Romanticism D. Lindamood

Timeline 1858 U.S. Supreme Court’s Dred Scott decision antagonizes anti-slavery forces. 1791 Bill of Rights is added to the constitution 1830 Underground Railroad is established 1848 Lucretia Scott and Elizabeth Cady Stanton organize the first Women’s rights Convention in New York 1970 1860 1849 California Gold rush begins, causing a great migration to Sacramento and the surrounding areas. 1803 Louisiana Purchase is Negotiated 1851 New York Times is founded. 1838 U.S. Army forces Cherokees out of Georgia on Trail of tears to Oklahoma

Important Authors Cross of Snow Oliver Wendell Holmes Romantic Authors and Poets Washington Irving “The Devil And Tom Walker” William Cullen Bryant “Thanatopsis” Henry Wadsworth Longfellow “The Tide Rises, The Tide Falls Cross of Snow Oliver Wendell Holmes The Chambered Nautilus Old Ironsides Dark Romantic Authors Nathaniel Hawthorne “The Minister’s Black Veil” Edgar Allan Poe “The Pit and the Pendulum” “The Raven”

Characteristics of American Romanticism Values feeling and intuition over reason Places faith in inner experience and the power of the imagination Shuns the artificial nature of civilization and seeks unspoiled nature Prefers youthful innocence over educated sophistication Champions individual freedom and the worth of the individual Contemplates nature’s beauty as a path to spiritual and moral development Looks backward to the wisdom of the past and distrusts progress Finds beauty and truth in exotic locales, the supernatural realm, and the inner world of the imagination

The Romantic Hero “It has been a matter of marvel to my European readers, that a man from the wilds of America should express himself in tolerable English. I was looked upon as something new and strange in American Literature” --Washington Irving Due to the fact than most of Europe considered the newly founded Americas (as well as those who lived there) to be unsophisticated and uncivilized, American writers took it upon themselves to completely shed the identity of the sophisticated European, for a new identity of American innocence. These authors strove to illustrate that eternal truths were not found in dusty libraries, crowded cities, or glittering court life, but in the American wilderness that was unknown and unavailable to the Europeans.

The Romantic Hero To go along with this new idea, American authors crafted a new hero: The Romantic Hero. The Romantic hero set itself purposely apart from the Rationalist hero (men like Ben Franklin), who was sophisticated, worldly, educated, and bent on making a place for himself IN civilization. Characteristics of the Romantic Hero Young or possesses youthful qualities Has a sense of honor based not on societies rules but on some higher principle. Has knowledge of people and life based on deep, intuitive, understanding, not on formal learning. Loves nature and avoids town life Quests for higher truth in the natural world

TAG Notes: Romanticism T: The Devil and Tom Walker A: Washington Irving G: Short Story

Making Predictions “The Devil and Tom Walker” tells the story of a man bargaining with the Devil in order to get what he wants. What predictions can you make about the fate of Tom Walker?

Literary Focus While you read, use your graphic organizer to track the following literary devices: Setting: Where the story is taking place Plot: What is happening in the story? Word Choice/Connotation: How does the language make you feel? Does it create tension, suspense? Are there particularly powerful images?

A: William Cullen Bryant G: Poetry TAG: Romanticism T: “Thanatopsis” A: William Cullen Bryant G: Poetry

Making Predictions Thanatopsis is a word Bryant coined by joining together two Greek words thanatos “death” and opsis “sight”. With that understanding of the title, what can you predict the poem will be about?

Literary Focus As you read “Thanatopsis”, makes notes in your TP-CASTT on the following literary and figurative devices Personification: Who is “she?” What does she do? Imagery: How do the images set the mood? Metaphor: How do the metaphors support the theme? Theme: What is William Cullen Bryant saying about death?