The Eternal Dance: Classicism and Romanticism in Literature

Literary history unfolds like a mesmerizing dance between two eternal partners: Classicism and Romanticism. These two artistic movements have influenced the literature, visual art, music, and architecture of the Western world for centuries, each taking center stage in its own time. Classicism: Origin: The term "Classical" was retroactively given to the Greeks and Romans by Renaissance writers. Beauty: Defined as balance, order, and rationality. Periods: Flourished during the Renaissance and Age of Enlightenment. Literary Values: Traditional forms and structures. Attention to metric perfection. Reason as a tool for understanding nature and human nature. Notable Figures: Virgil, Dante Alighieri, Dryden, Pope. Romanticism: Origin: Emerged in the 18th century as a reaction against Classicism. Beauty: Celebrated through imagination and powerful emotions. Periods: Dominated the late 18th and early 19th centuries (Romantic period). Literary Values: Embrace of strong emotions and rejection of rigi…