Dr.

Christoph Greger
Humanities 41B, Spring 2018

Study Guide for Unit 4:

Romanticism
Below are some topics – concepts, questions, ideas and objects – that are important to unit 4. These are all
topics that either we’ve covered in class or that are covered in some detail in our textbook, Culture and
Values (volume 2). In order to assure yourself of a good grade on the unit 4 quiz section of the final exam, as
well as the comprehensive questions on it, you should familiarize yourself with most of these concepts.

Remember: the final will be in our usual class room on Friday, 5/19, from 10:30-12:30. On that day you’ll
need to take the final, hand in your final paper, along with Commonplace Journal entries from Units 3 and 4
(for any day a reading was assigned).

 A few of the key characteristics of Romanticism, and how they contrast to earlier views of the world.
Some of these might include attitudes towards man in a state of nature, towards landscape, about Art.
 Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and how his idea about the essential nature of man influenced the
development of Romanticism; perhaps contrasting it with the same idea as expressed by Thomas
Hobbes in Leviathan about man in a state of nature.
 A little of the history of the French Revolution – what it was, how it was different from the
American Revolution, why it inspired so many, terrified so many others, how it wound up.
 A little about Napoleon Bonaparte – who he was, why he inspired so many and terrified so many
others, the effect he had upon the development of Romanticism.
 Romantic Gardens – English vs. Neoclassical Gardens
 A Garden Folly (what is it?)
 Some Romantic attitudes about landscape distinguishing it from earlier attitudes about landscape, as
in the Northern Renaissance, Baroque and Enlightenment.
 A notion of the “Sublime,” and how it differs from other sorts of beauty, and why it the sublime
might be appealing to Romantic Sensibilities.
 Some landscape artists, and maybe a work or two of each one that you can remember: Caspar David
Friedrich, Philip Otto Runge, Thomas Cole and/or the Hudson River Valley School of Art in
America, Albert Bierstadt.
 What we mean when we talk about Romantic “subjectivity.”
 The relationship between Romanticism and Revolution.
 The relationship between Romanticism and Nationalism.
 A couple of ideas about how Romantics viewed art in contrast to earlier notions about the function of
art.
 Some other Romantic Artists, and a work or two of each that you can remember and use as an
example: William Blake, Francisco Goya, Eugene Delacroix, William Turner.
 Some ideas about the relationship and differences between Classical and Romantic music.
 Some ideas about how specific works by Mozart, Beethoven and Chopin that we listened to in class
fit into the broader categories of “classical” and “romantic” styles.
 Attitudes towards folk culture – fairytales and folk songs – in the Romantic era.
 A little about the Grimm brothers –what they sought to do, and why.
 Some sense of how one of the fairytales we looked at in class works – what it’s about, what we’re
supposed to make of it.
 Some sense of how one of the folk songs we listened to and read in class works -- what it’s about,
what we’re supposed to make of it.
 A little about late romantic painting – Impressionism and Post-Impressionism (if we get to them).
Chris Greger
Humanities 41B
Spring 2018

UPDATED Schedule of Assignments for Unit 4

Mon 5/7: Music! Classical to Romantic, and the beginnings of the fascination with folk culture.

Wed 5/9: More folk music, and some folk tales. Please read the Grimm brothers’ fairy tales in the
packet, especially the first three in the packet.

Fri 5/11: Late Romanticism.

Mon 5/14: Catch-up day and review for the final.

Final Exam: Monday, May 21, from 10:30-12:30.

Dr. Christoph Greger
Humanities 41B
Spring 2016

Study Guide for Unit 4: