The Influence of Romantic Poets on Modern Literature

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to identify the key characteristics of the poetry written in the romantic period and compare them to works of modern literature, particularly fiction and novels. The study analyzes nonliteral meanings, stylistic and metrical forms employed by Romanticists like Byron, Wordsworth, Shelley and Coleridge. These poets used elaborate literary devices and strong feelings to interpret matters such as nature, religion, and individuality. This study used a comparative and evidential analysis of both Romantic and modern writers’ themes, style and writing expressions, pointing to the similarities in the employment of symbols, comparisons, imagery and other figures of speech. Philosophicalas well as emotional features related to romanticism were explored. Thecontinuity of themes and motifs with Romanticism in contemporary literature was also determined by studying how modern writers employ similar strategies. The conclusion showed that poetry form and strategies which Romantic poets used such as exalted language and imagination, significantly contributed to the making of modern literature. All these elements are observable in some of the contemporary works, proving that they expressed various shades of human emotions, and philosophical concerns hitherto associated with Romantic poetry.