The, Gothic And The Sublime - 2368 Words

Within texts from the Romantic era there are many prominent themes that are apparent such as the representation of nature, gothic and the sublime. Another theme which was significant during the time included the presentation of children within these romantic texts. The figure of a child symbolised innocence and freedom for many writers. Children were also presented as being closely linked to God reinforcing their purity. Romanticism enabled childhood to be viewed in a positive light as ‘The seventeenth and eighteenth century poets expressed an acute nostalgia for childhood which they saw as a period of joy, peace and security’ (Kitab, 2013, p9). The image of the child was glorified within many texts as romantic ideas portrayed ideals of innocence and divinity leading to happiness. This sharply contrasted with the background of the Industrial Revolution during the eighteenth century. For children of a working class background their lives were very different to the images painted by Romantic poets who illustrated the joy of children within their works. The country was changing very quickly, Stuart Curran reflects upon this point as he explains ‘The economic and social life of the nation was changing radically, in ways that alarmed conservatives like Wordsworth and troubled progressives like Shelley.’ (1993, p66). The demands of the Industrial Revolution threatened the ideals of freedom, joy and wonder for children that Romantic texts surrounding this theme possessed. TheShow MoreRelatedSublime In Frankenstein Essay1497 Words   |  6 PagesMost Gothic novels aim to show the sinister side of human nature. They depict the dark terrors which lie beneath the reader s mentality. The term Gothic suggests a genre which deals with frightening and mysteriou s settings by giving connotations of ghostly castles and supernatural events. 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