French Revolution

         French Revolution

There is no doubt that the French revolution, especially the ideas that inspired revolution, had a profound influence on English romanticism in general and on the romantic poets in particular. For the sake of understanding the depth and pervasiveness of this influence, we may distinguish three phase of French revolution, each of which affected English romanticism. First, there is the doctrine phase- the age of Rosseau. Second, there is the political phase- the age of Robespierre and Danton, and thirdly, there is military phase- the age of Napoleon.

The social theories of Rosseau influenced Blake, Wordsworth and Coleridge. His call for 'return to nature' influenced the above poets, but it profoundly affected doctrinaires like William Godwin, and through Godwin, Shelly. For Wordsworth it meant love of external nature and of simple way of living. For Blake it meant a rejection of the Newtonian universe and its mechanical laws. Rosseau believed that man is by nature perfect and there is no compulsion with anything, but love.b

The political phase of French revolution affected the Romantic poets. William Blake wore the red cap on the day of the revolution. Wordsworth, Southey, and Coleridge were also stirred to their depths in the first flush of the revolution (1789). Wordsworth records this feelings vividly:
  "Bliss was it in that dawn to be alive
   But to be young was very heaven"
   Soon, however, these poets were horrified by the horror of blood flowing from the guillotine. Yet it must be remembered that the best work of both Wordsworth and Coleridge had been done in the days of their revolutionary enthusiasm.

The Napoleon phase of the rovolution had its greatest impact on Byron. His intensely egoistic nature found in Napoleons presonality, qualities to admire. Indeed he was intoxicated by Napoleon, untill he realized the moral emptiness of a restless, self-centred nature.