During Romanticism, a literary movement in Europe from about 1800-1850, the idea of the hero or saint changed to emphasize the qualities of introspection and insight over bravery and action. The Romantic hero, who appeared in works by Goethe, Byron, and others, is largely alienated and isolated from society, and the hero is often engaged in a melancholic reflection on his or her flaws or failings. As a result, the Romantic hero often leads a solitary existence and feels more comfortable in nature than in society. The Romantic hero is quite different than the earlier epic hero, including figures such as Odysseus or Beowulf, as the Romantic hero does not find a place within society but is alienated and apart from it. Goethe's Werther in The Sorrows of Young Werther is the quintessential Romantic hero, as he is forever sad about not winning the love of Charlotte, who is engaged to marry another man. Realizing that he will be forever bereft, he decides to kill himself with Charlotte's loving assistance.
Does anybody know the etymology of the phrase "sweet dreams"? I tried googling but did not find anything satisfying. Is this a relatively new phrase of the modern world or has this been in use for some time? I think it's the latter one. Answer The OED has the interjection as "a farewell to someone going to bed" from the 20th century: 1908 Sears Roebuck Catal. 198/1 Tenor Solos..Good Bye, Sweet Dreams, Good Bye. But it goes back until at least the 19th and possibly 18th centuries. John Wolcot, writing under the pseudonym of Peter Pindar, used it in his poem "Orson and Ellen; A Legendary Tale" published in 1801: Also from 1801 in The infernal Quixote (Page 287) by Charles Lucas: In the March 1776 of The Universal Magazine was published "The Serenade. A Pastoral Tale. From the German of Gesner" , where the shepherd Daphnis watches over his beloved as she sleeps and sings: The same tale appears in 1776's as Idyl XI, " Daphnis ...
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