History Of European Romantic Thought

By discussing the birth and development of romanticism historiography, and viewpoints of outstanding romanticism historiographers, this paper thoroughly sets forth basic connotations of ideology of romanticism historiography, and indicates its importance in the developmental history of western historiography and far-reaching influence on the development of western historiography as a whole.This paper consists of three parts, that is, introduction, body and conclusion. The introduction is on the purpose and meaning of this study, some related researches made by scholars both at home and abroad, and train of thought and sources of this paper. The body includes six parts.In part one, it mainly discusses the background of romanticism historiography. Through doing textual researches on the word "romanticism" and discussions on the development, main features and schools of romanticism movement, it indicates that when being observed and discussed, ideology of romanticism historiography should be put in the integrated background of romanticism movement. Therefore, it can be fully understood and grasped.In part two, it mainly discusses historical views on romanticism. By doing observations on the sense development of nature, it indicates the significant connections between the forming of romanticism historiography and changes of conceptions on nature, and highlights the viewpoints on organism development of romanticism historiography. Then, it analyzes the unity of individuality and continuity of romanticism historiography, takes a deep insight into the relations between romanticism historiography and enlightenment history, and lays stress on subject features of romanticism historiography. Meanwhile, techniques of expression of romanticism historiography in compiling history are also discussed in this part.In part three, by discussing the relations between romanticism historiography and national history, it explains their uniformity, that is to say, both lay stress on individuality, continuity and entirety. Besides, it states the romanticism origin of national history, and its identity with cosmopolitanism in its initial period.In part four, it discusses the ideology of history put forward by Johann Gottfried Herder, namely, "historical organism". Specifically, it mainly states the sources of his idea, his pioneering contribution to the development of romanticism historiography, novel viewpoints on historical methodology, his empathy theory, and the uniformity of his romanticism historiography ideology and national history ideology based on his empathy theory.In part five, it mainly discusses the romanticism historiography of "History is resurrection", put forward by Jules Michelet. Through observing his personal experience, and closely-knitted relations between his times and the forming of his historical ideology, it states his political democracy tendency of romanticism historiography ideology, and meanwhile analyzes his unique angle of view on history from nature.In part six, it mainly analyzes the romanticism historiography of "Treat history as prophecy", put forward by Thomas Carlyle. In addition, it states his opinions on the past, present and future, and writing of Carlyle style to truly revive the past, and vividly reappear the past scenes, and then explains the internal uniformity of his historical ideology and expression methods.Conclusion, by putting romanticism historiography in the development of western historiography, discusses its status and influence in western historiography.