The late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries were a time of
accelerating cultural, social, economic, and political change. The outbreak
of the French Revolution in 1789 and the passing of the first Reform Bill in
1832 are the political cornerstones of an age that saw the promotion of
human rights and civil liberties against established systems of absolutist
governments and limited possibilities of political participation.
Democratic ideas that form the constitutional basis of modern Western
societies were developed and circulated in a highly-charged political and
cultural climate, represented, defended and contested in a bourgeois
public sphere that had only come into being as a space of rational
contestation in England in the century between the Glorious Revolution
and the French Revolution.1
In philosophy, perhaps the most far-reaching development in the
eighteenth century was the exploration of the individual psyche. John
Locke’s empiricist epistemology was based on the idea that the mind of
the infant is like a tabula rasa and that there are no innate ideas or moral
principles. Instead, Locke argued, the individual’s knowledge springs
from his or her own sensory perceptions. This epistemology carried with
it a serious social problem: in effect perceivers were deprived of shared
views and, isolated in their own perceptions, were cut off from the
environment that had produced their knowledge. “Equally isolated from
objects and from others, Lockian perceivers can be certain of only their
individual mental processes. […] Certainty, knowledge, and truth become,
at best, relational.”2
The problem of the individual’s position in and relation to a society that
was already perceptibly fragmenting as a result of economic developments and increased social mobility was debated by philosophers
throughout the eighteenth century. David Berkeley, the Earl of
Shaftesbury, and Adam Smith all in their own ways tried to find a solution
to the empirical dilemma they had inherited from Locke and sought to
relocate the individual in a social context.3 [...]
1 Cf. Jürgen Habermas, Strukturwandel der Öffentlichkeit: Untersuchungen zu einer
Kategorie der bürgerlichen Gesellschaft (Neuwied: Luchterhand, 1962).
2 Regina Hewitt, Wordsworth and the Empirical Dilemma (New York et al.: Peter Lang,
1990), 5f.
3 Ibid., 7-32.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- 1. Introduction
- 2. The Growth of the Reading Public
- 2.1 Size and limitations of the reading public
- 2.2 Causes for the growth of the reading public
- 2.2.1 Population growth and urbanization
- 2.2.2 Education and literacy
- 2.2.3 Technological progress and the impact of the industrial revolution
- 2.2.4 Growing interest in political events
- 2.3 Social varieties of the reading public
- 3. Romantic Poets and the Literary Marketplace
- 3.1 The transformation of the publishing business
- 3.2 Authors and publishers
- 3.3 The commodification of literature: copyrights and best-sellers
- 3.3.1 The debates over copyright
- 3.3.2 Best-sellers
- 3.4 The institutionalization of literature: The British reviews
- 3.5 Romantic poets in the literary marketplace
- 3.5.1 The task of a lifetime: William Wordsworth
- 3.5.2 Unacknowledged legislators: Percy Bysshe Shelley and John Keats
- 3.5.2.1 Percy Bysshe Shelley
- 3.5.2.2 John Keats
- 3.5.3 Aristocratic best-sellers: George Gordon Lord Byron and Sir Walter Scott
- 3.5.3.1 George Gordon Lord Byron
- 3.5.3.2 Sir Walter Scott
- 4. The Poet and His Audience: Romantic Critical Theory in its Socio-historical Context
- 4.1 Romantic theories of art and their social context
- 4.2 Conceptions of poets from the Renaissance to the Augustan Age
- 4.3 Romantic conceptions of poets and their audiences
- 4.3.1 William Wordsworth
- 4.3.1.1 The poet's social function: “one of us” or poetic genius?
- 4.3.1.2 Wordsworth's conception of readers and audiences
- 4.3.2 Samuel Taylor Coleridge
- 4.3.2.1 Coleridge's definitions of the poet
- 4.3.2.2 Attitudes toward the literary marketplace
- 4.3.2.3 Configurations of readers: Sciolism and the clerisy
- 4.3.3 Percy Bysshe Shelley
- 4.3.3.1 Definitions of the poet
- 4.3.3.2 Shelley's conception of audiences
- 4.3.4 John Keats
- 4.3.4.1 Attitudes toward the collective reading public
- 4.3.4.2 The poet and his ideal readers
- 4.3.5 George Gordon, Lord Byron
- 4.3.5.1 Definitions of the poet: The aristocratic amateur re-established
- 4.3.5.2 Byron's attitudes toward the reading public
- 4.3.1 William Wordsworth
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This work aims to explore the relationship between English Romantic poets and their reading audiences within the socio-historical context of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. It examines the growth of the reading public, the transformation of the publishing industry, and the evolving conceptions of the poet's role and audience within Romantic critical theory.
- The expansion of the reading public during the Romantic period.
- The changing nature of the literary marketplace and its impact on authors.
- The commodification of literature and debates surrounding copyright.
- Romantic poets' conceptions of their own roles and their audiences.
- The interplay between Romantic critical theory and socio-historical context.
