Elements of Fantasy and Romanticism - Essay Example

Examining the definition of both of these concepts from the interpretations of writers understanding how this associated with movements such as neoclassicism helps to create a deeper knowledge of how the concepts of fantasy and romance were associated with specific time frames. A writer which showed an approach to fantasy and romance with his works was Keats. This poetic influence was one which was reflective of romanticism as a defining point in poetry. The writings of Keats showed the element of romanticism, specifically because of the expansion of the beautiful and the association with love that was a part of the writings.

Even when the writings were based on the natural elements or the surrounding areas, beauty was the main concept conveyed through all the writings. The neoclassical movement would have associated these particular writings with ornamentation, flowery descriptions and the expansion on beauty and love to be against logic of what was surrounding the area while rejecting the realism of the time. More important, the fantasy that would have been a part of the neoclassical would have stated that the writings of Keats were nothing but an illusion of love and of desire.

However, in the viewpoint of Keats, the elements and the beauty were the main focus while creating the romanticism with the idea of embracing the ideas of love, beauty and other concepts. Another example which shows this definition is through the works of Hawthorne, specifically which was recognized as a dark romantic. An example of this was with “The Scarlet Letter” that was written to reflect the ideas of romanticism and how when this is lost, everything is lost. The main character, that loses her love in life, is condemned from the town she lives in and is forced to wear the scarlet letter of “A.

” The approach which is taken by Hawthorne is first defined as fantasy because this was never a rule or regulation, but only implies potential ideas which may arise in terms of morality, thoughts or belief systems. This rejects the notion of neoclassicism, which would have stated that this plot line could not exist and therefore would become invalid. The dark romanticism of the book continues with how the love that is lost also tortures the woman and the raising of her child while leaving her alone and distant from the rest of the town for the rest of her life.

This romantic ideal highlights how love and beauty are everything. When there is an absence of this because of morality and reason, then all is lost. The main theme that Hawthorne shows is based specifically on the definition of fantasy and romanticism as well as the rejection of morality and the logical. The concept of neoclassicism that led to fantasy is one which is furthered with the essays written by Tolkien that were based on the concept of enlightenment and romanticism. Tolkien rejected the enlightenment, specifically with his own recognition that the scientific approach to the world created a perspective that was soulless (Tolkien, 57).

This based all pursuits on order, law and binding expectations that did not leave room for creativity, the unknown or elements that were able to provide more opportunities for those that were interested in the progress of creativity. The approach which Tolkien took was to move even further into fantasy while recognizing that the imagination and