Terms of the Day for October 3

• Romanticism – an artistic, literary, and intellectual movement that gained momentum in 19th century Europe and the Americas.  It was a revolt against aristocratic social and political norms of the Age of Enlightenment and a reaction against the scientific rationalization of nature.  Artists explored strong emotion as a source of aesthetic experience, placing new emphasis on such emotions as trepidation, horror, terror, and awe—especially when confronted by untamed nature and the “exotic”.
• The Victorian Era - the period of Queen Victoria's reign over the British Empire from 1837 until her death in 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities, and national self-confidence for Britain.  The period was also marked by a rising middle class, sexual repression, and a renewed division of public and private life.