English Poetry of the Romantic Period 1789-1830 - Introduction - Overview

Sep 20, 2026

Uploaded by Violet

An academic introduction and editorial framework for studying English poetry from the Romantic period (1789-1830). J. R. Watson outlines the series’ critical purpose: linking literary forms to their historical and cultural contexts, while addressing debates over period, canon, and genre. The front matter presents the book’s scope, publication details, and a structured contents map covering Romanticism, key poets, major themes, and extensive bibliographies and indexing.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLiterature

FormatPDF

Pages439

Reading Time11 h 16 min

AccessFree to download

Acknowledgements

Editors' Preface

Introduction

Romanticism

The Poet

Prophecy

Prophecy and imagination

Prophecy and form

Texts and Contexts

Prophecy and history

Rousseau

Godwin

Preoccupations, and Ways of Reading Them

Nature

Dreams

The human condition

Reading the Romantic poets

English Poetry of the Romantic Period1789-1830 J R Watson English Poetry of the Romantic Period 1789-1830 Longman Literature in English SeriesGeneral Editors:David Carroll and Michael WheelerLancaster University For a complete list of titles see pages viii-ix English Poetryof the Romantic Period1789-1830 Second edition J.R.Watson First published 1985by Addison Wesley Longman LimitedSecond Edition 1992Iourth impression 1996 Published 2013 by Routledge 2 Park Square,Milton Park,Abingdon,Oxon OX144RN 711Third Avenue,New York,NY 10017,USA Roulledge is cm imprint of the Taylor &Fincis Group,an informa business Copyright o 1985,1992,Taylor &Francis All rights reserved.No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilisedin any fonn or by any electronic,nlcchanicaL or other means,now known orhereafter invented,including photocopying and recording,or in any informationstorage or retrieval system,without permission in writing from the publishers. Notices Knowledge and best practice in this field are constantly changing.As new researchand experience broaden our understanding,changes in research methods,professional practices,or tnedical treahnent tnay become necessary. Practitioners and researchers must always rely on their own experience andknowledge in evaluating and using any information,methods,compounds,orexperiments described herein.In using such information or methods they shouldbe mindful oftheir own safety and the safety of others,including parties for whomhey have a professional responsibility. To the fullest extent of the law,neither the Publisher nor the authors,contributors,oreditors,assume any liability for any injury and/or damage to persons or property as amatter of products liability,negligence or otherwise,or from any use or operation ofany methods,products,instructions,or ideas contained in the material herein. SBN 13:978-0-582-08844-3(pbk) British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book isavailable from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Watson,J.R.(John Richard),1934- English poetry of the romantic period,1789-1830IJ.R.Watson.一2nd ed. p. cm.—(Longman literature in English series)Includes bibliographical references and index.ISBN 0-582-08844-5 1.English poetry-19th century-History and criticism.2.English poetry-18th century-History and criticism. 3.Romanticism-Great Britain.I Title ⅡSeries.PR590.W331992821'.709145-dc2091-36361CIP Set in SL in 91/2/11 pt Bembo Roman Publisher's Note The publisher has gone to great lengths to ensure the quality of this book but points outthat some imperfections from the original may be apparent. Contents Acknowledgements viEditors'Preface vii Longman Literature in English Series viiiPreface to the First Edition xPreface to the Second Edition xi Introduction 1 Romanticism 3 1 The Poet 9 Prophecy 9 Prophecy and imagination 11Prophecy and form 17 2 Texts and Contexts 31 Prophecy and history 31Rousseau 38Godwin 45 3 Preoccupations,and Ways of Reading Them 50 Nature 50Dreams 64 The human condition 76Reading the Romantic poets 86 4 Some Poets 97 5 Blake 131 6 Wordsworth 166 7 Coleridge 212 Between the Acts:1812251 8 Byron 260 9 Shelley 299 10 Keats 338 Poetry and Prophecy:a Final Word 375 Chronology 378 General Bibliographies 387 (i)Historical and social background 387 (ii)Individual writers connected with the French and AmericanRevolutions 390 (iii)The general background of Romanticism 392 (iv)General books on Romantic poetry 393 Individual Authors 401 Notes on biography,major works,and criticism 401 Index 419 # Acknowledgements We are grateful to the following for permission to reproduce copyrightmaterial: Faber &Faber Ltd &Doubleday,a division of Bantam Doubleday DellPublishing Group,Inc for the poem 'The Lamb'from The CollectedPoems of Theodore Roethke,Copyright ◎1961 by Theodore Ro

FAQs

What is the series’ overall aim stated in the editors’ preface?

To show that the most valuable study of literature is based on awareness of relations between literary forms and their historical contexts.

Which themes are highlighted in the book’s table of contents after the Romanticism section?

The contents emphasize prophecy, imagination and form, links between prophecy and history, influences such as Rousseau and Godwin, and thematic reading focused on nature, dreams, and the human condition.

Which major poets are covered in the contents?

The book includes sections on Blake, Wordsworth, Coleridge, Byron, Shelley, and Keats, along with a concluding “Poetry and Prophecy” chapter.

Sep 20, 2026

Uploaded by Violet