You're probably wondering what I mean when I say there is a difference between romanticism and Romanticism with a capital "R." The "R" is capitalized because I am referring to the literary period that truly defines what romanticism actually is and what kinds of things really have the power to make us feel emotions to our full potential. Personally, I'm not a huge fan of romanticism, but I LOVE Romanticism.
So, first off, by Merriam Webster dictionary definition...
Romanticism is "a style of art, literature, etc., during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries that emphasized the imagination and emotions."
and
romanticism is "the quality or state of being impractical or unrealistic".
As cynical as this definition may seem, it must be pretty accurate because the idea that romanticism is all about love is definitely impractical. Acts of romanticism: going out to nice dinners, buying flowers for your girlfriend- these are all kinda of material notions.
Romanticism with a capital "R" is so much more than that.
The German poet Friedrich Schlegel is given credit for first using the term romantic to describe literature, and defined it as "literature depicting emotional matter in an imaginative form", which is as accurate a definition as could be accomplished.
It puts an emphasis on imagination and emotions. It is much deeper than materialism. Romanticism outlines the power that the natural world and the imagination have to evoke emotion in us. And personally, I believe that nature and my own imagination have a stronger ability to make me vulnerable than a romantic gesture from another person would. Romanticism puts a strong emphasis on individualism, spontaneity and freedom from rules, which also completely contradicts our modern definition of romanticism having to do with being emotionally involved with another person.
So finally, what I'm trying to say is rather than relying on our modern understanding of what romanticism is, use nature, imagination, and individualism to make you feel something! That's some real Romanticism right there.
"With an eye made quiet by the power of harmony, and the deep power of joy, we see into the life of things."
-William Wordsworth
