“Art is not an escape from life; it is an escape into life.”

Can’t remember the exact words…but I believe this real strong.

I don’t understand why some of the poets, rather ‘romantic’ poets talk about escape from life, death and stuff. I don’t understand what is so romantic about death! Most literate people, most famous and looked-upon people there are always talking about death...finding solace...achieving divinity...spirituality....ughh! No offence, but I find it gross.

“In "Intimations of I Mortality” by Wordsworth, Death, as the poet explained in this poem, is then nothing but a return to a more complete and more satisfactory existence.”

How can you explain something as complete and satisfactory, without even being a part of it? I find that pessimistic.

“Life is an existence of isolation, and of no intrinsic value, whereas death is perfection, and man can submerge himself again in nature, and become part of the universe.”

If life is of no value, then why do people hate to lose? Why people get hurt? Why benevolent people still exist? Why people want to help? and most strangely, if life is so valueless, why committing suicide (i.e, 'achieving perfection') regarded silly and foolish, even a crime??

“With Shelley the obsession of death was extraordinary. He saw in it the perfect state, the stage of ultimate and peaceful happiness, and his short life saw him occupied with the thought of death in every poem he wrote.”

How can every creation of someone be so out of touch with life? If creation gives a feeling of god (again, god is a controversial concept! But that is for some other day...), then the opportunity to create is given by 'life' itself…then how can the end of life be ‘the stage of ultimate happiness’?

“there was that other form of death which meant freedom from suffering, the escape from the effects of time, which seemed the only ideal state to poet, John Keats.”

Somehow, I don’t find romanticism in escaping and running away from sufferings. Face it and fight it…that brings some romantic touch for me!

“Romantic poetry is born out of the sense of imperfection, and the poets who were influenced by the ideas of romanticism, could never free themselves from the obsession of death that promised an escape from the imperfection of life. They regretted the limitations that were imposed, and death appeared to them as the ideal state.”

I hate to regret and brood…people who regret and repent and run away seem like losers!

There is really a lot to life (even, our dear romantic poets have lots to say about it! :) contradictions!! :| ...again something i don't understand!). I just feel, rather than plunging ourselves into pessimistic, imaginary romanticism, its better to draw inspiration from practical-emotions, that help us in real situations, without wasting time, gaining stress and worrying futile.

[but then again, i am so ignorant! ;)]