American Romanticism

American Romanticism1800 - 1855The Romantic PeriodThe "Romantic Period" refers to literary and cultural movements in England, Europe, and America roughly from 1770 to 1860. Romantic writers (and artists) saw themselves as revolting against the "Age of Reason" (1700-1770) and its values.

RomanticismRationalism or The Age of ReasonImagination and EmotionReason and Formal RulesSpontaneityControlSubjectivity and Personal ExpressionFactRevolution and RebellionTraditionIndividualismSocial ConformityLove of Nature and SolitudeLove of Public, Urban LifeInterested in the Supernatural, Medieval, Mystical, Gothic, and ExoticInterested in the Biblical, Classical Greece and RomeCharacteristics ofRomantic literaturea desire to idealize the mysteries, dangers, and holiness found within naturea desire to find solace and escape within unmodified naturea desire to idealize primitive (natural) cultures and primitive peoplea desire to idealize the American past (in lieu of a classical past)a desire to favors the individualistic anti-hero to that of the traditional heroStatic characters--no development shown Formal yet less pretentious language than neoclassical antecedentsCharacteristics of Romantic literatureThe good receive justice; nature can also punish or reward Emphasis on universal rather than learned truths Plot arranged around crisis moments; plot is important Supernatural foreshadowing (dreams, visions) exotic settings distanced from society and set in a different time imaginatively improbable eventswild displays of passionate feelingsUniverse is mysterious; irrational; incomprehensibleIn order to make these romantic stories seem real to the reader, authors would employ verisimilitude, or the appearance of being true or real, by setting the story in a real location and time period.Sub genres of Romantic LiteratureSlave narrative: protest; struggle for authors self-realization/identity Female gothic: depicted feminine societal and sexual desires; suppression of female sexuality; challenge to the gender hierarchy and values of a male-dominated culture, featured the supernatural explained.Ann Radcliffe, Mary Shelley, and Charlotte BrontGothic : a movement that focused on ruin, decay, death, terror, and chaos, and irrationality and passion over rationality and reason Edgar Allan Poe and Nathaniel HawthorneTranscendentalism: taught that divinity pervades all nature and humanity, and its members held progressive views on feminism and communal livingRalph Waldo Emerson and Henry David ThoreauBildungsroman: he growing up or "coming of age" of a sensitive person who goes in search of answers to life's questions with the expectation that these will result from gaining experience of the world.Jane Eyre (1847), The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884), The Catcher in the Rye (1951), and The Perks of Being a Wallflower (1999)American Graffiti (1973), The Breakfast Club (1985), Stand by Me (1986), and Almost Famous (2000)Genre and styleValued the five Is: Imagination, Intuition, Idealism, Inspiration, and IndividualityRomantics idealize nature and believe that many of the ills of society result from urbanization.Nature becomes a means for divine revelation and a metaphor for the creative process.Placed faith in inner experience and the power of the imagination. Shunned the artificiality of civilization and seek unspoiled nature as a path to spirituality. Championed individual freedom and the worth of the individual. Saw poetry as the highest expression of the imagination. Allegorical writing that can be interpreted two ways: surface and in depth Gothic literature (Dark Romanticism) Use of the supernatural Characters with both evil and good characteristics Elements of Gothic LiteratureThe author uses nature to set the tone:A sense of remoteness and a sense of indefinitenessAn eerie and ghostly atmosphereEmphasizes the physical aspects of the various structuresOften characters seem to share a psychic communication, usually between a member of the living world and a living corpse (the threshold between the world of the dead and that of the living becomes indefinite)One stock element concerns the possibility of returning to life after one is dead or inhabiting ones own corpse or being created from dead parts of cadaversSome stories place a strong emphasis on the life of the mind after the death of the bodyCharacters experience psychological, physical, or emotional torture, creating madnessEmphasis on a characters mind (internal thoughts are shown, often an unusual perspective) Often creates strange/unusual circumstances for situations to occur

Creation of the dark side of individualismIs a person inherently good and trustworthy? (Romantic/Transcendental view)A person is psychologically complex, potentially evil, insane/unstableIn order to explore this, authors set the stories in certain (extreme) situations to expose a persons true colors.

