Romanticism in the Artistic Sense

Romanticism enters the realm of fantasy through works of art that are exotic and erotic. Romanticism appeared due to a craving for freedom in political issues, ideas, emotions, events, religion, communication, and social acceptance. A variety of freedom for everyone. Romanticism believed freedom through ideas and sensing rather than judgment and logic. Romanticism emphasized feeling, intuition, and emotion. It was a world of fantasy including the morbid, underworld, very unpleasant, extremely frightening, grotesque, sadistic, and all the mental images that comes from the chamber of horrors. The most extreme heightened feelings are stimulated by emotional distress or frightening thoughts and when these emotions are separated the result can be very exciting. There was also a taste for the bizarre, supernatural, and horribly gruesome details of death and decay. Artists combined flamboyant qualities with naturalistic details. Dramatic action was merged into the artwork while increasing their exploration of the exotic, erotic, fictional, or bizarre. They put owls which symbolize folly and bats which symbolize ignorance into their artworks. The paintings had dark emotions which were terrifying and disturbing. They sought to confront viewers with shock, turmoil, and passion by introducing catastrophe. Mental abnormality and irrational states of mind were examined as this was reflected on the faces which accurately revealed characters of madness. They turned to current event, especially catastrophic or astounding ones, for their subject matter. Subjects involved battles between beasts and men. Romanticism influenced music, literature, and poetry as well. Frankenstein was born out of Romanticism.