Romanticism, Poe, and The Raven The era of Romanticism spans
from the late 1700's to the mid 1800's following the French
Revolution; therefore, "Romanticism" encompasses characteristics
of the human mind in addition to the particular time in history
when these qualities became dominant in culture. Romanticism
depicts an artistic movement which emerged from reaction against
dominant attitudes and approaches of the 18th century.
Romanticism established realism in literature through
creativity, innovation, exploration, and vivid imagery. By
expanding beyond the definition of love, Romanticism, accented
by mystery, delves into the strange and fantastic aspects of
human experiences. "To escape from society, the Romantics turned
their interests to remote and faraway places; the medieval past;
folklore and legends, and nature and the common man." Edgar
Allen Poe is noted as one of the few American "Romantic" poets.
Poe's poem "The Raven" portrays Romanticism as characterized by
emotion, exotica, and imagination. A f