Romanticism in Blake, Wordsworth, and Whitman's Poetry

Introduction: The Romantic Ideal

The Romantic ideal in the poetry of William Blake, William Wordsworth, and Walt Whitman shares the attitude that the most worthy part of human existence lies in simplicity and deep emotion rather than rational thought. Romanticism is based upon a movement away from the rationality of the Enlightenment and the wealth-driven society inspired by Industrialism. This ideal is reflected in the work of all three poets. To demonstrate this, "The Chimney Sweeper," "Ode: Intimations of Immortality," and "I Sing the Body Electric" — from each respective poet — are considered.

William Blake and Social Oppression

Blake's poetry emphasizes the evils of existing power systems within society and how these systems are used to oppress the poor and powerless. This is shown in his poem "The Chimney Sweeper." The little chimney sweeper is representative of the poor and oppressed suffering under the current systems of power. The parents and the church serve as images reflecting the oppressive forces at work. The child makes clear that neither of these entities is truly aware of the suffering of the chimney sweeper and others like him.

Another interesting element in the poem is the happiness and songs belonging to the chimney sweeper. His unhappiness and misery are products of forces outside himself, whereas his joy comes from within. The misery forced upon him by the clergy, social forces, and even God is contrasted by the joy he finds within himself. This, however, does not change the injustice, the misery, or the physical circumstances imposed by society. It is this dichotomy between rich, supposedly pious people and the poor that Blake criticizes. He also criticizes the reasoning of those who intellectualize their efforts to help the poor, while the true fate of the poor remains overshadowed. This focus on the evils of social structures and rationalization is the element of Romanticism that Blake incorporates into his poetry.

William Wordsworth and the Loss of Innocence

Like Blake, Wordsworth is also disenchanted with the evils imposed by society. He, however, focuses more strongly on the self as shaped by the society in which he lives. In "Ode: Intimations of Immortality," he laments the boundaries imposed upon children by education. According to the poem, children — who naturally enjoy and appreciate everything — learn to become disenchanted through formal learning. The poet's remedy for this is a return to childhood innocence and an enjoyment of nature. For Wordsworth, then, nature is the cure for the blandness imposed by modern society.

Conclusion: Three Poets, One Romantic Vision

Each of the above poets creates their Romantic works through rebellion against the forces of society as they existed during the time of their writing. Whereas Blake focuses mostly on the physical discomforts imposed by society and severely criticizes these, Wordsworth provides a more gentle criticism and places the responsibility of rebellion on the individual self, urging a reconnection with joy. Whitman's rebellion is much more subtle, in that he focuses exclusively on the self in search of his or her soul.