Romantic Prose: Ultimate UGC NET Guide
Master the Romantic prose writers and their works for your UGC NET English Literature preparation
Introduction to Romantic Prose
Romantic prose represents a radical shift from the formal, structured writing of the 18th century to more personal, imaginative, and emotionally expressive forms. This guide covers all essential authors, works, and concepts for UGC NET aspirants.
Why This Unit Matters for UGC NET
Romantic Prose typically carries 4-6 questions in UGC NET English. Key areas include:
- Major Romantic prose writers and their works
- Characteristics of Romantic prose
- Transition from Neoclassical to Romantic style
- Themes of nature, imagination, and individualism
- Influence of the French Revolution on Romantic thought
- Comparative analysis with Romantic poetry
Major Romantic Prose Writers
The key figures who shaped Romantic prose in England:
Master of the personal essay, blending humor, pathos, and nostalgia.
- Essays of Elia (1823) - His most famous collection
- "Dream Children: A Reverie" - Poignant meditation on loss
- "A Dissertation upon Roast Pig" - Whimsical essay
- Tales from Shakespeare (with Mary Lamb) - Adaptations for children
Brilliant critic and essayist with passionate, vigorous prose style.
- The Spirit of the Age (1825) - Contemporary portraits
- "On the Pleasure of Hating" - Dark exploration of human nature
- "My First Acquaintance with Poets" - Memoir of Wordsworth and Coleridge
- Lectures on the English Poets - Critical works
Pioneer of psychological and confessional writing.
- Confessions of an English Opium-Eater (1821) - His masterpiece
- "On the Knocking at the Gate in Macbeth" - Influential criticism
- Suspiria de Profundis - "Sighs from the Depths"
- The English Mail-Coach - Dreamlike narratives
Other Notable Figures
- Leigh Hunt - Essayist and editor who nurtured younger Romantics
- Walter Scott - Historical novels and critical writings
- Mary Wollstonecraft - Feminist works like A Vindication of the Rights of Woman
- William Godwin - Political philosopher and novelist
Characteristics of Romantic Prose
Key features that distinguish Romantic prose from earlier styles:
Subjectivity
Focus on personal experience and emotions
Imagination
Valuing creative faculty over reason
Nature
Nature as source of inspiration and spiritual renewal
Individualism
Celebration of the unique self
Medievalism
Interest in the Gothic and medieval past
Spontaneity
Rejection of rigid neoclassical rules
Stylistic Innovations
- Conversational tone: More natural, less formal than 18th century prose
- Lyrical quality: Poetic rhythms and imagery in prose
- Confessional mode: Personal revelations and introspection
- Fragmentary form: Rejecting complete, polished arguments
- Psychological depth: Exploration of dreams, opium visions, subconscious
Genres of Romantic Prose
The Romantic period saw innovation across prose forms:
Short, informal compositions on personal experiences and observations.
- Lamb's Essays of Elia
- Hazlitt's Table Talk
- Leigh Hunt's miscellaneous essays
Subjective, impressionistic approaches to literature.
- Hazlitt's Characters of Shakespeare's Plays
- Coleridge's Biographia Literaria
- De Quincey's critical essays
Confessional, psychological self-exploration.
- De Quincey's Confessions of an English Opium-Eater
- Wordsworth's The Prelude (poetic autobiography)
- Hazlitt's autobiographical essays
Other Important Genres
Gothic Novel
Supernatural, medieval settings (Walpole, Radcliffe)
Historical Novel
Walter Scott's Waverley novels
Political Writing
Paine, Godwin, Wollstonecraft
Nature Writing
Gilbert White's natural history
Themes in Romantic Prose
Recurrent concerns and preoccupations of Romantic writers:
Childhood
Innocence, nostalgia, education (Lamb's "Dream Children")
Memory
Recollection, reverie, the passage of time
Imagination
Creative power vs. reason (Coleridge's theories)
Revolution
Political and artistic rebellion
The Sublime
Awe before nature's power
The Supernatural
Dreams, visions, altered states
Philosophical Influences
- Rousseau: Noble savage, education, social contract
- German Idealism: Kant's theories of perception
- Pantheism: God in nature (Wordsworth's "sense sublime")
- Empiricism vs. Transcendentalism: Locke vs. Coleridge
Historical Timeline of Romantic Prose
French Revolution begins, inspiring radical political writing
Lyrical Ballads published, Romantic movement begins
Edinburgh Review founded, promoting new critical approaches
Coleridge's Biographia Literaria published
De Quincey's Confessions of an English Opium-Eater
Lamb's Essays of Elia published
Hazlitt's The Spirit of the Age appears
Death of Scott, often considered end of Romantic era
UGC NET Preparation Tips
Important Questions to Focus On
- Analyze Lamb's essay style with reference to "Dream Children"
- Discuss the confessional element in De Quincey's works
- Compare Hazlitt's critical approach with neoclassical critics
- Examine themes of childhood and memory in Romantic prose
- Discuss the influence of the French Revolution on Romantic prose
- Analyze the concept of the "Romantic essay"
- Compare Romantic prose with Romantic poetry
- Discuss the treatment of nature in Romantic prose
Recommended Study Approach
- Read at least 3 essays each by Lamb and Hazlitt
- Study key sections of De Quincey's Confessions
- Compare Romantic prose with 18th century neoclassical prose
- Make thematic connections with Romantic poetry
- Solve previous years' UGC NET questions on Romantic prose
Memory Aid: Romantic Prose at a Glance
Key Writers: Lamb, Hazlitt, De Quincey, Leigh Hunt
Characteristics: Subjective, imaginative, personal, spontaneous
Genres: Personal essay, literary criticism, autobiography
Themes: Childhood, memory, imagination, nature, revolution
Historical Context: 1789-1832, French Revolution influence
🚨UGC NET ALERT!
Join Telegram channel for instant updates
All the best for UGC NET june 2025
Master it now!
