I COULD STUDY AND GAIN KNOWLEDGE. THIS BOOK IS GONNA HELP ME PASS MY EXAMSS. I LOVE YOU MR. AIDAN <3

[[ J o ] · Rating 1 out of 5]

Like most academic texts, I am loathe to even spend much time on them. I am almost certain that this is a wonderful book, with much thought-provoking content and astounding insights, could I remember even reading it properly, but Romanticism isn't something I'm all that interested in and thoroughly rejected it as a point against the authority of my University, because I'm a left-wing idiot sometimes.

[Graham · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's helpful and interesting, and he clearly knows what he's talking about, and eventually does sort of get across the point he's trying to make, but in terms of the actual presentation of the arguement, most of the book is a rambly and incoherent as FUCK. The odd little thesis statement here and there wouldn't go astray. Get your shit together, Aidan.

[Leslie]

Not a place to start if you want an introduction to Romanticism (specifically English Romanticism, especially as traditionally defined as focussing on the big six--Wordsworth, Coleridge, Blake, Byron, Shelley, Keats-which is Day's interest here). He's interested in examining and problematising the traditional definitions of Romanticism, and in poking at its tensions and contradictions.

[A. B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good overview of the Romantic movement. The author's main thesis emphasises the continuity between the Enlightenment and the Romantic era whereby works traditionally labelled early Romantic should be seen as works of the late Enlightenment in their political radicalism (as inspired by the French Revolution). After this period, some conservatism dawned, especially in Wordsworth and Coleridge, with whom a Germany-influenced cult of introspection and dark metaphysics dawned. This was much less politically radical. Later on, the late Romantics revolted against this conservatism with their own radicalism. There is also a fascinating essay on gender in Romantic literature, how the Sublime was conceived of as masculine with Beauty being feminine; and the feminist critique of the aforementioned conservative Romantic values.

[Livlaa · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

While this introduction provided a good overview over the different directions and interests of academic criticism, I did find the extensive and numerous half-page to whole-page citations quite tedious. I didn't mind so much with literature citations, but the long passages by different academic writers and philosophers did complicate the reading flow for me. This therefore also felt more like an overview of the literary criticism than of romanticism itself.

[Lucie Dessailly]

A very complex book to read and understand on first read. However, getting to the point of understanding it is a very rewarding accomplishment as the book draws a far better and more interesting picture of what is thought of Romanticism

[Michael Farrell · Rating 3 out of 5]

too canty. a tendency to uncritically import contemporary disparagement rather than make his own readings of texts.

[Leonardo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genuine food for though (and passionate debate), Aidan Day's study of Romanticism is certainly a controversial, but quite clever book. It's not a book for anyone looking for an introduction to one of the most important periods of English literature. And it's certainly a book to be avoided by anyone who is comfortable with the "great six" (Blake, Wordsworth, Coleridge, Byron, Shelley, Keats) and the view that holds that Romanticism was a mainly revolutionary movement. Likewise, this is not a book for those unfamiliar with the works discussed or mentioned. However, it is a very clever reading, constantly questioning the traditional image of Romanticism, highlighting its close relationship with 18th-century Enlightenment values and how its most famous authors veered towards conservative positions, as time went by and the British view of the French revolution became increasingly negative, and British writers and thinkers approached the rather more introspective, mystic-inclined German writers and their medieval leanings (while the three younger of the "great six" are shown to be returning to British Romanticism's early relation with Enlightenment/atheist views). Day also highlights the work of Jane Austen and other female novelists, particularly Austen's conservative view of society, despite her notable lack of references to specific contemporary events. The book closes with a reference to gender and historical studies. A major drawback of the book (or most contemporary criticism) is a lack of study of the actual literary value of specific works, as if literary works were valuable solely for their message or usefulness to prove a point in academic works, not by its poetic/artistic contributions to a nation's and the world's literary heritage.

[Bertrand · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maybe because I was spared the plight of university reading-lists, I ought be free from the special kind of scorn students reserve for scholarly introductions (see other reviews of that little book for examples!). However I long kept from those series, those very short (too much so, maybe) introductions, those key concepts in the humanities, critical idioms - in part no doubt out of snobbishness, a preference for obscurity that could flatter my insecure ego. But I think it might also have to do with an utterly shite 'illustrated introduction' to Wittgenstein I got about a decade ago - all I seem to have gotten out of this is the duck/rabbit aporia, and to this day I speak intermittently of Immanuel Wittgenstein (mixing him up with Wallerstein).
Anyway, this 'critical idiom' series (along with another called 'critical lives' of introductory biographies), I find if not brilliant, then very good at what they do: introducing a concept in 200 pages or less, looking at the main authors, currents and events, and expending on occasion with later historiographical (or critical) debates. Aidan does just that here, and he truly delivers: The book is more or less split in two 'generations', first the one of Coleridge, Wordsworth and Blake, and then that Shelley, Byron and Keats. Day starts by emphasising the continuities between neo-classical, sensibility poets and early romantics. He expectably dwells on the Lyrical Ballads and situate them in their religious and political context, recounting their critical reception in the immediate post-war and in later post-structuralism, going in some depth for those analyses but remaining, throughout, very clear and concise, while using much quotation from the relevant works. He then gives some thought to the 'conservative turn' of the first romantic generation, and turn to the second, contrasting them with their elders, and focusing on their writing rather than their adventurous lives. The book is peppered with allusions to other, more minor authors, and my only regret is that the author does not do more to place it, as I expected, in its european context: passing reference to german romanticism, when the lake-poet's own idealism leaves him no alternative, is all Day is willing to give us.