Qarshi davlat universiteti xorijiy tillar fakulteti ingliz tili va adabiyoti kafedrasi

The peculiarities of English Romanticism: two trends – progressive and regressive 
 
The Enlightenment, on the whole, was an expression of struggle of the then progressive class of 
bourgeoisie against feudalism. But fighting the survivals of feudalism, the Enlighteners, at the 
same time, were prone to accept bourgeois relations as rightful and reasonable relations among 
people.

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53 
The development of bourgeois relations revealed to the most progressive minds of the century 
the contradictions of the new society. The realization of it led to the crisis of the Enlightenment 
at the end of the 18
th
century.
A new literary current came into being at the end of the 18
th
century during the period of victory 
and consolidation of capitalist system – Romanticism. It covers the period from the beginning of 
the French bourgeois revolution (1789-1793) to the parliamentary reform in England (1832). 
Viewed in its historical aspect Romanticism may be considered to be an expression of reaction 
against the Enlightenment and the French Revolution, and expression of opposition and denial of 
the capitalist progress. 
English romanticism can be regarded as an offspring of two great historical events: 1) the 
industrial revolution in England and 2) the French bourgeois revolution of 1789. The French 
Revolution was of great importance not only for France but all over Europe. Under its influence 
social contradictions in England developed to a great extent. The ruling classes were frightened 
by the revolution. On the other hand a new class of workers sprang into existence. The working 
people lived in dire poverty and were mercilessly exploited by the bourgeoisie, so the first 
workers’ rebellions broke out. The workers movement of the Luddites (1810-1811), otherwise 
called “frame-breakers” naively believed that use of machines was the reason at the bottom of all 
social evils and expressed their protest against exploitation and misery by breaking machines.
But in spite of the fact that the class contradictions were very great at that time, the main 
contradiction at the beginning of the 19
th
century was that the movement of the feudal-monarchic 
society and bourgeois-democratic movement 
Romanticism was the reaction of the aristocratic class and the peasants ruined by the agrarian 
industrial revolutions. Some of the romantic writers reflected the ideology of the classes ruined 
by capitalism. They protested against new social formation and they found their ideals in the 
feudal past. These were reactionary or regressive romanticists. Other authors found their ideals 
in future society free from oppression and exploitation, though they had a very vague idea of this 
society. These were revolutionary or progressive romanticists. 
In contradiction to the rationalistic approach of the enlighteners, the romantic writers 
concentrate their attention upon spiritual and emotional life of man. Best suited for the 
expression of all the above sentiments was poetry. Therefore, this genre became predominant in 
the literature of Romanticism. 
The second period in the history of English Romanticism includes the work of two poets of 
genius George Byron and Percy Shelley. They represent the trend of progressive romanticism.
The significant social changes in contemporary England contributed to an increased interest in 
history. Profound understanding of historical processes is revealed in the prose-work of Walter 
Scott – the creator of modern historical novel and the last romantic writer.