American RomanticismAmerican Romanticism

Early 1800’s to 1850Early 1800’s to 1850

Before we look at what Before we look at what Romanticism IS, we have to think Romanticism IS, we have to think

about what it IS NOT!about what it IS NOT!Despite the name of the literary period, Despite the name of the literary period,

Romanticism Romanticism does notdoes not deal with sappy deal with sappy love stories.love stories.

THIS IS NOT THE KIND OF LITERATURE THAT WE ARE GOING TO STUDY. THIS IS THE KIND OF BOOK YOUR GRANDMA READS AT THE BEACH!

So what IS Romanticism?So what IS Romanticism?

Romanticism is the name for the literary Romanticism is the name for the literary period that followed the Age of Reason in period that followed the Age of Reason in America. America.

Due to the fact that the country was now Due to the fact that the country was now established, writers moved their focus established, writers moved their focus away from political matters and away from political matters and revolutionary governmental ideas, and revolutionary governmental ideas, and began to focus on other aspects of life began to focus on other aspects of life (emotions, possibilities, imagination etc…)(emotions, possibilities, imagination etc…)

Types of lit. prevalent in Types of lit. prevalent in Romanticism…Romanticism…

Short storiesShort storiesRomances (book length stories that differ Romances (book length stories that differ

slightly from novels)slightly from novels)PoetryPoetryEssaysEssays

Elements of RomanticismElements of Romanticism

1. Frontier: vast expanse, freedom, no 1. Frontier: vast expanse, freedom, no geographic limitations. geographic limitations.

2. Optimism: greater than in Europe because of 2. Optimism: greater than in Europe because of the presence of frontier. the presence of frontier.

3. Experimentation: in science, in institutions. 3. Experimentation: in science, in institutions. 4. Mingling of races: immigrants in large 4. Mingling of races: immigrants in large

numbers arrive to the US. numbers arrive to the US. 5. Growth of industrialization: polarization of 5. Growth of industrialization: polarization of

north and south; north becomes industrialized, north and south; north becomes industrialized, south remains agricultural.south remains agricultural.

Romantic Subject MatterRomantic Subject Matter 1. The quest for beauty: non-didactic, "pure beauty." 1. The quest for beauty: non-didactic, "pure beauty." 2. The use of the far-away and non-normal - antique 2. The use of the far-away and non-normal - antique

and fanciful: and fanciful: a Characterization and mood: grotesque, a Characterization and mood: grotesque,

gothicism, sense of terror, fear; use of the odd gothicism, sense of terror, fear; use of the odd and strange.and strange.

3. Escapism - from American problems. 3. Escapism - from American problems. 4. Interest in external nature - for itself, for beauty: 4. Interest in external nature - for itself, for beauty:

a. Nature as source for the knowledge of the a. Nature as source for the knowledge of the primitive. primitive.

b. Nature as refuge. b. Nature as refuge. c. Nature as revelation of God to the individual.c. Nature as revelation of God to the individual.

Romantic AttitudesRomantic Attitudes

1. Appeals to imagination; use of the 1. Appeals to imagination; use of the "willing suspension of disbelief." "willing suspension of disbelief."

2. 2. Stress on intuition, emotion, and Stress on intuition, emotion, and imagination rather than reason; imagination rather than reason; optimism, geniality. optimism, geniality.

3. Subjectivity: in form and meaning.3. Subjectivity: in form and meaning.

With your partner:With your partner:(2 minutes)(2 minutes)

ANSWER THE FOLLOWING:ANSWER THE FOLLOWING:What kind of beauty did the Romantics What kind of beauty did the Romantics

seek to understand and portray? (subject seek to understand and portray? (subject matter slide)matter slide)

What is the most important Romantic What is the most important Romantic attitude? attitude?

Romantic TechniquesRomantic Techniques

1. Remoteness of settings in time and 1. Remoteness of settings in time and space. space.

2. Improbable plots. 2. Improbable plots. 3. Inadequate or unlikely characterization. 3. Inadequate or unlikely characterization. 4. Authorial subjectivity. 4. Authorial subjectivity. 5. Socially "harmful morality;" a world of 5. Socially "harmful morality;" a world of

"lies." "lies." 6. Organic principle in writing: form rises 6. Organic principle in writing: form rises

out of content, non-formal. out of content, non-formal.

Representative writersRepresentative writers

William Cullen BryantWilliam Cullen BryantHenry Wadsworth LongfellowHenry Wadsworth Longfellow

DARK ROMANTICSDARK ROMANTICSNathaniel Hawthorne Nathaniel Hawthorne Herman MelvilleHerman MelvilleEdgar Allan Poe Edgar Allan Poe

Representative works:Representative works:

Hawthorne: Hawthorne: The Scarlet Letter, The Scarlet Letter, “Young “Young Goodman Brown,” “The Minister’s Black Goodman Brown,” “The Minister’s Black Veil.”Veil.”

Melville: Melville: Moby Dick, Moby Dick, “Billy Budd.”“Billy Budd.” Irving: “The Devil and Tom Walker”Irving: “The Devil and Tom Walker” Poe: “The Pit and the Pendulum” and many Poe: “The Pit and the Pendulum” and many

others… others… Bryant “Thanatopsis”Bryant “Thanatopsis” Longfellow “Song of Life”Longfellow “Song of Life”

BIG PICTURE.BIG PICTURE.

Romantic VIEW OF MAN: Focus on the Romantic VIEW OF MAN: Focus on the individual and his inner world (imagination individual and his inner world (imagination and emotions).and emotions).

BIG PICTUREBIG PICTURE

Romantic VIEW OF NATURE: Nature is Romantic VIEW OF NATURE: Nature is beautiful, mysterious, and symbolic. God beautiful, mysterious, and symbolic. God can be seen in nature.can be seen in nature.

BIG PICTUREBIG PICTURE

Romantic GUIDE TO TRUTH: Intuition Romantic GUIDE TO TRUTH: Intuition (inner voice or gut feeling) and imagination (inner voice or gut feeling) and imagination guides each individual to understanding.guides each individual to understanding.

Ticket out the door.Ticket out the door.

Name three Romantic writers (from the list Name three Romantic writers (from the list you just copied.)you just copied.)

Give the ROMANTIC VIEW OF MAN.Give the ROMANTIC VIEW OF MAN.Give the ROMANTIC VIEW OF NATURE.Give the ROMANTIC VIEW OF NATURE.Give the ROMANTIC GUIDE TO TRUTH.Give the ROMANTIC GUIDE TO TRUTH.