Romantic literature is a popular term among the readers. And there is no denying that understanding romanticism in literature always helps to know literature with a more accurate inner perspective. However, this kind of particular literary movement contains specific rhetoric that includes the usage of supernatural aspects by the authors.
Literary history all over the world has fascinating antiquity over the period. From the beginning, it has embraced various kinds of captivating or impressive traits according to the needs of the changing times. Now, the supernatural aspect is one such curious and engaging trait that plays a vital role in shaping literature or, more specifically, romantic literature.
Romanticism in literature attained a speedy momentum in the late 18th century. Furthermore, it gained a strong foothold during the early 19th century. Romanticism appeared as a promising literary movement that heightened the importance of nature and emotion. With emotion, it created the opportunity for artistic freedom.
From the start to the middle of the 18th century, readers witnessed a so-called attempt by writers to elucidate or describe human nature. However, the infuse of romanticism unlocks the start of a rebelling era against the so-called old method of writing and expressing thoughts. A new set of authors now preferred to explain human nature with a different perspective. They were no longer ready to depend on science only to describe or elucidate human nature. According to them, emotion is more powerful than known rational thought. And the form of romantic literature started breathing from here. Simultaneously, it breeds the opportunity for infusing supernatural aspects or elements in romanticism.
Now, before discussing the role of the supernatural in shaping romantic literature, it is necessary to understand what the supernatural means in the literary world.
For most readers, supernatural is the identity of a specific genre that many authors have used in writing the content of their books. Usually, the supernatural genre integrates elements that science can’t explain easily. In a greater context, these elements operate outside the known rational thought. Ghost stories and tales containing supernatural thrillers or horror-related elements are usual examples of supernatural elements in literature. But the question is, do these thrillers and stories belong to the romantic literature genre?
Some people also think that supernatural means the presence or existence of some kind of paranormal or fictional trait. They believe that the supernatural means certain phenomena that don’t belong to the periphery of scientific understanding. However, some readers opine that there could be a scientific explanation someday, even though the chances are, currently, too slim.
Debates exist all the time regarding the meaning of the supernatural from a literary perspective and about how significant its role is in shaping romantic literature. A considerable section believes that fantasy, fiction, and all such things define the nature of actual supernatural feature. But, when it is about shaping, impacting, or molding romantic literature, some queries must arise from a literary point of view. The reason is most people think in a different way when the discussion involves romanticism in literature.
Let’s see how critics analyzed romanticism and how the supernatural gets associated with it.
Critics analyzed romanticism in literature, mainly focusing on its inner profundity. One vital thing is that even with the individual standpoints and different approaches, romanticism with the supernatural has a similar outlook. It insists upon the element of strangeness and wonder that emerges as the essence of romantic literature.
Some critics have a different opinion. They count romanticism as an incredible development of imaginative sensibility. Although critics like Grierson think romanticism defines “a spirit of revolt.” Now, this significant approach of Grierson undeniably illuminates more inner depths regarding supernatural elements and their impact on romantic literature.
On the other hand, some readers believe differently about the whole thing. They believe that romanticism is associated with medievalism. And if this opinion is taken true or correct, the association between supernatural elements and romantic literature will remain confined to a specific boundary of discussion.
When romanticism means liberty in imagination and associating it with supernatural elements means expressing the innermost experience and imagination:
It is, no doubt, true that romanticism means liberty in imagination. When in the 18th century, romanticism first began its journey in the literary world, readers discovered liberty in imagination. It appeared as a vital tool to explore a more significant aspect of literature. Authors of this particular era chose not to follow or walk through the same old or familiar path of generalizing every reason in the same way. They started using supernatural elements to emphasize the importance of their inner vision and favored expressing their innermost experience and imagination through words.
Authors developed a new way to express their imagination. Their art of expression was not ready to follow the known traditional, national elements. However, their expression gained popularity by attaining mass recognition. In truth, readers became more prone to taste and relish a new mode of expression through an association between romanticism and supernatural elements in the literary world.
When the existence of supernatural elements shapes romanticism into a spirit that recognizes an exceptional mode of romantic expression:
As already discussed, supernatural elements could emerge in various ways in the literary arena, like ghost stories, fantasy, paranormal thrillers, and horror-related elements. But when the supernatural element impacts romanticism, then that romanticism turns into a spirit. In a word, a supernatural element goes deeper into the core content and shapes the mode of expression differently, as if there is a historical and aesthetic touch in an author’s words.
Also, this exceptional mode of romantic expression acquires two aspects. One aspect unveils imagination, and the other unveils a new revolting mode of romantic expression. The imaginative sensibility unlocks the core aesthetic value of breathing in romanticism. In addition, it shapes romantic literature in a more significant way so that it can inspire a better passion for expression in the future.
Discussing true romanticism is not an easy task, especially when the discussion involves the presence of supernatural elements. There is no denying that true romanticism lies in the imaginative venture that emerges from the depths of the soul. It is the inner reality of the human mind.
The biggest thing is such a promising imaginative exploration creates an outline of thinking that looms alluringly in the existing perspective. And, when the supernatural element gets infused, the imaginative exploration takes a different turn. It opens up the platform of a widening artistry from the authors’ point of view.
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