Dark Romanticism and the Gothic Literature Movement

Romanticism • Movement that originated in Europe in the 18th century involving literature, art, and philosophy Largely a rebellion against the Age of Enlightenment and Neoclassicism (logic, reason, rationality) Stressed the importance of the individual, the imaginative, the emotional, and the irrational Characteristics generally include: pursuing emotion and imagination to find spiritual truth; relying on intuition over intellect; examining humanity’s connection to nature

Transcendentalism Divinity is within all nature and humanity. Beliefs: Transcendental Knowledge (emotion, individualism, glorification of the past & nature) Individuality Personal freedom Indian Religions Idealism Closely connected to the beliefs of the Romantics, but tried to embrace the empiricism of science. Transcendental Knowledge (based on German Romantic movement--emotion, individualism, glorification of the past & nature).

Dark Romanticism A literary subgenre of Romantic Literature that emerged from the transcendental philosophical movement popular in nineteenth-century America. Works in the dark romantic spirit were influenced by Transcendentalism, but did not entirely embrace the ideas of Transcendentalism.

Dark Romanticism The writers write in styles similar to Romanticism Excess in nature Lots of emotion Symbols aplenty But there were some differences…

Transcendentalism vs. Dark Romanticism transcendental movement = optimistic, divinity, the sublime, power of individual Dark Romantic less optimistic about mankind, nature, and divinity. The Romantic era was characterized by flair, extravagance, emotion and imagination

Transcendentalism vs. Dark Romanticism For Dark Romantics, nature = sinister power For Transcendentalists, nature = divine and universal mediator. Some, including Poe, Hawthorne and Melville, found Transcendental beliefs too optimistic and egotistical—reaction against this seen in their texts

The Dark Side of Nature Dark Romantics explore the dark side of nature Natural world = dark, decaying, and mysterious; when it does reveal truth to man, its revelations are evil and hellish. Not about religion…rather, more science led

The Dark Side of Humanity Individuals prone to sin and self-destruction Murder, sin, corruption, supernatural Main characters are deeply troubled…or will deeply trouble another Often shows individuals failing in their attempts to make changes for the better. Transcendentalists see individuals as inherently possessing divinity and wisdom.

Themes of Dark Romanticism Themes of horror, tragedy, the macabre and the supernatural Relies on human psyche’s attraction to fear, pain, and tragedy Led to the birth of the Gothic style and greatly influenced music, film, and art.

Gothic Literary Movement A subcategory of Romanticism Literature and art that reflects the supernatural, exotic, mysterious, and even satanic in some cases Often included medieval or gloomy settings, violent incidents, and/or macabre material Includes works such as Dracula, Frankenstein, and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Gothic Literary Movement Work to inspire terror, including through accounts of the macabre and supernatural, haunted structures, and the search for identity Skeptics find Gothic Literature melodramatic and predictable More about sheer terror than Dark Romanticism's themes of dark mystery and skepticism regarding man.

Modern Gothic There are modern adaptations of the term “gothic” Gothic – literature that combine elements of both Romanticism and Horror; exploration of the surrealism of human nature Usually these elements combine to form mysteries, ghost stories, spiritual awakenings, delving into the “sublime” Gothic does not mean evil, however this genre is where we start seeing actual “villains”

Emily Dickenson A reclusive 19th century poet who lived in most of her adult life in isolation She was a deeply energetic, intense person She wrote and read widely but wasn’t published until after her death Her family organized and published her poetry, but it didn’t gain national recognition until 1955

Nathaniel Hawthorne Born in Salem, Massachusetts to a family with a long New England history Changed his name from Hathorne to Hawthorne to separate himself from the legacy of judge Hathorne (witch trials) Friends with transcendentalists but was rather reclusive with his wife Works: Scarlet Letter, Minister’s Black Veil

Herman Melville Raised in a prominent New York family until his father’s death At age 12 he was attempting to support his family with odd jobs His adventures as a seaman inspired him to write Works: Moby Dick, Bartleby the Scrivener

Edgar Allen Poe 1/19/1809 – 10/7/1849 Poe’s writings are synonymous with horror and the horror genre Bleak imagery and bleak outlook on life You can bet that if you are reading one of his stories, it deals with death and/or the macabre Macabre – Grim/ghastly atmosphere

Impact of Life on Literature Events in Poe’s stories and poems often reflect the horrors of his own life. They include: – The death and burial of a beautiful woman – The idea of undying love – Deification of a dead woman’s memory – The portrayal of women as angelic creatures – Fascination with death and a desperate need to make sense of the afterlife

Literary Features to Analyze Point of View (1st person, 3rd person omniscient, limited, and objective) use of setting function of the narrator mood tone classical allusions symbolism creation and resolution of suspense diction theme personification motifs