Romantic Era Synthesis

This particular era that we have studied differs greatly from the previous eras. The previous eras seemed to be more about how outside forces influenced the actions of humans. The Romantic era contrasts this greatly. It is an era all about the self-empowerment of humans and depicts the ways that humans affect each other and themselves. There is very little mention of religion or supernatural forces; rather it is all about what the individual does to change himself or herself. This is clearly evident in the beautiful film (adapted from the book of the same name) Wuthering Heights. The character known as Heathcliff takes control of his own destiny when he was wronged by who he thought was his true love. Heathcliff gathers a fortune together and claims the house that he grew up in with his own funds. This has not remotely happened in any of the previous stories we have encountered. A lowlife, such as Heathcliff, has never once risen from the ashes and made something out of himself without the help of an outside force or being. He actually becomes power hungry and vengeful of his forgotten love that he actually attempts to take his love’s husband’s estate in a mix of familial bureaucracy. This time period gives the individual actual brains unlike the previous eras in which individuals just followed their fate to their eventual and certain death. It is also displayed in the music that the individuals play whereas Cathy plays the harpsichord (she is not a commoner but she is not royalty) as leisure but a special individual played instruments in previous eras.