The Romantic Movement was a period of literary and artistic expression that began in the late 18th century and lasted into the 19th century. During this period, writers like William Blake and Mirza Ghalib captured the era’s spirit in their works. Through their poems, they explored themes of nature, life, and love while expressing their unique perspectives on the world. In this journal, I will look at how Blake and Ghalib exemplify the Romantic movement, how their works differ from those of the Enlightenment, and the significance of their democratic and accessible writing style.
After reading the Blake and Ghalib poems, I was struck by their focus on the individual and their ability to capture the nuances of emotion and experience. I was particularly moved by the themes of childhood innocence in Blake’s works. Blake depicted the integrity and beauty of childhood in his works, exploring themes of virtue and morality. He used these themes to illustrate how childhood experiences shape our perspectives and lives. For example, in “The Lamb,” he portrays childhood innocence and the wonder of the natural world, while in “The Little Black Boy,” he explores the injustice of racial prejudice.
Ghalib explored love and longing in his works, often depicting the complexities of romantic love. He also wrote about the transience of life and the inevitability of death, as seen in “[No go and live in a place].” In “[I’ve made my home next to you]” (both versions), he writes about the power of love and the longing for connection. His “Couplets” explore the joys and sorrows of love, while “It was essential” speaks to the need for self-expression and the courage to follow one’s path. Through reading these texts, I was able to get a better understanding of the world both of these writers belonged to and to gain insight into their perspectives. Blake and Ghalib could be classified as part of the Romantic movement due to their focus on the individual and their exploration of love, longing, and emotional connection themes. Blake’s works often explored childhood innocence, while Ghalib explored love and loss.
Romanticism is an artistic and philosophical movement of the late 18th and early 19th centuries and is characterized by strong emotions, imagination, and a belief in the power of nature. The Enlightenment, also known as the Age of Reason, is an 18th-century movement focused on using reason and science to challenge existing beliefs and traditions. Romanticism differs from The Enlightenment in that it emphasizes emotion and the subjective experience of life rather than reason and rational thought. While the Enlightenment stressed reason and logic, Romanticism emphasized emotion, intuition, and imagination. The two movements also differed in their views of nature. The Enlightenment saw nature as an object to be studied, while Romanticism viewed nature as an expression of the divine and an object to be celebrated.
Mirza Ghalib also captures this emotion and subjective experience theme in his works, exploring themes of love and longing. His poem “[No go and live in a place]” is a poignant exploration of this idea, while “[I’ve made my home next to you]” shows how longing can transcend physical distance. By expressing these themes, Blake and Ghalib represent an evolution in literature and art, making it more accessible and democratic than the works that preceded them. This could be significant as it opened up literature and art to a broader audience and allowed them to connect with the results more intimately. Both authors were fascinated by nature and the supernatural and expressed disdain for the repressive social structures of their respective times. Their works also emphasized the importance of imagination, creativity, and the power of the individual voice. All these elements combined make Blake and Ghalib firm representatives of the Romantic movement.