the Romantic sublime
During the Romantic era of literature, there arose a concept, fluid and hard to pin down, called the sublime. The word sublime nowadays is used to mean something like wonderful or marvelous, but to the Romantics, it described a deeper, more intense appreciation and interaction with the world around them. Often it described nature or natural phenomena, but was not limited to this entirely.
In short, it seems to describe a paradoxical reaction when encountering something that inhabits a place in the world that is so much greater than one’s own.
For example, a mountain can be described as sublime. It is so much bigger than our small human selves and thus it inspires a sense of fear and terror; it takes our breath away for a moment. But the reaction is not entirely terror, is it? I would be surprised actually if anyone described their reaction to seeing a mountain as terrified, unless, of course, they were scared of heights. It is more a sense of admiration and awe that such a thing exists. We are intimidated by such a natural phenomenon, but we are not exactly afraid of it, because what really can it do to hurt us?
Such a nebulous reaction is an example of the sublime.
And this concept instantly appealed to my young mind, the desire to define something that was almost too fluid to describe. And yet I knew the experience intimately. I think anyone who has spent enough appreciative time in nature would say the same.
I would describe any large body of water as sublime. Terror definitely comes more into play here, as the waves and the depths are much more apt to do danger to one just on their shores than one at the bottom of a mountain. But the sensation of my breath catching in my throat as I look out over the wavering expanse, watching such a powerful and unpredictable thing exist, is not entirely fear.
I admire the power, the surge, the chaos. It scares me, sure. I am deeply careful as I climb along the rocks of the shore. But I do not look on the waves with eyes wide in fear. No, it is with a sense of joy and dazzled respect. It is a wonder to exist in the same space.
~dys