(by Debora, Dolores, and Luna)
On June 18th, 1815, the Battle of Waterloo in which the British Army defeated Napoleon concluded the lengthy reign of a sad dictator, who was coincidentally mentioned above. From what we gathered, this was cause for rejoicing; however, according to romanticismanthology.com, there were considerably economic and political repercussions. Trade restrictions, in the aftermath of the war, created a shortage of affordable food and many were left without it. In addition, the eruption of Mount Tambora in Indonesia created massive ash clouds which blocked out the sun and affected weather patterns for the coming three years. According to historyeighteenhundreds.about.com, the lack of sunlight “resulted in crop failures and famine.” Many farm families were forced away from rural areas and into cities to seek work and sustenance. Unfortunately, the sheer amount of newcomers overwhelmed the food resources and available jobs.
This dark time (with regards to climate and therefore general mood) inspired several talented friends of the time, including Lord Byron and Mary Shelley, to gather at Lake Geneva and share ideas. The grey and cold imagery of the time, combined with the difficult life conditions inspired many pieces of literature that would become well known, such as Frankenstein and Darkness.
John Murray in 1816 