Comparative Analysis Through “The Four Attitudes Of Romanticism”

7 Pages 1713 Words

Comparative Analysis Through “The Four Attitudes Of Romanticism”
Arthur Lovejoy states, “The categories which it has become customary to use in distinguishing and classifying ‘movements’ in literature or philosophy and in describing the nature of the significant transitions which have taken place in taste and in opinion, are far too rough, crude, undiscriminating—and none of them so hopelessly as the category “Romantic”(History Guide). Morse Peckham breaks the Romantic era down into “The Four stages of Romanticism.” The word “stages” pertains to the attitudes, beliefs, and values of this era, rather than a chronological time of occurrence. The four attitudes are Analogism, Transcendentalism, Objectism, and Stylism (Dr.Griffin). By using “The Four Attitudes of Romanticism” a comparative analysis of “The Sorrows of Young Werther,” by Goethe and “Frankenstein,” by Mary Shelley can be seen. Even though all four attitudes are represented in both novels, there are instances where one attitude is presented more clearly in one novel over the other.
According to Morse Peckham, Analogism “was the use of the natural world…as a screen against which to project that sense of value which is also the sense of self”(qtd. Griffin). In short Analogism is an analogy between nature and self, it offered a ground for value, but not for action (Griffin). Analogism is having such a great value for nature that it becomes one with the person. The person becomes a representative of nature, and nature becomes a representative of that person. This stage is most clearly depicted in Werther. Werther felt that “the mind is formed by whatever the senses feed upon,” that man is “desirous of cultivating correct ideas and offering the widest scope for goodness that is innate within him will constantly refresh and purify himself with natural beauty”(Road to Romanticism). Werther expresses “exaltation of emotion over rea...