Notes on Romantic Non-Fictional Prose

Notes on Romantic Non-Fictional Prose

Notes on Romantic Non-Fictional Prose: Two dates are available regarding the beginning of the Romantic Era. Many critics argue that the romantic era began in 1789 with the emergence of the French revolution. But, it is mostly accepted that this era began in 1798 with the publication of The Lyrical Ballads, a join venture by Wordsworth and Coleridge. One may trace the essences of Romanticism not only in poetry. They may also be found in Romantic Non-Fictional Prose. The Non - Fictional Prose of the Romantic Era includes personal essays, critical writings, the writings in the magazines and the journals, Historical writings etc.

Personal essays were developed in the Romantic Era. Among the romantic essayists, Charles Lamb was the pioneer. Lamb was born in the year 1775 and he died in 1834. He is mostly known for two books, Essays of Elia (1823)and The Last Essays of Elia (1833). The notable essays of Lamb include "Dream Children A Reverie", "The Superannuted Man", "The Old China", "Oxford in the Vacation" etc. The essays of Lamb are subjective and confessional. They produce the feeling of nostalgia. Another notable essayist of this era was De Quincey (1785-1859). His literary fame is solely rested on "The Confession of an English Opium - eater (1821). Besides, nobody can dispense with the contributions of William Hazlitt (1778-1830) as a romantic essayist.

The writings of literary criticism were flourished in the Romantic Era. William Wordsworth (1770 1850) earns immense reputation for his popular critical writing, Preface to the Lyrical Ballads." Here, initially, Wordsworth defines poetry. The poet holds that poetry is "The spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings". The poet further adds that poetry is "Emotion recollected in tranquility". It is asserted that the lives of the rustics should be reflected through poetry. Again, poetry should be written in the language, spoken by ordinary men. Coleridge gains recognition as a literary critic, for his book, Biographia Litereria. In this book Coleridge points out that it is not always possible to compose poetry in thelanguage of the ordinary men. Charles Lamb is another notable literary critic of this era.

Notes on Romantic Non-Fictional Prose

The advancement of the literary criticism of the Romantic Age is also found specifically in different journals and magazines of the time. Some of these journals become enriched with the writings of the famous prose writers like Charles Lamb, Thomas De - Quincey, Hunt, Hazlitt et Al. Among these journals, mention may be made of "The Edinburgh Review", "The Quarterly Review", "The London Magazine", "The Black Wood" and so on.

To conclude, another literary genius, Landor (1775 1864) earns immense reputation through his remarkable prose work. In this work, Landor deals with different Historical characters. Again, in this age, there are some other shades of Non Fictional Prose writings. The important authors include William Cobbetl, Jeremy Bentham, James Mill, David Ricardo, Thomas Robert Malthus and Sir James Mackintosh. Some of the conspicuous works of these authors include The Political Register (1802), Mill's Analysis of the Human Mind (1829), Ricardo's Principles of Political Economy (1817), Malthus's Essay on Population (1803) etc.