Romanticism / Romantic Period

The Romanticism Collection highlights exemplary works from the Romantic period of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The selections in this Collection include poetry, early novels, and philosophical treatises that exemplify the movement's focus on emotions, beauty, and an appreciation of the natural world, as well as freedom and individualism.

Publication year 1824

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Life/Time: Mortality & Death

Tags Lyric Poem, Allegory / Fable / Parable, Romanticism / Romantic Period


Publication year 1794

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil

Tags Lyric Poem, Science / Nature, Romanticism / Romantic Period, Mythology, Animals, Education, Education, British Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction


Publication year 1807

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Society: Community

Tags Lyric Poem, Religion / Spirituality, Industrial Revolution, Romanticism / Romantic Period


Publication year 1862

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Natural World: Appearance & Reality

Tags Lyric Poem, American Literature, Romanticism / Romantic Period, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 1820

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death

Tags Science / Nature, Romanticism / Romantic Period, Education, Education, British Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction


Publication year 1831

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Art, Emotions/Behavior: Love

Tags Mythology, Lyric Poem, Love / Sexuality, Romanticism / Romantic Period, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, American Literature, History: World, Fantasy, Romance, Classic Fiction


Publication year 1849

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Mothers, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Grief

Tags Lyric Poem, Romanticism / Romantic Period, Classic Fiction


Publication year 1896

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Objects, Natural World: Place, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Lyric Poem, American Literature, Romanticism / Romantic Period


Publication year 1798

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Natural World: Appearance & Reality

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Gothic Literature, Classic Fiction, Romanticism / Romantic Period, History: U.S., Education, Education, American Literature, History: World

Weiland (1798), by Charles Brockden Brown, is one of the first Gothic horror novels printed in America and one of the earliest works in American literature to be influenced by European Romanticism. The narrative appears to have been based on newspaper accounts of the James Yates murders, in which a New York native murdered his wife and four children, claiming that the Holy Spirit told him to do so. Brown often fused history and fiction... Read Wieland Summary


Publication year 1847

Genre Novel, Fiction

Tags British Literature, Victorian Period, Romanticism / Romantic Period, Romance, Education, Education, Gothic Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction

Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights was published in December 1847 under the pen name Ellis Bell. This literary classic is Emily Brontë’s only novel, and the book is currently widely appreciated as an exemplary sample of British Romantic literature. At the time of publication, most critical reviews of Wuthering Heights were disapproving at best and scathing at worst, so much so that her sister Charlotte Brontë, who wrote Jane Eyre under the pen name Currer Bell... Read Wuthering Heights Summary