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
1. Introduction: This chapter sets the stage by outlining the significant cultural, social, economic, and political changes of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, highlighting the French Revolution and the Reform Bill as pivotal events. It introduces the burgeoning bourgeois public sphere and its role in the development and dissemination of democratic ideas. Furthermore, it touches upon the philosophical shift towards exploring the individual psyche, referencing Locke's empiricism and its implications for understanding the individual's relationship with society – a theme that resonates throughout the study of Romantic poets and their relationship with their audience.
2. The Growth of the Reading Public: This chapter delves into the expansion of the reading public during the Romantic era. It examines the size and limitations of the reading public, exploring factors such as population growth, urbanization, increased literacy rates due to educational advancements, technological progress driven by the Industrial Revolution, and a growing interest in political events. By analyzing these interconnected factors, the chapter provides a multifaceted understanding of the forces that shaped the expanding audience for Romantic literature.
3. Romantic Poets and the Literary Marketplace: This chapter explores the dynamic relationship between Romantic poets and the evolving literary marketplace. It examines the transformation of the publishing business, the relationship between authors and publishers, and the increasing commodification of literature, particularly through discussions surrounding copyright and the emergence of bestsellers. The chapter also details the institutionalization of literature through the rise of British literary reviews and finally analyzes the individual experiences of several prominent Romantic poets within this complex market system – Wordsworth, Shelley, Keats, Byron and Scott – highlighting their varied approaches to publishing and their commercial success.
4. The Poet and His Audience: Romantic Critical Theory in its Socio-historical Context: This chapter investigates the theoretical underpinnings of the Romantic poets' relationship with their audiences. It analyzes Romantic theories of art within their socio-historical context, contrasting them with earlier conceptions of the poet's role, tracing these views back to the Renaissance and the Augustan Age. The chapter provides detailed analyses of the views of Wordsworth, Coleridge, Shelley, Keats, and Byron, outlining their diverse perspectives on the poet's social function, their ideal readers, and their attitudes towards the literary marketplace. The diverse approaches of these major poets showcase a complex relationship between literary theory and the evolving socio-political landscape of the time.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
English Romantic poets, reading audiences, literary marketplace, publishing industry, copyright, bestsellers, Romantic critical theory, socio-historical context, William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Percy Bysshe Shelley, John Keats, George Gordon Lord Byron, empiricism, bourgeois public sphere.
Frequently Asked Questions: A Comprehensive Language Preview of English Romantic Poets and Their Audiences
What is the purpose of this work?
This work explores the relationship between English Romantic poets and their reading audiences during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. It examines the growth of the reading public, the transformation of the publishing industry, and how Romantic poets viewed their roles and audiences within their socio-historical context.
What key themes are addressed?
Key themes include the expansion of the reading public during the Romantic period; the changing literary marketplace and its impact on authors; the commodification of literature and copyright debates; Romantic poets' conceptions of their roles and audiences; and the interplay between Romantic critical theory and its socio-historical context.
What topics are covered in each chapter?
Chapter 1 (Introduction): Sets the stage by outlining significant cultural, social, economic, and political changes, including the French Revolution and the Reform Bill, and introduces the burgeoning bourgeois public sphere. It also touches upon the philosophical shift towards exploring the individual psyche.
Chapter 2 (The Growth of the Reading Public): Examines the expansion of the reading public, exploring factors like population growth, urbanization, increased literacy, technological progress, and growing interest in political events.
Chapter 3 (Romantic Poets and the Literary Marketplace): Explores the relationship between Romantic poets and the evolving literary marketplace, including the transformation of the publishing business, author-publisher relationships, the commodification of literature (copyright and bestsellers), and the institutionalization of literature through British literary reviews. It analyzes the experiences of Wordsworth, Shelley, Keats, Byron, and Scott.
Chapter 4 (The Poet and His Audience: Romantic Critical Theory in its Socio-historical Context): Investigates the theoretical underpinnings of the Romantic poets' relationship with their audiences. It analyzes Romantic theories of art, contrasting them with earlier conceptions, and provides detailed analyses of the views of Wordsworth, Coleridge, Shelley, Keats, and Byron on the poet's social function, ideal readers, and attitudes towards the marketplace.
Which Romantic poets are specifically discussed?
The work focuses on the works and perspectives of William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Percy Bysshe Shelley, John Keats, and George Gordon Lord Byron.
What is the significance of the socio-historical context?
The socio-historical context, encompassing significant political and social changes of the era, is crucial to understanding the evolving relationship between Romantic poets and their audiences. The growth of the reading public, the transformation of the publishing industry, and the changing perceptions of the poet's role are all deeply intertwined with the broader societal shifts of the time.
What are the key terms and concepts?
Key terms include English Romantic poets, reading audiences, literary marketplace, publishing industry, copyright, bestsellers, Romantic critical theory, socio-historical context, empiricism, and bourgeois public sphere.
What type of audience is this work intended for?
This work is intended for academic use, supporting the analysis of themes in a structured and professional manner.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Karsten Runge (Autor:in), 2002, English Romantic Poets and their Reading Audiences, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/13961
