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Romanticism and nature are linked due to the emphasis on the beauty and power of nature by artists and philosophers during the Romantic period. This connection may have developed as a reaction against the scientific emphasis of Enlightenment philosophy and the urbanization caused by the Industrial Revolution. Romanticism idealized humanity’s unity with nature and emphasized the emotions inspired by the natural world. Works from this period often carry hints of introspection and a search for self-identity.
Romanticism and nature are connected because the artists and philosophers of the Romantic period emphasized the glory and beauty of nature and the power of the natural world. Some romantic scholars believe that the Romantics treated nature almost religiously. Reasons for the development of this strong link between nature and romance include the Industrial Revolution, which led many people to leave rural areas and live in cities, cut off from the natural world. Also, during the 18th and 19th centuries, when romance was popular, large swathes of European and North American wilderness had been domesticated, so that it had generally become much safer for people to travel to these areas and view their natural wonders. The connection between romanticism and nature may also have arisen in part as a reaction against the scientific emphasis of Enlightenment philosophy and against the cultural norms of that period.
Many Romantic artists, writers, and philosophers believe in the natural world as a source of healthy emotions and ideas. Conversely, the emerging urban and industrialized world has often been portrayed as a wellspring of unhealthy thoughts, morals, and emotions. Romantics like Henry David Thoreau believed that humans were meant to live in the natural world, rather than the urban world. The connection between Romanticism and nature was largely formed with this fundamental notion that man’s true self can be found in the wilderness, rather than in the city.
The connection between romanticism and nature has strengthened with the idealization of popular cultures and customs. Improvisation and spontaneity in art, music and literature became more widely acceptable. Many works of the Romantic period emphasize humanity’s unity with the natural world, in contrast to many earlier schools of art and philosophy. These early schools of thought typically believed humanity to be separate from and often detached from the natural world. While Romanticism elevated the connection with nature to a quasi-religious level, attributing morally uplifting and desirable attributes to it, earlier philosophical schools of thought often attributed base and evil qualities to the natural world.
Romantic period writers and artists typically rely heavily on natural imagery in their work. These artists and writers use scenes and images from the natural world to spark the imagination of their audience. Work from the Romantic period often carries hints of introspection and a search for self or identity. Romanticism generally places a strong emphasis on the emotions inspired by the beauty of the natural world.
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