American Romanticism: Responsive Essay on the Ideology of a "Romantic"

Verse of the Day: "and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." John 8:32

Martin Michael, an American educator at Pittsburgh State University is content with his belief of romanticism and what a romantic truly is. He reflects on a tender moment shared with his son and how the quality of the moment made him think about the possible natures of one who is “romantic”. Martin has the idea that romanticism can best be varied according to a person's religion and ideology. I enjoyed reading his perspective, it being both insightful and witty. Martin’s charming manner of incorporating key phrases, events and direct quotes from his own life brings about the quality romantic within himself and the reader.

Martin shares that his view of romanticism revolves around religion and idealism. His reasoning? It is an unspoken bond that connects with something or someone of a higher power, such as love and God. I found this to be a beautiful notion. He emphasizes that because of this connection, romantics can identify with what is good and decipher it as true and beautiful in the face of an opposite reality. It is said that a romantic is the dreamer of great realities, for everything begins with a dream itself. Nothing is impossible in the eyes of the romantic, everything is decided by fate and only hindered by the boundaries of our own minds.

In Addition, Martin claims that romanticism itself is a topic that isn’t confined by definition and is open to interpretation. Romance and love has sub genres: you have Agape; the act of unconditional love, Stoge; the love of family, Eros; romantic love and the platonic love of friends. Martin graciously points out that romance and intimacy are strong desires that can be reflected onto most things, especially those things of which we are most passionate about. He relates the wide realm that is romanticism as love attempting to incarnate despite defeat.

He not only brings this concept to life through his ideas but through his words of preferences to popular romantics overtime and his personal connections. Beethoven, a musical Genius of the Ages was mentioned a number of times as well as original and well-known works of romantic qualities such as Wuthering Heights, Othello and of course Romeo and Juliet. I believe that the introduction of his belief on Romanticism was very intriguing, it built a stage for what he thought was a romantic, and the concept of what romanticism is. Using his son's looks and personality according to his reactions to all of music and nature as a personal and up-close look into his beliefs without too much “romanticized” fluff.

I agree with his ideas as well as his interpretation of a romanticized world, what it does and how it impacts people and society as a whole. Martin's use of accurate resources and other documents to State his point and clarify his ideas to be more a fact than its idealist view made it a legitimate and acceptable review to critique.

Work cited Martin, Michael American educator. The Romantics. The Midwest quarterly. General one file. Web. 24 m a r. 2015

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