Nature in Romanticism Period

When many people here about Romanticism or this Romantic literary period, they think about love and happy ever after, but that is not what it is mainly about. There of course is some love, but mainly it is about reasoning, heroism, individuality, nature and many more ideals. The romantics were very much in love with Nature especially. In fact, there was an essay about nature incorporating American Romanticism written by Ralph Waldo Emerson. Ralph Emersonr's essay, Nature, incorporates many of these themes of Romanticism and even transcendentalism. The three main themes shown in this essay are power of intuition, individualism, and spirituality. Initially, Emerson describing the theme of individualism by stating that, To go into solitude, a man needs to retire as much from his chamber as from society(CH.1). Emerson was supporting this theme by describing true solitude as going out into nature and leaving behind things that will distract you. He encouraged his readers to follow their own will and voice instead of conforming to social expectations. Also to be completely honest with themselves and with others. Aware of his connection with nature, Emerson feels he becomes more aware of his own individuality and the better side of him, very much like how a romantic would with nature as well. Another theme of Romanticism used was imagination, language and spirituality. The whole body of this essay symbolizes spirituality and believes we need to see nature as the way children see it, in awe. Adults will not achieve this until their inner and outer senses are balanced. He describes that we use nature for medicinal purposes, spiritual elements, and intellectual properties. He supported the use of imagination by stating that we should see theworld not how it is, but through our own personal, spiritual feelings. He believed that everything in the universe is linked to one another and everyone should see everything as whole and what nature has to offer. By using colorful language and very descriptive imagery, he illustrates the effect nature has on the soul, supporting his belief that man and nature have a special relationship and can form harmony when everything is balanced out. Neither does the wisest man extort her secret and lose his curiosity by finding out all her perfection. Nature never becomes a toy to a wise spirit.(24-28.) In this quote here, according to Emerson, a smart person always sees the beauty in nature no matter what and is always in awe, but they never adapt or get used to naturer's beauty, nor do they abuse it. They just seek spiritual understanding from it and respects it.

Cite this page