What is the Romantic Era?

The word romantic; originates from the word Roman and from the romantic stories written in the middle Ages. There were many other influences to turn about the arts in that time period. There was the French Revolution and Napoleon.

Everyone has their own idea what the word romantic means, some have fantasies or base it on their over abundance of love expressed in artistic ways. Music, dance, art, poetry, philosophy, all changed radically within the Romantic Era. Their expression became free, and most artists came together in a surge of rebellion during this time period from 1780-1850.

There is no doubt that politics and religion had a strong influence on the Romantic Era. Man and woman liberated themselves and showed expression of their very being in what they created. The romantics became expressive of the very passion they held, which was quite a turnabout in the art and literary world.

How do I play in this era?

In any type of role-play you have to consider the setting or era your character would be in. Of course you would lose the old English speech patterns, and lean more towards using an accent if the circumstances warranted it. There would be no fairies, mages, and no enchanted weapons. You would not become your Exodus Night character transferred into another completely different era. Feel free to create a romantic era character even though you may have to play with the same nick, although most of you have the option to change your nickname.

What is the setting of this era game?

Foxden house is in England and the house is a mammoth estate overlooking the ocean. You may play from England or any country visiting, England. You could portray one of the well known artists, musicians, anything you know of this era. The Foxden estate has a variety of events and a setting for each.

Note: The homepage explains much more of the setting of the Foxden house and has a picture.

Well Known Artists of the Romantic Era:

Authors

John Keats (1795-1821) - His life was short but his works are still remembered. Like most poets’ tragedy influenced his life, losing a brother at an early age and losing a love due to poverty, his literary career had a short span of three years and he wrote 150 poems. Fame was only attained after his death.

Jean Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) - A philosopher and author he wrote many books such as Confessions, an operatic Les Muses galantes, Lettres ecrites de la Montagne , and was a secretary to Madam Lupin. As his career went on he became extremely paranoid that there was some plot against him and fled to France. On his return to England his fears and paranoia grew and he died suddenly.

Williams Woodworth (1770-1783) - A poet and author who became an orphan at an early age. He was sent to school by his uncles and received a wonderful education including college. He wrote The Prelude, A Letter to the bishop of Landoff, Lyrical Ballads, It was a Beautous Evening, The Recluse, and his last great work "Extempore Effusion on the Death of James Hogg,"

He fell in love with Annette Vallon a catholic, but not having the financial backing and war breaking out between France and England he left. Life went on as he worked with fellow poets and finally he was left a rather hefty inheritance, and returned to England ending his ties to Annette and marrying a woman named Mary Hutchinson. He lost a son and daughter at an early age which was a turbulent time for the poet and his family. Feeling he had to speak of his long time friend and colleague’s addiction to opium there became a rift between him and Coleridge. Finally an apology was given the two begun working together once again. He traveled world wide with his wife and became active in the circle of poets. Many of his friends were dying like Coleridge and he was named an honorary Doctor of Civil War at Oxford and Poet Laureate, one of the world’s most famous poets.

Williams Woodsworth was a great influence for Barbara Williams, especially in creating the Romantic Era games.

There are many more poets and writers from all countries. There are many not listed. If you enjoy reading you will certainly enjoy the Romantic Era. Additional authors: Walter Whitman, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Edgar Allen Poe, Henry David Thoreau, Sir Walter Scott, Emily Dickenson, and George Sands.

Musicians

Frederick Chopin (1810-1849) - One the most astounding musicians of the romantic era, born in Poland and began lessons when he was six years old. At the age of seven he had composed two polonaises. Little Chopin began to be in the public eye doing charity concerts in homes and halls. He surpassed his teacher in knowledge and went on to the Warsaw University and left Poland in 1831 to live the rest of his life in Paris. At this time he also developed tuberculosis sometimes called consumption.

His circle of friends in Paris was, Franz Liszt, Robert Schumann, Vincenzo Bellini. His own life portrayed the Romantic Era if you read of his ten year love relationship with George Sands, who used a male name to become published. Not only was she a figure of rebellion of this era, she was one of the first women to wear slacks and men’s clothing.

Chopin died of tuberculosis in 1849 and according to the autopsy report since he asked to be cut open upon his death in fear of being buried alive, he may have had emphysema or cystic fibrosis. This report was reported by his sister after his death. He had requested at his funeral Requiem to be played which is a piece with brass horns and vocals.

George Sands (1804-1876), Madame Amandine Lucile Aurore Dudevant, ne Dupin of France. George Sands and Chopin’s story is the epitaph of Romanticism. Her birth was in the midst of a French country dance and her mother was escorted to a room to have her in the midst of music. Claiming royal blood and being an affinity with the people understanding all levels of society and even mingling and living amongst them, this romantic female’s life was all aspects of this era.

As a small child she was brought along with her parents to royal castles even dressed in uniforms to please the general. At ten years of age she moved into a country home of her grandmothers, and lived and learned ways of the country, mingling with peasants and common folk. Her father died at this time from a fall from his horse, a great soldier and writer himself. She went on to live with her mother and grandmother, and bore the friction between them over having her affection. Soon her mother relented and left her in the care of her grandmother.

She was given a tutor Deschatres and learned languages, science and literature. One would see her creating her own religion in the green grasses of France, half pagan and half Christian. She even erected an altar and worshiped there. Throughout her rebellious childhood she found herself in a covenant at the age of thirteen, a drastic change from the country life she had.

The most interesting aspects of her life were after the short marriage to Casimir Dudevant at the time of her grandmother’s death. She gave birth to a son and daughter and her husband a gentleman farmer’s health deteriorated quickly, not his jealousy though, for she found an intimate correspondence with a philosopher and lawyer. In return he flaunted the maids he took to bed right under her eyes, and wrote her faults to be opened upon his death.

George Sands literary works and trials with her children who grew to be more rebellious than she ever could be opened up an avenue with a musician she met…Chopin. She took Chopin south for the winter and mothered him and loved him, trying to spoil and care for him through his illness.

They were so different, like night and day. Rumor had it that they were lovers, and yet she wrote of being a virgin for the eight years caring for him. No one is to know for sure, yet they were asked to leave his apartment since the landlord was paranoid of Chopin’s disease. Then George Sands brought him to Chartreuse monastery of Valdemosa where they lived in a cell, and he wrote his music.

A tragic ending of a love affair, some say it was planned by George Sand’s daughter, others say by George Sands herself. An argument over her daughter and her husband was the last straw to break up this very opposite couple.

You might want to read the biography of Chopin’s life, the love story and the music portrays the Romantic Era in all its magnificence. He loved the music by Mozart and had it played at his funeral. His sister was told to destroy his manuscripts when he died, aren’t we glad she did not.

There are many more musicians and composers from all countries. There are many not listed. Additional musicians and composers: Mozart, Hayden, Schubert, Brahms, Liszt, Tchaikovsky, Wagner, Mendelssohn, Puccini, Mahler and Ludwig van Beethoven.

The tale of Franz List and Princess Carlyne Sayn-Wittgenstein is another great love story to read about in this era. This is just a minute taste of the Romantic Era's explosion of art. We hope you enjoy this game, do a bit of research on the era and realize the many things that were introduced in the Romantic Era; even Gothic art and literature. Mary Shelley is another life to read about, and her infamous book about Frankenstein.