Changes in America between 1840-1860Manifest DestinyGold Rush (1849)Search for landFrontier promised opportunity for expansion, growth, freedomMexican War (1846-48)forced Mexican Cession of the territories of Alta California and New Mexico to the United States in exchange for $15 millionMexican recognition of Texas (among other territories) as independentImmigration brought new cultures and perspectivesThe belief in individualism and the promises of liberty and opportunity was not available to all because of poverty and lack of education. Americans were supposed to be free to develop their full potential.

Changes in America between 1840-1860Agricultural machinesRoadways and RailroadsTelegraph Baltimore and Washington in 1844; California by 1861Industrial RevolutionMass-production (Skilled worked replaced with machines that could be tended by unskilled, low-paid workers)Increase in productivity, lowering of costsCreated ugly mill towns with poor conditionsChild workersWashington Irving (1789-1851)The first famous American writer; often called "father of American Lit." He wrote short stories, travel books, satires. Legend of Sleepy Hollow (1820) terrified generations of children. Rip Van Winkle (1819) created success from failure; the antihero "Devil and Tom Walker (1824) tells the story of an encounter with the devil.

Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849)Poe suffered through a terrible childhood, dealt with substance abuse problems, and was reviled while he was alive. American author, poet, editor, and literary critic. Best known for his tales of mystery and the macabre, Poe was one of the earliest American practitioners of the short story, and is generally considered the inventor of the detective fiction genre. Attacked two long-standing conventions: a poem has to be long; it must teach a lesson. He was the first well-known American writer to try to earn a living through writing alone, resulting in a financially difficult life and career.The cause of Poes death at age 40 is unknown and variously attributed (alcohol, rabies, cooping).

Nathaniel hawthorne (1804-1864)Born in Salem, MassachusettsWilliam and John HathorneObsessed with sin and the religious intolerance of the PuritansWas lonely and lived in solitudeFathers deathAttempts to become a writerTwice Told Tales (1837) earned him fame. Admired by Edgar Allan Poe, who considered Hawthorne a genius.Anti-Transcendentalism (Dark Romanticism) and Herman MelvilleHis published works include novels, short stories, and a biography of his friend Franklin Pierce.

Nathaniel hawthorne (1804-1864)Hawthorne struggled with what he considered the overly optimistic ideas of the Transcendentalists. Evidence of this struggle between a belief in the perfectibility of humanity by following ones individual conscience and the essentially evil nature of humankind is seen in the ambiguity of The Scarlet Letter.Hawthorne's writing centers on New EnglandHis works feature moral allegories with a Puritan inspiration. His themes center on the inherent evil and sin of humanity, and his works often have moral messages and deep psychological complexity.

HAWTHORNES STYLEHawthorne is typical of the nineteenth century romantics. Like them, his storiesDeal with the strange and the mysterious.Involve symbolic imagination.Turn to the past for subject matter.Hawthorne focuses on the problem of evil and the nature of sin.Hawthorne asks, What is sin? Civil law v. natural lawNature sympathizes with those whom society has condemned.HAWTHORNES STYLEUnity of placeFormal language, precise word choice, logical and clear sentencesHawthorne uses images frequently to create the mood and emphasize his ideas.The narrator tells most of the story in the form of a summary.Poignant, dramatic scenesHawthorne interrupts to provide expositionSpeaks directly to the reader, offering a choice of interpretationsLiteral truth v. supernatural or symbolicHawthornes ambiguity presents problems to readers who feel they need to understand definitively.

Hawthornes SettingHistorically accurate to develop the mood and the ideas. Hawthorne did not live during that time and was not a Puritan.Allusions to Puritan ideals:Puritanism is a powerful religious and political forcePuritans persecuted those whose beliefs differed from their ownTheocracyThe role of both the ministers and the magistrates was to enforce the laws of God.New JerusalemAll Puritans were judges of the faith and works of every other memberValued hard work; idleness was sinDoctrine of PredeterminationHumans were too sinful to earn salvation; they needed to receive Gods grace.Hawthornes ThemesCivil law (Man-made) versus Natural lawThe nature of sin and the effects of sin on the individualSin results in the physical deterioration of the sinner.Admitting a sin develops an inner strength and acceptanceHumans need to feel a connection to others.People lack self-reliance.