The Trumpet of Prophecy: Romanticism and its Afterlives

On May 4, 2023, the Department of English of Loreto College, Kolkata organised an event entitled “The Trumpet of Prophecy: Romanticism and its Afterlives” to commemorate the influence of English Romanticism on art, literature, music, and culture. The event was attended by students, scholars, and teachers from various institutions in the city.

The programme commenced with a keynote speech by Professor Malabika Sarkar, Principal Academic Advisor and Professor of English at Ashoka University. Professor Sarkar traced the evolution of Romanticism and emphasised the Romantics’ passion for individualism and emotional intensity. She also established how the Romantic poets saw themselves as prophetic figures who could intuitively grasp the transcendental ideals behind Nature’s material forms.

The keynote address was followed by student paper presentations by Rayana Roy, Ishany Nandy, Rupanjana Ghosh, and Aishi Sarkar of the undergraduate level and Anushka Hazra of the postgraduate level. The session was chaired by Dr. Souvik Mukherjee. The papers innovatively explored the intersections between Romanticism and other socio-cultural and artistic discourses.

The highlight of the event was a guided virtual tour of Dove Cottage, best recognised as William Wordsworth’s residence in Grasmere Village, Cumbria from 1799 to 1808. The tour was conducted by Jeff Cowton, Principal Curator and Head of Learning at the Wordsworth Trust, UK. In the course of this fascinating tour that offered a glimpse into the day-to-day lives of the Wordsworth family, the audience was also introduced to the Jerwood Centre, an archive of manuscripts, books, and memorabilia situated close to Dove Cottage.

The day ended with an exciting “Know Your Romantics” quiz conducted by Ms. Sudeshna Banerjee and Mr. Somnath Basu. Teams from Lady Brabourne College, Gokhale Memorial Girls College, Scottish Church College, Jadavpur University, and Loreto College qualified for the quiz after a tough preliminary round. Scottish Church College emerged as the winner, while Jadavpur University, Lady Brabourne College, and Loreto College tied for the runners-up position.