Romanticism refers to the period during the eighteenth century where literacy, art and philosophical thinking boomed. The movement began in Europe, mainly in Britain, France and Germany  in a reaction to the Industrial Revolution and Age of Enlightenment. This is where new ideas were discovered in government and self realization. There were many aspects of the Romantic Period. One was the importance of modernity. The ideas expressed through art and literature during this time helped influence the new wave of ideas in political groups like liberalism, radicalism, conservatism and nationalism. Work from this period also included the emotions of fear, sadness, terror and showed a representation of beauty. Another thing is that many romantic writers feel that they have a distrust of human-nature.

Coleridge was one of the most well known writers of the Romantic Period. He believed that the aspect of imagination was extremely important in order to convey the ideas of natural law. His work was very original, which he thought was essential as well. He was able to express himself through writing and related his ideas to the way people felt during that period.

In the long poem, Christabel, that Coleridge wrote, there are many aspects of the Romantic Period. One way Christabel shows aspects is a morphed representation of beauty. The character of Geraldine is introduced and described as a beautiful, angelic woman. Geraldine appears in the forest, in the shadows dressed in all white and bright. Another thing expressed in Christabel, is deception of reality. Christabel is described as a beautiful, young girl who seems to live in a castle. Although, she is portrayed in the most beautiful way, she is also extremely unfilled and unhappy. She doesn’t have a mother figure, and although her father figure loves her very much, he doesn’t spend much time looking after her. She is able to go into the forest by herself and be deceived by a woman she just met.

“Romanticism.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 16 Mar. 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romanticism.

“Romanticism.” Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster, www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/romanticism.

Beer, John Bernard. “Samuel Taylor Coleridge.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 2 Aug. 2017, www.britannica.com/biography/Samuel-Taylor-Coleridge.