The "Romantic Experience" is practice characterized by a deep introspection into one's self in connection with nature, and the divine. This experience goes beyond mere mental ascent, which only serves to merely tickle the empirical senses. The romantics believe that this connection goes deep, feeding the soul even in times of constriction and hardship. If maintained, this union is believed to produce the condition of joy. Both William Wordsworth's poem "Resolution and Independence" and Samuel Taylor Coleridge's "The Rime of The Ancient Mariner" illustrate the ways in which human beings can forfeit or lose this joy and also recover it. .
To even know the heights of this joy the romantics believe that a person must also experience the depths of sorrow. States of being such as joy and sorrow are interdependent where one cannot be known without knowledge of the other. Wordsworth experiences this process in "Resolution and Independence" sharing, "of joy in minds that can no further go, / As high in our dejection do we sink as low" (281). After a point of complete ecstasy Wordsworth soon finds himself in the depths of despair with a troubled heart. The phrases "as we have mounted" and "in our dejection" point out that while the influence of nature and the divine pervades; this journey is often one brought by our own doing and choices. We choose to walk a certain way and can allow specific thoughts to control our minds. We also make the choice to remain connected our disconnected. The danger of venturing into these depths occurs when one loses perspective and forgets the previous vision of hope and of life, thus missing the lesson to be learned. The romantics view the state of sorrow as an opportunity to grow and view the fullness of joy in its real state, no longer merely circumstantial but lasting and eternal. .
For Wordsworth the loss of joy starts with "fear and fancies," "dim sadness and blind thoughts" (27-28).
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and Romanticism Characterized by the power of nature, beauty, and imagination, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poems are essentially Romantic. ... "The Tide Rises, The Tide Falls" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow is a superior example of romantic writing. ...
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was a man who from a young age had a love for literature, and later took a position in 1863 at Harvard (legallanguage.com, Paul Revere's Ride). Three years later Longfellow published his first collection of poems and many of his poems sported people conquering over affliction (poets.org, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow). Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wanted Paul Revere to get recognized for his bravery, perseverance and labor for his country's freedom, moreover his intention was not to write a historical account but to create a national icon through dramatizin...
In Robert Frost's "Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening" and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's "The Tide Rises, The Tide Falls", the two poets represent people in life as a traveler on his way to some unknown destination. ... Robert Frost and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow are considered metaphorical writers. ...
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, a renowned poet and author, wrote "The Tide Rises, The Tide Falls" and "A Psalm of Life". These poems share many similarities, but like all poems each has its own special touch too. "The Tide Rises, The Tide Falls" and "A Psalm of Life" have many similarities. Both po...
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, a renowned poet and author, wrote "The Tide Rises, The Tide Falls" and "A Psalm of Life". These poems share many similarities, but like all poems each has its own special touch too. "The Tide Rises, The Tide Falls" and "A Psalm of Life" have many similarities. Both po...
Which is more important; academic learning or real life learning? In today's world, more emphasis is put on academic learning because it is good grades, not good morals that help children get into college and find good jobs. However, both must be implemented in order for a child to succeed in the re...
Living in the present and trying to accomplish as much as you can are the central ideas of the poem "A Psalm of Life" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. In the first stanza, Longfellow is stating that he does not want to hear in a sermon or from rhymes that he is living a life of hopes that will never ...
Just as out American forefathers left footprints on the sands of time, our current generation should do likewise. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem, "The Psalm of Life", depicts hope, and the true meaning behind leading a successful and inspiring life. To "Be a hero in the strife" is what all must d...
The Tide Rises, The Tide Falls By Henry Wadsworth Longfellow The poem "The Tide Rises, The Tide Falls" written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow is a very well written poem. ... Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in my opinion is one of the greatest authors of all time. ...
