The Romantic Period was an era where the common man really began to flourish and break away from religious grounds. This was seen most often in the arts. For example, the painting “Liberty Leading the People” by Eugene Delacroix commemorates the French “July Revolution of 1830” and consists of men of all occupations and races picking themselves up after the battle and at the center of the painting is this woman-like figure who represents the Lady Liberty. It’s symbolic of the time because the common man is expressing his beliefs and fighting for freedom. There are no religious symbols or allusions to any Gods or nobleman bringing these people freedom—the people are gaining their own freedom. Another example is in William Wordsworth’s autobiographical poem, “The Prelude” that relates the everyday struggles and imaginations of a common man. Literature during the romantic era was never serious or taught moral or religious lessons, but instead related common truths of everyday life and even the common mysteries of the supernatural. Although there was a definite secularism quality of the time, spirituality was still embraced, but more with finding peace within oneself and with nature. For example in Coleridge’s poem, “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner”, he doesn’t once mention a higher God or entity proofing his actions, but instead he struggles internally and prays to have peace with nature and restore good health to his crew and overall journey. The Romantic era moved away from sophistication and control of the church and stressed the spirituality and struggles of the common man with his encounters in nature.
-Team Waka
Lillie Moffett, Lauren Wakabayashi, Sooji Hong, Nicole Lussier
This is a well-organized and straightforward approach to the synthesis question that fully answers how there were secular representations of the Romantic era man in literature and the arts. You have three concrete examples that adequately support the absence of a religious figure in the lives of the characters in pieces of literature and even art. Furthermore, you address the crucial point that these characters that reverted from practicing religion actually reflected the Romantic period man. Overall, your synthesis was easy to read and comprehend and most importantly, precise in stating the generalities and specifics of the Romantic era.
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