An Oxford Companion to the Romantic Age : British Culture, 1776-1832

For the first time, this innovative reference book surveys the Romantic Age through all aspects of British culture, rather than in literary or artistic terms alone. This multi-disciplinary approach treats Romanticism both in aesthetic terms--its meaning for painting, music, design, architecture, and literature--and as a historical epoch of "revolutionary" transformations which ushered in modern democratic and industrialized society. For the first time in this innovative reference book the Romantic Age is surveyed across all aspects of British culture, rather than in literary or artistic terms alone. The Companion's two-part structure presents forty-two essays on major topics, by leading international experts, cross-referenced to an extensive alphabetical section covering all the principal figures, events, and movements in the broad culture of the period. Aimed at students and general readers as well as scholars, the essays constitute an accessible, pluralistic, and modern social history of the epoch; the alphabetical entries can either be used alongside them, for deeper information on specific subjects, or as a free-standing reference tool. The volume as a whole embraces both high and low culture, and explores its subject across the whole breadth of England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland. The book's multi-disciplinary approach treats Romanticism both in aesthetic terms-its meaning for painting, music, design, architecture, and above all literature-and as a historical epoch of 'revolutionary' transformations which ushered in modern democratic and industrialized society. In this period Wedgwood turned taste into a commercial enterprise, Pierce Egan took Britain by storm with his sensational accounts of low-life in the capital, and Mary Shelley created, in Frankenstein, one of the enduring myths of scientific advance. The Companion revitalizes canonical Romantic figures in the context of the historical events, political and linguistic debates, commercial pressures, and plebeian subcultures of their day, as well as bringing back into historical focus individuals and events whose impact has often been muffled or forgotten. With over 100 integrated illustrations, bibliographies accompanying all the major essays, and an index to Part 1, this is the most comprehensive volume of its kind, offering a unique breadth of information to scholars and students of eighteenth- and nineteenth-century British culture, literature, and history. EDITORIAL BOARD: John Brewer (University of California) Marilyn Butler (Exeter College, University of Oxford) James Chandler (University of Chicago) Jerome J. McGann ( University of Virginia, Charlottesville) Mark Philp (Oriel College, Oxford) Robert Webb (University of Maryland) For The First Time In This Innovative Reference Book The Romantic Age Is Surveyed Across All Aspects Of British Culture, Rather Than In Literary Or Artistic Terms Alone. The Companion's Two-part Structure Presents Forty-two Essays On Major Topics, By Leading International Experts, Cross-referenced To An Extensive Alphabetical Reference Section Covering All The Principal Figures, Events, And Movements In The Broad Culture Of The Period. Aimed At Students And General Readers As Well As Scholars, The Essays Constitute An Accessible, Pluralistic, And Modern Social History Of The Epoch; The Alphabetical Entries Can Either Be Used Alongside Them, For Deeper Information On Specific Subjects, Or As A Free-standing Reference Tool.--jacket. Revolution / Mark Philp -- War / J.e. Cookson -- Democracy / H.t. Dickinson -- Women / Barbara Caine -- Empire / John Gascoigne -- Slavery / James Walvin -- Policing / David Philips -- Law / David Lemmings -- Utopianism / Gregory Claeys -- Religion / R.k. Webb -- Sensibility / G.f. Barker-benfield -- Poverty / Sarah Lloyd -- Domesticity / Clara Tuite -- Industrialization / John Stevenson -- Class / Eileen Janes Yeo -- Land / Anne Janowitz -- Education / Ian Britain -- Medicine / Roy Porter -- Consumerism / Roy Porter -- Viewing / C. Suzanne Matheson -- Publishing / John Brewer And Iain Mccalman -- Prints / David Bindman -- Popular Culture / Iain Mccalman And Maureen Perkins -- Theatre / Gillian Russell -- Design / Celina Fox -- Music / Cyril Ehrlich And Simon Mcveigh -- Painting / Mark Hallett -- Architecture / Daniel Abramson -- Poetry / Jerome J. Mcgann -- Prose / Jon Klancher -- Novels / Fiona Robertson -- Enlightenment / Martin Fitzpatrick -- Political Economy / Donald Winch -- Natural Philosophy (science) / Richard Yeo -- Antiquarianism (popular) / Marilyn Butler -- Mythology / Nigel Leask -- Exploration / Nicholas Thomas -- History / James Chandler -- Psychology / Robert Brown -- Language / Jon Mee -- Literary History / Peter Otto. General Editor, Iain Mccalman ; Associate Editors, Jon Mee, Gillian Russell, Clara Tuite ; Assistant Editors, Kate Fullagar, Patsy Hardy. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. The Romantic period in British culture was an era of extraordinarily diverse and original achievements in literature and the arts, accomplished in a time of great political and social upheaval. This book is the first major interdisciplinary reference guide to provide a broad cultural and historical perspective which presents the aesthetic achievements of great literary figures like Wordsworth and Coleridge, their followers and opponents, alongside their counterparts in the field of. art, music, design, science, and the history of ideas, within a comprehensive picture of the period. Forty long A superb interdisciplinary reference guide to the whole Romantic period, with numerous illustrations, presenting great literary figures such as Wordsworth and Coleridge along-side their counterparts in the field of art, music, design, science, politics, and the history of ideas, within a broad cultural and historical perspective. Forty essays on key topics, written by major international authorities, are complemented by an alphabetical reference section describing all the significant figures, works, topics, and events. The Romantic period in British culture was an era of extraordinarily diverse and original achievements in literature and arts, accomplished in a time of great political and social upheaval. This book presents the aesthetic achievements of great literary figures, alongside their counterparts in the field of art, music, design, science, and more. This reference work provides a broad cultural and historical perspective which presents the aesthetic achievements of great literary figures, their followers and opponents with their counterparts in the field of art, music, design and science The sense of the term 'revolution' changes dramatically between the first shots of* American Revolution in the spring of 1775 through to the year of European revolutions in 1848.