British Romantic Poetry and the Concept of Childhood

Abstract

Childhood is one of the many themes that Romantic poetry comprises. Most of the British Romantic poets underscore the concepts of childhood and innocence in their works. They deal with the notions in many different ways. They illustrate child abuse, and the way little children are oppressed. They highlight the powers of vision which belong to children. They focus upon the fact that the relationship between a child and nature is a must, and should not be lost. They talk over the things they remember from childhood, and their first experience of powers of nature. Blake (1757-1827) in "The Chimney Sweeper" and "The Little Black boy", Wordsworth (1770-1850) in "We Are Seven", "The Rainbow", and "Ode: Intimation of Immortality from Recollections of Early Childhood", Coleridge (1772-1834) in "The Frost at Midnight", and Shelley (1792-1822) in "Hymn to Intellectual Beauty" all deal with the idea of childhood, one of the dominant themes of Romantic poetry. Key words: Childhood; Innocence; Romantic Poetry; Blake; Wordsworth; Coleridge; Shelley