While William Hazlitt is often associated with Romanticism, categorizing him solely as a Romantic is a simplification. His writing, though deeply influenced by the Romantic movement, exhibits a complexity that defies easy classification.
Hazlitt's Romantic Influences:
- Emphasis on Emotion and Individuality: Hazlitt's essays often delve into personal experiences and explore the complexities of human emotion. He champions the power of feeling and individuality, a core tenet of Romanticism.
- Nature as Inspiration: Like many Romantics, Hazlitt finds inspiration in nature, seeing it as a source of beauty, solace, and truth. His essays often feature evocative descriptions of the natural world.
- Focus on the Sublime: Hazlitt frequently explores the sublime, a concept central to Romanticism that emphasizes the awe-inspiring and overwhelming aspects of nature and human experience.
Hazlitt's Departure from Romanticism:
- Critical and Analytical Approach: While embracing Romantic ideals, Hazlitt also maintained a critical and analytical approach, often challenging the excesses of Romanticism.
- Emphasis on Reason: Hazlitt valued reason and intellect, arguing that they were essential for understanding the world and achieving personal growth. This element distinguishes him from some Romantic writers who emphasized emotion above all else.
- Social and Political Concerns: Unlike some Romantic writers who focused primarily on individual experience and the beauty of nature, Hazlitt was deeply engaged with social and political issues. He was a vocal critic of injustice and inequality, aligning more with the Enlightenment tradition.
Conclusion:
While Hazlitt shared many of the core tenets of Romanticism, his writing also exhibits a unique blend of Romantic sensibility, Enlightenment reason, and social commentary. This complexity makes him a challenging figure to categorize definitively.
