6.3 19th-Century Perspectives on Life

Romanticism reacts against reason

Romanticism emerged as a reaction to the Enlightenment's cold rationalism and the ugliness of industrialization. Writers and artists like Wordsworth, Goethe, and Delacroix emphasized emotion, imagination, nature, and individualism. They celebrated the sublime, folk traditions, and national identity rather than scientific logic or classical order.

Nationalism and conservatism respond to change

Nationalism grew as people identified with shared language, culture, and history, fueling unification movements (Italy, Germany) and independence hopes among ethnic minorities. Meanwhile, conservatism, championed by thinkers like Edmund Burke and reinforced at the Congress of Vienna, defended tradition, monarchy, and social hierarchy against revolutionary change.

New ideologies confront industrial society

Liberalism stressed individual rights, constitutional government, and free markets (e.g., Adam Smith, John Stuart Mill). Socialism, especially Marxism, criticized capitalism's inequalities, arguing class struggle between the bourgeoisie and proletariat would lead to revolution. Realism in art/literature (Dickens, Courbet) depicted everyday life and social problems honestly, rejecting Romantic idealism.

Key terms

Romanticism

A cultural movement emphasizing emotion, imagination, nature, and individualism in reaction to Enlightenment rationalism.

Nationalism

Belief in a shared identity based on culture, language, and history, driving unification and independence movements.

Conservatism

Ideology defending tradition, monarchy, and established social hierarchy, associated with Edmund Burke and the Congress of Vienna.

Marxism

Karl Marx's theory that class struggle between the bourgeoisie and proletariat would lead to revolution and the end of capitalism.

Realism

Artistic/literary movement portraying everyday life and social issues honestly, rejecting Romantic idealism (e.g., Dickens, Courbet).

Try an AP-style question

Romanticism reacted against the Enlightenment by emphasizing…

1. reason and scientific order
2. classical rules
3. emotion, nature, and the individual
4. industrial progress