18thB-British+Poetry+Movements

=**Restoration Era and 18th Century - Poetry Movement**= by Trish F.


 * Principles of Enlightment and its Influence on Poetry[[image:blake_ancient_of_days.jpg width="225" height="305" align="right" caption="William Blake - Ancient of Days"]]**
 * Natural Rights
 * Religious freedom
 * Freedom of speech and press
 * Right to pursue happiness

The rights that the United States Constitution was built upon were the same rights being recognized all over Europe. Absolutism took a new form from the monarchial standpoint. Absolutists began to cherish Enlightened Ideas; therefore, this era's monarchial regime was called "Enlightened Absolutism"

Realism also began to serve as the main concept propelling art and literature. Real life became increasingly important to the works of artists in general. The depiction of reality seemed to have been the main purpose of poetry in the eighteenth century, as well as assumptions as to what truly is the "purpose of existence," or if there even is one. Generally, society began contemplating death and what is beyond it, because no one could be certain.


 * Famous Poets and their Works**

William Blake - "Cradlesong," "Hear the Voice," "Jerusalem," "The Sick Rose," "A Poison Tree"

Robert Burns - "A Bottle and a Friend," "A Fiddler in the North," "Address to a Haggis"

Lord Byron - "Darkness,""When we Two parted," "She Walks in Beauty"

John Clare - "Autumn,""Evening," "I Am!"

Samuel T. Coleridge - "Phantom,""The Pains of Sleep,""What Is Life?"

J.W. Goethe - "It is Good,""To Luna,""To the Distant One"

Other Poets:

John Keats Alexander Pope Percy Shelley Robert Southey Phillis Wheatley William Wordsworth

"What Is Life?" - Coleridge

Resembles Life what once was held of Light, Too ample in itself for human sight ? An absolute Self--an element ungrounded-- All, that we see, all colours of all shade By encroach of darkness made ?-- Is very life by consciousness unbounded ? And all the thoughts, pains, joys of mortal breath, A war-embrace of wrestling Life and Death ?


 * This poem is a good example of the eigteenth century way of thinking and questioning. It addresses life and death.


 * Ideologies of the Era**