Music, Poetry and Art of the 19th Century During the Victorian Era, England was going through many major cultural changes as well as a radical social upheaval. Different styles of literature and art were undergoing many modifications. The romantic movement was becoming very popular and it portrayed the thirst for knowledge and power. Romanticism was formed from the basis that it went against precise rules, the intellectualism of the enlightenment and austerity of the social structures during the beginning of the 1800’s. All forms of media such as music, poetry and art all play a significant role in influencing people in the way they see and respond to the world. William Blake, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Percy Bysshe Shelley, William Wordsworth and George Gordon Byron are all very well known romantic poets during the reign of Queen Victoria. Romanticism contains no boundaries, but it acknowledges emotions and the individual rather than reason and societal expectations. The Romantic Movement swept all through Europe but it had its greatest influence on England. The 19th century was the most significant period in time for English literature, it took a drastic turn and it presented a great variety in style, theme and content. The most significant and conspicuous element of Victorian poetry was their use of sensory elements. The poets would most often use vivid imagery so that it would convey the clash between science and religion with nature and romance. This caused an immense amount of backlash and controversy over its principles. As the Romantic movement began to progress rules regarding the theme, structure and content of poetry began to liberate poets. During the 18th century there were strict rules set in place that confined the art of poetry but by the 19th century experimentation with a new form of literature was tolerable. During the time of the Victorian Era, Britain was striving as there was an increase in industrial manufacturing, population and economic prosperity. These were the times where art was able to excel greatly. Artists were able to express their creativity with paintings which would display a sharp contrast of vibrant colors. As well, women were the center of an artistic form called the Aesthetic Movement. Where their bodies were naked rather than clothed and this demonstrated a feminine desire. Ingres and Delacroix were the 2 main artists known for their use of neoclassicism. Neoclassicism paintings involve no emotion which would later on begin to clash with romanticism. These two artists influenced generations of painters to incorporate their own personal feelings rather than the political ideals during the 19th century. Artists of the 19th century began challenging the societies philosophy of science, religion and evidence. Romantics focused mainly on free expression, emotion, and imagery which they tried to portray in their works. JMW Turner, Caspar David Friedrich and Thomas Cole are just a few examples of Romantic artists. They all used certain pigments in their works which would display and create a mood for the audience. Music took a radical turn during the 1800’s, it went from the classical period which had strict rules and many restrictions to the Romantic Period which valued creativity, and freedom. The huge difference between the classical and the romantic
period caused the key factor to be the melody. New instruments created new and different sounds which were being added to their compositions. The composers of the 19th century began attempting different forms of music such as a symphonic poem which is an orchestral piece of work that displays a story. They also began experimenting with the length of their compositions, difference in tones and the harmony. Frederic Chopin, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Ludwig van Beethoven are just a few of many great, successful and widely known composers. Music, as well as poetry and art went against all the rules and restrictions put in place at the time and emphasized emotional expression. The romantics admired and appreciated the values other than what was accepted in the society. There was a huge controversy between scientific reasoning and using other forms of literature, art and music that would incorporate emotions that would affect their audience.
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