Romanticism: A Very Short Introduction

Author: Ferber, Michael (Professor of English and Humanities, University of New Hampshire)

The arts: general issues

Published on 23 September 2010 by OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS in the United Kingdom as part of 'the Very Short Introductions' series.

Paperback | 176 pages, Approx 15 black and white illustrations
172 x 112 x 9 | 152g

What is Romanticism? In this Very Short Introduction Michael Ferber answers this by considering who the romantics were and looks at what they had in common — their ideas, beliefs, commitments, and tastes. He looks at the birth and growth of Romanticism throughout Europe and the Americas, and examines various types of Romantic literature, music, painting, religion, and philosophy. Focusing on topics, Ferber looks at the 'Sensibility' movement, which preceded Romanticism; the rising prestige of the poet; Romanticism as a religious trend; Romantic philosophy and science; Romantic responses to the French Revolution; and the condition of women. Using examples and quotations he presents a clear insight into this very diverse movement, and offers a definition as well as a discussion of the word 'Romantic' and where it came from.

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