Characteristics of Romantic Criticism

Freedom from Rules:

Romantic criticism is characterized by freedom from the bondage of rules. It ignored the rules of Aristotle or Horace or of the French. It is remarkably original in its approach towards all the problems connected with poetry and poetic creation. It allowed free play to poetic imagination. Thus Wordsworth defines poetry ”the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings” Coleridge assigns a very high place to imagination in poetry. The Romantics’ concern with the essential nature of poetry was further strengthened by their strength in and study of German metaphysics. Romantic criticism is thus, essentially creative and new.

Subjective and Impressionistic Criticism

Neo-classical criticism is objective but the romantic is subjective, expressive and impressionistic whereas the neo-classical critics referred literature to such extraneous standards as social propriety and moral purity. Romantic critics emphasize that works of literature are to be judged on the basis of the impression that they produce and not with reference to any rules.

Changed Conception of Poetic Diction.

During the romantic period the conception of poetic diction also changed. The eighteenth century poetic diction was stale, rigid and conventional. But Wordsworth sought to “imitate and as far as possible to adopt the very language of man.” He also says that the very selection of language liberates a poet from ‘the language of any other man of commonsense.” Coleridge on the other hand remarks that the poet composes poetry under the influence of exalted emotions, therefore, the language that he uses is his own language. He uses metre and rhyme to give exalted effect to his poetry.

Function of Poetry

According to romantic criticism, pleasure rather than instruction is the end of poetry. “If poetry instructs”, says Coleridge, “it does so only through pleasure.” Poetry should transport people. Its appeal should be to the heart and not to the head.

Importance of Imagination

Imagination is main the characteristics of romantic literature and the literary criticism. It is imagination which leads to the production of great work of art. The critic also must primarily be gifted with imagination only then he can appreciate the beauty of work of art.

Wordsworth, Coleridge, Shelley, Hazlitt, quince, Edgar Allan Poe, the renowned American poet-critic gave a new direction to literary criticism. It was William Blake who may be called one of the distinguished pioneers of romantic criticism. It was Blake, who raised his voice against “Poetry fettered.”