Placing and Displacing Romanticism

Romanticism has often been concerned with the literal sense of place, with the West Country, the Lake District, North Wales, the Wye Valley, and Scotland being key locations. It also shows a concern with the place in an antithetical sense, imagining a city as an artificial and corrupting phenomenon. The dialogue of place and displacement as a feature of Romatic period writing is often regarded as a response to the great historical movements of urbanization and industrialization that marked late 18th- and 19th-century British life. Displacement was also a significant usage in Romanticism, interpreted as alienation or the displacement of historical, social, and political tensions at the time. The essays in this volume interpret the critical issues of place and displacement, placing and displacing in their figurative and literal senses, and argue that Romantic texts are self-conscious and self-reflective.

Format: Hardback
Publication date: 01 January 2021
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Romanticism has long been fascinated by the literal sense of place, with British Romanticism being particularly associated with various regions such as the West Country, the Lake District, North Wales, the Wye Valley, and Scotland. However, Romanticism also explores the place in an antithetical sense, envisioning cities as artificial and corrupting phenomena. The dialogue of place and displacement as a feature of Romantic period writing is often seen as a response to the significant historical movements of urbanization and industrialization that characterized late 18th- and 19th-century British life. Displacement was also a significant theme in Romanticism, representing alienation or the displacement of historical, social, and political tensions of the time. The essays in this volume delve into the critical issues of place and displacement, exploring both their figurative and literal meanings. They aim to return to the complexity of the texts and the contexts in which they were written, asserting that Romantic texts are self-conscious and self-reflective.

ISBN-13: 9781138702066