Historical Narrative Offers Introduction to Romanticism by Placing Key
Figures in Overall Social Context
Going beyond the general literary survey, A History of Romantic
Literature examines the literatures of sensibility and intensity as
well as the aesthetic dimensions of horror and terror, sublimity and
ecstasy, by providing a richly integrated account of shared themes,
interests, innovations, rivalries and disputes among the writers of the
late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries.
Drawing from the assemblage theory, Prof. Burwick maintains that the
literature of the period is inseparable from prevailing economic
conditions and ongoing political and religious turmoil, as well as
developments in physics, astronomy, music and art. Thus, rather than
deal with authors as if they worked in isolation from society, he
identifies and describes their interactions with their communities and
with one another, as well as their responses to current events. By
connecting seemingly scattered and random events such as the bank crisis
of 1825, he weaves the coincidental into a coherent narrative of the
networking that informed the rise and progress of Romanticism. Notable
features of the book include:
- A strong narrative structure divided into four major chronological
periods: Revolution, 1789-1798; Napoleonic Wars, 1799-1815; Riots,
1815-1820; Reform, 1821-1832
- Thorough coverage of major and minor figures and institutions of the
Romantic movement (including Mary Wollstonecraft, Elizabeth Montague
and the Bluestockings, Lord Byron, John Keats, Letitia Elizabeth
Landon etc.)
- Emphasis on the influence of social networks among authors, such as
informal dinners and teas, clubs, salons and more formal institutions
With its extensive coverage and insightful analysis set within a lively
historical narrative, History of Romantic Literature is highly
recommended for courses on British Romanticism at both undergraduate and
post-graduate levels. It will also prove a highly useful reference for
advanced scholars pursuing their own research.
