Paradigms by definition are a set of assumptions, concepts, values, and practices that constitutes a way of viewing reality for the community that shares them, especially in an intellectual discipline.
Basically, they are the contextual framework which shaped Romanticism.
The Romanticism Paradigms are:
POLITICAL: American Revolution & War of Independence 1775-83. French Revolution: Fall of Bastille 14 July, 1789, Declaration of the Rights of Man 1789, Louis XVI execution, increasing violence against aristocracy. Reign of Terror 1973-74. War between Britain and France 1793-1815. Rise and fall of Napoleon.
SCIENTIFIC: Post Enlightenment, pre-Darwin. The Industrial Revolution heralded modern forms of medicine, engineering and science, especially physics. It is in reaction to the overbearing capital force of the industrial revolution that the Romantic poets avowed the importance of wild, unspoilt nature as a source of feeling and insight.
RELIGIOUS: Strong presence of religious imagery and themes. etc
PHILOSOPHICAL: Individualism, rise of the middle class (Byron, Beethoven, Bonaparte). Importance of heroism and genius. Rousseau (1712-1778) - nature, cogito ergo sum, centrality of emotion and sentimentality, spontaneous feeling and sincerity. French Revolution and political philosphy (liberty, equality, fraternity), Coleridge and imagination. German idealism. Wollstonecraft, Vindication of the Rights of Man. etc.
ECONOMIC: Industrial Revolution means that industry and business are generating much of Britain's wealth. Urbanisation. Literacy rates rising. Slavery still legal.
AESTHETICS: Concern with the sublime, Constable and Turner (artists), Mozart, Beethoven etc.
I hope this helps and is not confusing!? I have never posted a reply before!
