Dark Romanticism 1800 - 1860

Let’s review... Before we can begin to discuss Dark Romanticism, we must review what Romanticism itself was and review our previous unit: Transcendentalism.

Review of Romanticism What was Romanticism? Romanticism was a cultural movement during the early to mid-18th century that valued imagination, feeling, and nature. This painting is by the German-American painter, Albert Bierstadt. What makes this painting Romantic?

Review of Romanticism What was Romanticism in response to? Romanticism emerged in response to the “Age of Reason” which valued logic, rationality, and science. This piece is by the American painter, John Trumball. How does this painting differ from the previous?

Review of Romanticism: Imagination Imagination, individual feelings, and nature were of greater value than logic and reason.

Review of Romanticism: Nature Nature was the key to spiritual and moral development. Many works focused on exotic and imagined locations. Transcendentalism emerges. A few famous Transcendentalist were: Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau Thoughts emerged from intuition on not logic.

The Transcendentalists Who were some of the early Transcendentalists? Ralph Waldo Emerson Henry David Thoreau What were the main subjects of these two authors? Independence The value of nature

What did they value? Nature Simplicity Self-Trust Innate goodness A source of inspiration Simplicity Individual Self-Trust “Self-Reliance” Innate goodness Mankind was naturally good natured

Half-Full Glass Transcendentalism focused on the positive, optimistic sides of society as a response to the negative events within the nation. Growing conflict over slavery War Industrial growth The movement from nature to machinery

However, not everyone saw the world this way... The Dark Romantics begin to emerge during the Transcendentalist Movement. Transcendentalists had ignored the darker side of Puritan ideals such as guilt, innate wickedness, and madness. From birth - innate

Dark The Dark Romantics were the flip-side of the Romantic coin in comparison to the Transcendentalist with these characteristics: Exploration of the conflict between good and evil The affects of guilt and sin Madness and insanity Horror

Supernatural Alongside the natural, an interest in the supernatural emerged. Authors such as Edgar Allan Poe and Washington Irving continuously played with this realm of belief.

Nature The Dark Romantics create a balance – nature ( and all elements that lie within it, including mankind) is not necessarily good. What feelings are evoked from a picture such as this?

In this unit... We will examine the darker side of Romantic belief in America. Three commonly known Dark Romantic authors are: Nathaniel Hawthorne Edgar Allan Poe Herman Melville

Nathaniel Hawthorne Born: July 4, 1804 Died: May 19, 1864 Notable works: The Scarlet Letter The House of the Seven Gables Twice-Told Tales Young Goodman Brown

Edgar Allan Poe Born: January 19, 1809 Died: October 7, 1849 Notable works: “The Cask of Amontillado” “The Raven” “The Pit and the Pendulum” “The Tell-Tale Heart” “The Fall of the House of Usher”

Herman Melville Born: August 19, 1819 Died: September 28, 1891 Notable works: Moby Dick “Bartleby the Scrivener” Billy Budd

Remember...