The history and progress of the world . at he was absolutelyignorant of what was meant by the Classic School and theRomantic School. But he certainly altered his viewswithin a few years. Romanticism was opposed to arti-ficialism, conventionalism, and formalism in literature. Itsought for freedom in choice of subjects and for naturalexpression of primal feelings. Some of the earliest, likeChateaubriand, to find scope for their feelings, went backto the religious fervor of olden times, or abroad to thesimple nature of savage tribes. Later Romanticists, likeHugo, full of self-consciousness, sough
The history and progress of the world . at he was absolutelyignorant of what was meant by the Classic School and theRomantic School. But he certainly altered his viewswithin a few years. Romanticism was opposed to arti-ficialism, conventionalism, and formalism in literature. Itsought for freedom in choice of subjects and for naturalexpression of primal feelings. Some of the earliest, likeChateaubriand, to find scope for their feelings, went backto the religious fervor of olden times, or abroad to thesimple nature of savage tribes. Later Romanticists, likeHugo, full of self-consciousness, sought to express directly 2i8 LITERATURE XIX CENTURY their own emotions or passions. The impulse of everypassing experience was to take the place of the studiedphrases of classicism. Individual aspiration, hope, anddespair were to be the body and soul of the new its exponents and enthusiasts the rules and traditionsof poetry were of no value or use, but rather fetters andshackles. The heart alone must direct the voice or Qi>vV> THE REIGN OF ROMANTICISM, 1830-1870 HUGO In the land of Romance there are three Kingdoms—that of Poetry, of the Drama, of the Novel. Only oncehas one strong conqueror worn the triple crown, and thatwas when Victor Hugo was hailed as first in song, firstin stagecraft, and first in prose fiction. Time has cor-rected not a few of the estimates formed by his contem-poraries, nevertheless, it cannot be disputed that hehad a truly imperial genius, a mind that spanned thewide earth, and touched the heavens above and the depthsof misery below. Hugo was the most romantic of poetsand the most realistic of romancers. Victor Marie Hugo, born at Besan^on in 1802, passedas a child under powerful influences, traceable in his ma-ture work. His father was an army officer, who flourishedand declined with the Bonapartes; his mother was aCatholic and a royalist. With her children she followedher husband to Spain and Italy, when Victor was butfive yea
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