Was Neo-Romanticism Inevitable?

Was Neo-Romanticism Inevitable?

  • Yes

    Votes: 7 70.0%
  • No

    Votes: 3 30.0%

  • Total voters
    10
romantic_dughet_landscape.jpg


Was the cultural/philosophical reaction of Neo-Romanticism (and it's wide reaching cultural effects on identitiy/art/music) to narratives of 19th century modernism and scientific materialism inevitable?

Was 19th century Europe always destined to seek out meaning in the past when the changes brought on by the industrial revolution dimished or destroyed the meaning of classical social norms and traditions (1850 - 1900)?
 
The specific blend of cultural models which marks Romanticism is certainly not inevitable, far from it. It's even highly unlikely to prove butterfly-resistant, i.e. with any significant change before, say, the 17th century, we're likely not to see Romanticism as such. Now, some of its component cultural models may indeed be difficult to avoid. But that doesn't mean they must all come together.

But once Romanticism has been there, neo-Romanticist waves are pretty likely to occur, both in the past and in the foreseeable future.

So, the easiest way to get rid of neo-Romanticism is to get rid of Romanticism in the first place. But maybe that's too world-altering?

If you want minimal departure, look at what made North America different from Europe (because the historical neo-Romanticism you alluded to was a European phenomenon) and maybe we find an answer there?

PS: Why did you choose a 17th century painting?
 
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