Romanticism in America:Romanticism in America:The 19The 19thth Century Century

Mrs. BurgunMrs. Burgun

A Transition in Culture: A Transition in Culture: from classical architecture…from classical architecture…

Massachusettes State House in Boston

Drayton Hall in Charleston, S. Carolina

National Building Museum, Washington D.C.

……to romantic to romantic architecturearchitecture

Brooklyn Bridge, NY

Bradbury Building, Los Angeles

Stick Style- American Gothic

Cathedral of Learning, Pittsburg

from classical gardening…from classical gardening…

……to romantic to romantic gardeninggardening

from classical from classical art…art…

…to romantic art

from classical music…

…to romantic music

Aims of RomanticismAims of Romanticism Return to NATURE and to the belief in the Return to NATURE and to the belief in the

goodness of humanitygoodness of humanity Rediscovery of the artist as a supremely Rediscovery of the artist as a supremely

individual creatorindividual creator Development of nationalistic prideDevelopment of nationalistic pride Use of intuition and emotion rather than Use of intuition and emotion rather than

intellect and reasonintellect and reason Creation of heroesCreation of heroes Rediscover ideas of medieval eraRediscover ideas of medieval era

Literary Movements Within Literary Movements Within RomanticismRomanticism

The Fireside PoetsThe Fireside Poets

-1-1stst American poets to demonstrate to American poets to demonstrate to the world that the United Sates was equal the world that the United Sates was equal to Europe in producing quality poetryto Europe in producing quality poetry -Poetry was read around the fireplace by -Poetry was read around the fireplace by families for entertainmentfamilies for entertainment -Fireplace symbolized comfort and unity-Fireplace symbolized comfort and unity -Poetry was often narrative, told a story-Poetry was often narrative, told a story

The Fireside PoetsThe Fireside Poets

HolmesHolmes BryantBryant LongfellowLongfellow WhittierWhittier LowellLowell

GothicGothic Symbolic exploration of the unconscious Symbolic exploration of the unconscious

through the strange, the frightening, and the through the strange, the frightening, and the irrational.irrational.

Setting of Gothic stories is typically a Setting of Gothic stories is typically a threatening landscape in which characters deal threatening landscape in which characters deal with deep anxieties within themselves and with deep anxieties within themselves and within cultureswithin cultures

Exaggerate elemental forces, psychological Exaggerate elemental forces, psychological undercurrents, and mind/body struggles.undercurrents, and mind/body struggles.

Includes often supernatural forcesIncludes often supernatural forces

Gothic AuthorsGothic Authors

Poe- Fall of the House of Usher, The RavenPoe- Fall of the House of Usher, The Raven Hawthorne- The Scarlet Letter, The Minister’s Hawthorne- The Scarlet Letter, The Minister’s

Black VeilBlack Veil Jacobs- Incidents in the Life of a Slave GirlJacobs- Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl

TranscendentalismTranscendentalism Reaction against classicalismReaction against classicalism Incorporates Indian and Chinese religious teachings Incorporates Indian and Chinese religious teachings

into beliefs that God is alive in NATURE.into beliefs that God is alive in NATURE. Tuition is the highest source of knowledgeTuition is the highest source of knowledge Emphasis onEmphasis on

-Individualism-Individualism-Self-reliance-Self-reliance-Rejection of traditional authority (societal -Rejection of traditional authority (societal

constraints)constraints) Against Slavery.Against Slavery.

Transcendentalism AuthorsTranscendentalism Authors

Emmerson- Civil DisobedienceEmmerson- Civil Disobedience Thoreau- WaldenThoreau- Walden