Show how Thomson, Akenside and Collins are precursors of Romanticism 9.12 QUESTIONS FOR FURTHER STUDY (MEG 102)

James Thomson, Mark Akenside, and William Collins are often considered precursors of Romanticism due to their contributions to the development of several key themes and techniques that would become central to the Romantic movement. Here are some examples:

Thomson's "The Seasons" (1730): This poem celebrated the beauty and power of the natural world and its changing seasons, setting the stage for the Romantic focus on nature and the sublime. Thomson's vivid descriptions of the natural world and his celebration of the beauty of rural life influenced many Romantic poets, such as William Wordsworth and John Keats.

Akenside's "The Pleasures of Imagination" (1744): This poem celebrated the imagination as a source of creativity, inspiration, and individual freedom, anticipating the Romantic emphasis on the power of the imagination. Akenside also rejected the strict rationalism of the Enlightenment and celebrated the "wild, wandering, prophetic dream" of the Romantic imagination.

Collins' "Ode on the Poetical Character" (1746): This poem celebrated the visionary power of the poet and the imagination, anticipating the Romantic emphasis on creativity and individual vision. Collins' use of vivid imagery and symbolism also influenced the development of Romantic poetic techniques, such as the use of metaphor and allegory.

Overall, Thomson, Akenside, and Collins helped to set the stage for the Romantic movement by anticipating many of its key themes and techniques. Their emphasis on nature, the imagination, and individualism, as well as their rejection of Enlightenment rationalism, helped to pave the way for the Romantic celebration of the subjective, the mystical, and the mysterious.