Romanticism Unit Test Review Notes Mrs. Katz 10R

Romanticism A literary movement that stressed emotion over reason, celebrated individuality and creativity, with a heavy focus on nature, and man’s place in nature and the world. A literary movement that stressed emotion over reason, celebrated individuality and creativity, with a heavy focus on nature, and man’s place in nature and the world. They also focus their writing on identity and spirituality They also focus their writing on identity and spirituality

Romantic Authors: Washington Irving – “The Devil and Tom Walker” Washington Irving – “The Devil and Tom Walker” “The Devil and Tom Walker” – Set in a Puritan village, the Devil takes a human form and tempts Tom Walker to sell his soul to gain power and wealth in this world. Tom and his wife are both angry, stubborn and selfish people, and she tries to tempt the Devil with all of their silver and possessions. She is never heard from again. Tom refuses the Devil’s first offer to become a slave-trader. This shows that Irving may have supported abolition, or the end of slavery. Tom sees many trees in the Devil’s swamp that are engraved with names of townspeople that have made deals with the Devil. We see the symbolism as a tree falls, and the person with that name dies. Finally, after making the deal with the Devil and gaining money and power by lending money and mortgages, the Devil comes to collect Tom’s soul and we can assume he takes Tom to Hell. When this occurs, all of Tom’s possessions disappear or are destroyed. This implies that he never really owned any of these things; they were temporary and not worth his eternal soul.

Fireside Poets: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow – “The Tide Rises, The Tide Falls” “The Song of Hiawatha” Prologue to “The Song of Hiawatha” - Poem focuses on traditional Native American stories and relies heavily on imagery of nature. Page 258 Prologue to “The Song of Hiawatha” - Poem focuses on traditional Native American stories and relies heavily on imagery of nature. Page 258 “The Tide Rises, The Tide Falls” – Poem focuses on the passage of time and contrasts the imagery of the ocean with imagery of people in the town. Note use of repetition and effects. “The Tide Rises, The Tide Falls” – Poem focuses on the passage of time and contrasts the imagery of the ocean with imagery of people in the town. Note use of repetition and effects.

William Cullen Bryant – Fireside Poet, often viewed as Transcendentalist “Thanatopsis” – Discusses author’s view of death, seemingly positive, as we return to the earth and join all those who have died before. Our bodies then become a part of the beautiful and powerful earth. “Thanatopsis” – Discusses author’s view of death, seemingly positive, as we return to the earth and join all those who have died before. Our bodies then become a part of the beautiful and powerful earth.

Oliver Wendell Holmes – Fireside Poet “Old Ironsides” – Written in alternating lines of iambic tetrameter and trimeter, Holmes tries to persuade his audience not to demolish the battleship “Constitution,” which was used during the War of “Old Ironsides” – Written in alternating lines of iambic tetrameter and trimeter, Holmes tries to persuade his audience not to demolish the battleship “Constitution,” which was used during the War of 1812.

Gothic Literature Gothic Literature stems from the “dark side” of Romanticism Gothic Literature usually has the following elements: Bleak or remote settings Bleak or remote settings Macabre (gruesome) or violent incidents Macabre (gruesome) or violent incidents Characters in psychological and/or physical torment Characters in psychological and/or physical torment Strong language full of dangerous meaning Strong language full of dangerous meaning

Edgar Allen Poe – Gothic Author “The Raven” – a poem written in the first person perspective about a man who is isolated and alone, mourning the loss of his love, Lenore. He is visited by a Raven, who serves as a constant reminder of his sadness and bitterness. “The Raven” – a poem written in the first person perspective about a man who is isolated and alone, mourning the loss of his love, Lenore. He is visited by a Raven, who serves as a constant reminder of his sadness and bitterness.

Poe, Continued “The Fall of the House of Usher” – a short story about an unnamed narrator who answers a letter from his childhood friend, Roderick Usher, to find out that Usher is very upset because of his sister’s mortal illness. “The Fall of the House of Usher” – a short story about an unnamed narrator who answers a letter from his childhood friend, Roderick Usher, to find out that Usher is very upset because of his sister’s mortal illness. Usher is very nervous, agitated and depressed as his sister dies and is entombed. Usher realizes too late that he has buried his sister alive. Usher is very nervous, agitated and depressed as his sister dies and is entombed. Usher realizes too late that he has buried his sister alive. The single effect Poe attempts to create in the opening description of the house is that of gloom and foreboding. The single effect Poe attempts to create in the opening description of the house is that of gloom and foreboding. Ultimately, our narrator realizes that a person cut off from the rest of the world can quickly become a victim of his own fears and mental illness. Ultimately, our narrator realizes that a person cut off from the rest of the world can quickly become a victim of his own fears and mental illness.

Poetry Notes – Scansion Iambic Meter is the pattern of syllables in which an unstressed syllable is followed by a stressed syllable: Iambic Meter is the pattern of syllables in which an unstressed syllable is followed by a stressed syllable: “Her deck once red with heroes' blood/ Where knelt the vanquished foe” “Her deck once red with heroes' blood/ Where knelt the vanquished foe” Meter is determined by counting the syllables in a line. Iambic lines are broken into “feet” of 2 syllables each. The kind of meter depends on how many “feet” are in a line. Meter is determined by counting the syllables in a line. Iambic lines are broken into “feet” of 2 syllables each. The kind of meter depends on how many “feet” are in a line.

Scansion Examples Trimeter – 3 metric feet per line (6 syllables total) “Where knelt / the van / quished foe” “Where knelt / the van / quished foe” Tetrameter – 4 metric feet per line (8 syllables total) “”When winds/ were hurr/ ying oe’r / the flood” “”When winds/ were hurr/ ying oe’r / the flood” Pentameter – 5 metric feet per line (10 syllables total) “Of ag / es glide/ away / the sons / of men” “Of ag / es glide/ away / the sons / of men”