Romantics were
followers of an
ideology known as
Romanticism.
Beliefs
Romantics believed that all humans originated from an Oversoul in which everyone's soul was intermixed. They believe that the Oversoul is the perfect place in which everyone is good and innocent. Thus, they believe that everyone is born good and innocent. Romantics believe that man comes into a world that assumes he is evil. They do not believe in laws, believing that they are restricting. They believe that mans greatest gift is his/her imagination.
Important Figures
Ralph Waldo Emerson- A Romantic Scholar, and Harvard professor. He believed that reality is spiritual; and, reacing the ideal spiritual world allows love, peace, beauty, and happiness. Called for literary independence in 1837. He then caused the greatest outpour of quality literature ever in America.
Plato- An ancient philosopher that believed in the Romantic ideology in essence.
Romantic Literature
Romantic literature involved a lot of nature and human emotion. It did not appeal to fact or the world around them, but rather, humans in different situations and about nature and its perfection. Their literature produces: images, dreams, feelings, ideas, and insights; all of which they also believe the Oversoul gives.
Notes
-Romantics existed in the colonial times up until the Civil War broke out giving rise to Realism (direct opposition).
-Romantics are directly opposed to Rationalists who also existed at the time and believed in strict laws, etc.