William Wordsworth s The Prelude And Lord Byron s Biting...

The Romantic poets sought to write epics that incorporated new philosophies, ideals, and literary trends, while also parodying, satirizing and deconstructing the epic poem itself. Rather than merely extend the epic tradition, several Romantic poets subverted the characteristics and tropes attributed to epic poetry, creating an interesting revision of the epic. Two seminal works of Romantic poetry that adequately showcase the revision of epic tradition are William Wordsworth’s introspective epic The Prelude and Lord Byron’s biting epic satire Don Juan. Incorporating either introspection and reflection or irony and satire, both of these works incorporate themes from the epic tradition while also subverting its significant aspects,†¦show more content†¦How both Wordsworth and Byron transgress and subvert these themes, particularly the heroic ideal, not only separates Romantic epic poetry from classical epic poetry and epic tradition, but this revision results in the creation of a new tradition. Wordsworth is known for his introspection, often writing about feelings and emotions, mortality and nature. Wordsworth’s The Prelude is a seminal work. The poem is about the growth of the poet’s mind. It is autobiographical and deals with different periods of Wordsworth’s life, such as his childhood, his time at Cambridge and his residence in France. The poem features Wordsworth reflecting on his experiences and feelings. The poem acts as a look into how he views himself as a poet. In The Politics of the Epic: Wordsworth, Byron, and the Romantic Redefinition of Heroism, author Paul Cantor contends that despite the use of epic writing, the poem itself is vastly different from the epic. â€Å"It is written in an elevated blank verse that often has a Miltonic ring, it contains epic diction and epic similes, and it shows many other signs of Wordsworth s attempt to work within the established epic tradition. But if one looks at the beginning of the poem, where the ep ic poet traditionally invokes his Muse, one can see how radically Wordsworth differs from his predecessor† (Cantor, 377). The poem, Miltonic in its style and diction, does seem to mimic the Miltonic epic style, at least somewhat. This does not mean, however, thatShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Byrons Poem1306 Words   |  6 Pagesthe epic tradition than Wordsworth’s. Don Juan’s titular character, like many heroes in other epics, pre-existed the Byron poems. The story is vast in scale; it follows Don Juan’s adventures in love and travel. Juan’s adventures pull him from situation to situation across the globe. Juan gets into shipwrecks, mixed up in harems while presenting as a woman and involved in wars. Still, Byron’s Don Juan does more to actively challenge the epic tradition than The Prelude. In Don Juan as Anti-Epic, theRead MoreAnalysis Of The Prelude And Lord Byron s Biting Epic1202 Words   |  5 Pagesto write epic poems that incorporated new philosophies, ideals, and literary trends, while also parodying, satirizing and deconstructing the epic poem itself. Rather than merely extend the epic tradition, the Romantic poets subverted the characteristics and tropes attributed to epic poetry, in turn creating an interesting revision of the epic. Two seminal works of Romantic poetry that adequately showcase the revision of epic tradition are William Wordsworth’s introspective epic The Prelude and Lord