The current efforts by humans to safeguard the environment, coupled with the onset of ecological literature, not only indicates that romanticism never disappeared but also proves that the romantics were right. Romanticism can be described as an intellectual and artistic movement that took place during industrialization and urbanization (Ibañez 1). The artists were critical of the Neoclassicists because industrialization was associated with the destruction of the environment. Most importantly, the condition of human living was ruined due to poor working conditions and low wages.
Such artists as Thomas Blake produced works that were dominated either by depictions of green or serene landscapes (Khan 106). Today, ecological literature advocates for the position that nature should no longer be taken as a resource for extracting benefits but it has to be kept aesthetic (Ibañez 2). Therefore, these ideals of ecological literature are interpreted to mean that industrialization and its detriments are rejected similar to what the romantics did.
To support the argument that romantics were right, it is critical to relate their principles with those of ecological literature. Opinions and writing of modern scholars should also offer a glimpse of how romanticism is desirable decades after industrialization and urbanization started. For example, green romanticism is a term discussed by Khan about nature poetry, which has been used by poets to express awareness of the drawbacks of the 18th-century industrial revolution (103).
Khan expresses that romantic nature poetry is renowned for the spontaneous expression and love of nature and its beauty (103). Aspects of nature could be peaceful or turbulent, and the artists believe in an ecological balance of biological life. From his arguments, this author’s use of the term ‘romanticism’ while referring to modern ecological literature is true and accurate because the ideas and principles are symmetrical. In other words, all romantics believe in the serenity of the environment and beautiful nature that is not contaminated through industrialization. In this case, ecological literature is seen to mirror the romanticism of the 18th century.
Natural images in modern ecological literature dominated the eco-critical approach where the focus of many artists is the landscape. Ibañez has made an effort to trace the constructs of nature and landscape back to the romanticism era and the second industrial revolution (1). The scholarly works he explores all have a common theme – that humans are embedded in nature. Even though romanticism may have become fragmented into several post-romanticism movements, the basic idea is that the landscape should not be a mere source of benefits for people but also a source of happiness from its aesthetics.
Cultural dynamics across Europe shape the genealogy of romanticism with multiple genres emerging. Recently, ecocriticism is the term used to examine modern artistic work involving the natural world and their application of the ideals of romanticism. Most importantly, ecocriticism theories have emerged to build a consciousness regarding the environment and to build a new ecological ethic. As opposed to traditional romanticism, it can be argued that modern ecological literature does more than merely oppose urbanization and the industrial revolution.
In other words, the artists believe in the restoration and integration of conservative approaches to development. Urban planning is particularly interesting for modern romantics because they believe that even cities should pay attention to the aesthetics of the landscape. The term ‘lungs of the city’ have been metaphorically used by such authors as Jones to refer to the parks built in cities as part of the ongoing efforts toward offering green spaces for people (42).
Examples include New York, Paris, and London, all major global cities offering recreational green parks. The parks are labeled ‘green’, which is the primary theme across ecological literature. As mentioned earlier, the green romantics prefer to depict the aesthetics of the landscape as green and serene without the damage and pollution caused by urbanization and industrialization. Traditionally, parks may have been dedicated to such pursuits as sports, with examples including medieval Europe. With time, most parks became private spaces where naturalistically inclined individuals could build such marvels as fountains and transplanted trees. Today, green spaces have become part of modern urban planning where parks are public and accessible to all people.
Urbanization and the industrial revolution are arguably two paradigms that are focused on modernizing human life. For example, machines are built to make sure people do not do the hard manual labor, and cities are designed such that dwellers can have access to all necessary amenities. If this was the case, then why did the romantics oppose the revolution? S mentioned earlier, the ruined living conditions and poor wages were part of the causes of opposition.
Additionally, the serene environment and landscape were damaged through pollution and the establishment of industrial plants. The classical theories were the key supporters of modernization, which included the urbanization and industrial revolution (Jones 43). However, they also were wary of the fact that green spaces were critical for the health of the citizens. Today, many urban planning practices have incorporated such aspects as clean air. In Renaissance Europe, people established botanical gardens where plants were cultivated. Today, the parks have replaced the gardens and the process of modernization ow adopts the views of green romantics and ecological ecocriticism.
Many of the industrial structures build to aid modernization became tools of destruction, which proves that the romantics were right in their opposition. A discussion of decommissioned and ruined places has been presented by (Dawney), who states that past disasters are evidence of the need for worlding and non-capitalism (34). The tale of the town of Visaginas explains everything to which the romantics and the ecological literature are opposed. For example, the town was only six kilometers from a nuclear power plant, and part of the mono-industrial towns were built around steel, coal, and nuclear power.
The dwelling standards were high but this only lasted until the onset of the collapse of the Soviet Union. The closure of the nuclear plants and decommissioning of the reactors meant that the city became a ruin and the nuclear plants threatened to become another case of Chornobyl or Fukushima (Dawney 36). The history of the city from a thriving forested area to a nuclear-powered city and then to a ruin that offers no benefit to human beings sums up what industrialization was all about.
An argument can be presented that artists of ecological literature are fully aware of the urbanization process and the damage it has done to the environment. Additionally, the lived experiences may have become the foundation of green tendencies and preferences. Additionally, it can be noted that ecological literature presents an idea of nature that resembles that of the romantics. The romantics used nature as a means of escape, and the green romantics are doing something similar. In other words, both classes of artists depict landscapes without urbanization and believe to be beautiful and more desirable. Ruins may have become a central focus for geologists and other experts because of the history they tell regarding a place. However, the idea of Dawney is further evidence that the depiction of the ruins is an articulation of the evocative and sensitive reconstructions of the past (38). In this case, it is rational to feel that ruins in ecological research are further proof that nature should not have been destroyed.
Urbanization is unhealthy for human beings, a position held by both the romantics and ecological literature. The argument that romanticism never disappeared and that the romantics were right has been supported. Therefore, it is time to offer a unified view of what entails nature and landscape and why restorative efforts are necessary. Today, the term ‘green spaces’ is embedded in literature, ethics, medical science, and philosophy (Jones 45). A critical view of green spaces illustrates that the artists are obsessed with proximity to nature and rustic simplicity.
If the artists represent the general attitudes of the urban population, then there is a possibility of arguing that industrialization and urbanization were not the right way to derive benefits from nature and landscape. Additionally, the notion that these revolutions were intended for the capitalists becomes valid because landlords and landowners in cities derive the most benefits from urbanization. Similarly, the industrialists gain the most from industrialization while everyone else becomes a tool to be used in the capitalists’ pursuits. When people became less productive, the capitalists resorted to machines and automation to drive the second wave of the industrial revolution.
The most important feature of ecocriticism and romanticism is their feelings toward the landscapes. Such artists as Blake believed in the greenery of the landscape and not in the urban and industrial structures (Khan 106). The green romantics have adopted a similar approach, which shows similarities regarding their views on materialism. An argument has been presented above that if the ecological literature represents the views of all people then the romantics were right to reject the urban revolution. The world has also seen a second industrial revolution characterized by technology. Therefore, the green romantics have an opportunity to make sure that the new revolution does have similar damage to the landscape.
In conclusion, the current ecological literature proves romanticism right and indicates that the romantics never disappeared. The foundation of the arguments is the similarities in the central themes of the artistic works of the two groups. The traditional romantics believed in nature and opposed industrialization while the green romantics depict nature and landscape as green and serene. Additionally, the emergence of green parks as the lungs of the cities shows that ecological literature is having positive influences on urban planning. Therefore, the bottom line is that industrialization and urbanization offer the most benefits to the capitalists while all other individuals are left with an environment that lacks aesthetics and that could prove harmful to their health.
Works Cited
Dawney, Leila. “Decommissioned Places: Ruins, Endurance and Care at the End of the First Nuclear Age.” Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers, vol. 45, no. 1, 2020, pp. 33-49.
Ibañez, Diego. “Romanticism and Landscape: an Eco-Critical Approach to the Natural Image.” International Journal of Arts and Social Science, vol. 2, no. 2, 2019, pp. 1-9.
Jones, Karen. “‘The Lungs of the City’: Green Space, Public Health and Bodily Metaphor in the Landscape of Urban Park History.” Environment and History, vol. 2, no. 1, 2018, pp. 39-58.
Khan, Jalal. “Green Romanic Tradition and Ecocriticism.” International Journal of Linguistics, Literature and Translation, vol. 2, no. 4, 2019, pp. 103-129.