America Isn't Romantic
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Transcript of America Isn't Romantic
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America Isnt Romantic
By: William Phillips
History 2010
Section HIST-2010-014
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Art is not emotion. Rather, art was not emotion. The present perception of art as a
medium of autonomous emotive expression is a consequence of new artistic ideals. Classic
western artist, such as Beethoven and Mozart, were not dependent upon empathic emotion.
Instead, they were manipulators of consciousness. They presented a designed experience as
opposed to a means of absolute self-expression. The modern reality of American art and its
relationship with emotional transparency is a direct culmination of the 19th
century European
movement of Romanticism. However, the concept of Romanticism is very abstract. In order to
accurately draw conclusions on its influence, we must define its parameters as well as understand
its context in time.
Romanticism is not easily defined. A prevalent generalization within the music
community is that Romantic composers tend to focus less on form than their predecessors.
However, that description is more contingent on what it is not than what it is. Deniz Tekiner
Ph.D. expresses a similar dissatisfaction with this definition. He states such a sociological
generality pays little or no attention to the ideas of individual artist1. He goes on to say that in
order to define Romanticism one must examine its, spiritual existential concerns2. What
Tekiner fails to realize is that it is the existence of these concerns that truly separates
Romanticism from its predecessors. The concept of spiritual existentialism is the only
commonality shared amongst emissaries of the style. This distinction is much more obvious
when put into historical context.
The era of Romanticism was a direct response to the previous Age of Enlightenment in
Europe. The Enlightenment brought forth notions of logical totalitarianism. Emotion and
1Deniz Tekiner, Modern Art and the Romantic Vision (New York: University Press of America, 2000), vii
2Tekiner, Modern Art, 5
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spirituality were deliberately slandered as irrational and insignificant. This would create an
environment hostile toward emotional suppression. It would also encourage the exploration of
self; this is Romanticism. Romanticism favors an optimistic mindset, but only in reaction to the
apathy and disenfranchisement brought on by the Enlightenment3. It was this embrace of the
inexplicable that made Romanticism so heavily applicable in America4.
The American frontier was a new land, free from the shackles of cultural, political, and
social precedents. Tekiner stressed that the ideas of artist arise in response to general social
conditions1. If we accept that, then it is quite obvious that Romanticisms liberal nature would
attract the artists of historys most free society. These ideals of freedom and self-analysis would
not be emboldened by any selection better than Americas writers.
American literature had the most discernible application of Romanticism. Writer William
Andrews says the Romantic attitude is, essentially American and the birthright of the
American writer5. The first selection within Andrews book of essays on American
Romanticism is authored by Clarence Gohdes. Gohdes proclaims that Americas deep
understanding of Romantic philosophy stems from its experiments in democracy5. He goes on
further, stating that great American author Ralph Waldo Emersons idealism undergird the
American faith in government5. Indeed, Emersons romantic idealism would serve as
democratic propaganda. A contemporary of Emersons, Nathaniel Hawthorne, would approach
Romanticism through a much different perspective.
3Tekiner, Modern Art, 6
4Richard Moody,America Takes the Stage (New York: Indiana University Press, 1969), 1
5William Andrews, Literary Romanticism in America (Baton Rouge: Louisana State University Press, 1981), ix
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In place of Emersons starry-eyed idealism, Nathaniel Hawthorne would discover in the
nations past the seeds of mounting irrepressible conflicts, not a glorious manifest destiny6.
These two authors demonstrate an important quality of Romanticism. The optimism it emblazons
is not always positive. Instead, it is optimism for the search rather than the outcome. This
concept of the search is applied most efficaciously in the work of Henry Thoreau. Thoreau is
quoted as saying, the farthestwest is but the farthest east, and that a traveler must expect to
be born again on the road7. This idea of romantic rebirth as a pilgrimage would be mirrored on
the American Stage.
American theatre was full of romantic detailssuch as the the real life adventures in the
birth and growth of the new democracy8. Moody defines the early American theatres romantic
idealism as directly stemming from the adventurous dream of unexplored frontiers9. Moody
states that since America had never been subjected to the rigid classical system of art,
Romanticism was applied to life, not art10 . This meant it was embraced as the only form of
expression, instead of a rejection of any previous establishment. In this light, we can better
evaluate the often crude yet expressive works of American Romantic theatre. One of the main
contributors to American theatre was William Dunlap11.
Dunlap was an absolute Romantic, and he saw the previously misunderstood liberty in
Americas blank scrapbook. He stated that America was an art utopia due to it being
unhampered by caste, or the dead hand of prestige11. However, Romantic theatre would not
6Andrews, Literary Romanticism, ix
7Joel Porte, In Respect To Egotism: Studies in American Romantic Writing (New York: Cambridge University Press,
1991), 1648
Moody,America Takes the Stage, vii9
Moody,America Takes the Stage, 110
Moody,America Takes the Stage, 24-2511
Moody,America Takes the Stage, 27-28
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truly become a significantpart of American culture until the 1820s11. During this period, a
number of important works would be released including:Metamora,Mount Savage, The Patriot,
and The Gladiator. All these works celebrated distinctly American ideals such as heroes of the
Revolution, Native Americans, and the newly crowned republic. Indeed, the main application of
Romantic Idealism would be through the praise of liberty in our new democracy.
Americas devotion to liberty and democracy cultivated the most fertile habitat for the
Romantic archetype. Its vast open landscape, promised fulfilled aspirations and unconditional
freedom. These sentiments animated Americas artistic movements in Literature and Theatre
throughout the 1800s. However, Romanticisms effect on American culture would not end
there. In the early 1900s, Abstract Expressionism became Americas first art movement. The
movement had spiritual inspiration and solid foundations in Romanticism12. Americas
fascination and admiration of the Romantic ideal will never die because Romanticism is the
innate basis of our culture. Many argue that the founding of this country was due to the Romantic
revolutions happening in Europe9. Its ideologies are laced within the core of American literature,
theatre, art, and philosophy. America isnt Romantic, Romanticism is America.
12Tekiner, Modern Art, 47
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Bibliography
Andrews, William.Literary Romanticism in America. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University
Press, 1981.
Moody, Richard.America Takes the Stage; Romanticism in American Drama and Theatre, 1750-
1900. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1955.
Porte, Joel.In Respect to Egotism: Studies in American Romantic Writing. New York: Press
Syndicate of the University of Cambridge, 1991.
Tekiner, Denise.Modern Art and the Romantic Vision. Lanham: University Press of America,
1999.