Emergence of Romanticism

The Industrial Revolution and the Emergence of Romanticism The Industrial Revolution was a period of time during the 18th century originating in Europe that resulted in major socio-economic and cultural changes around the world. These changes in part gave rise to the English Romantic spirit, especially in the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom’s economic system of manual labor shifted toward a system of machine manufacturing, resulting in the formation of factories and, therefore, modern cities. It also gave rise to the middle and working classes, creating more employment opportunities but severely reducing the quality of living for those working, especially those in factories. This wrongful oppression brought on by the manipulation of the impoverished resulted in an intellectual and somewhat political movement known as Romanticism. Romantic artists and authors used their work to communicate the suffering of the people living in the newly industrialized world, and described imagined worlds of beauty and perfection as a form of escape from the harshness that surrounded them. One such artist was William Wordsworth. In his poem “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud” Wordsworth uses nature as a form of escapism from the Industrial Revolution. He describes the beauty of a multitude of daffodils and the happiness it brought him. “And then my heart with pleasure fills, And dances with the daffodils.” The mere thought of the perfect and serene environment continues to make him happy and makes him forget of the horrible surroundings he lives in. This type of escapism was well-received, allowing a similar feeling to emanate in others who suffered the worst of the Industrial Revolution. “The Chimney Sweeper” by William Blake is a two part poem that analyzes the innocence of child laborers during the Industrial Revolution and exposes the manipulation of authoritarian powers. Blake also used escapism to contrast the bleak reality of industrialized Europe to the beautiful world