The Romantic Journey: Tintern Abbey and Whale Rider

Whale Rider, Wordsworth and the Romantic Journey
The romantic journey deals with the understanding of the static world, the spiritual world, death, rebirth and the return to the world with affirmations. Both the movie Whale Rider, and Wordsworth's "Tintern Abbey" are examples of the Romantic Journey. Whale Rider is a timeless story that involves spiritual death and mystical awakenings. It features not only the proof that children have a stronger view of heaven than do adults, but also illustrates the painful fall from innocence into experience. Similarly, Tintern Abbey is an illustration of nature viewed from the eyes of innocence. Each revolves around a spiritual death and secular conversion. Each journey features a person that moves from trust in the universe to a period of doubt and despair, then to a reaffirmation of faith in cosmic goodness, or understanding. The Romantic Journey is a journey that is eternal and transcends eras both before and after the Romantic Age.
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