The Emergence of Romanticism - Hardcover

Riasanovsky, Nicholas V.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 019507341X ISBN 13: 9780195073416

Publisher: Oxford University Press, 1992

Synopsis

Although primarily known as an eminent historian of Russia, Nicholas Riasanovsky has been a longtime student of European Romanticism. In this book, Riasanovsky offers a refreshing and appealing new interpretation of Romanticism's goals and influence. He searches for the origins of the dazzling vision that made the great early Romantic poets in England and Germany--Wordsworth, Coleridge, Novalis, and Friedrich Schlegel--look at the world in a new way. He stresses that Romanticism was produced only by Western Christian civilization, with its unique view of humankind's relationship to God. The Romantic's frantic and heroic striving after unreachable goals mirrors Christian beliefs in human inability to adequately address God, speak to God, or praise God. Further, Riasanovsky argues that Romantic thought had important political implications, playing a key role in the rise of nationalism in Europe. Offering a historical examination of an area often limited to literary analysis, this book gracefully makes a larger historical statement about the nature and centrality of European Romanticism.

About this title

About the Author

Nicholas V. Riasanovsky is at University of California, Berkeley.

Review

"A stimulating and satisfying contribution to European intellectual history."--American Historical Review

"The study would make a fine textbook for students of romanticism and comparative literature...German scholars will appreciate the numerous bibliographical references."--German Studies Review

Edition details

• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Publication date: 1992
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 019507341X
• ISBN 13: 9780195073416
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 128