American Romanticism

Introduction The theme of journey as a declaration of The theme of journey as a declaration of independence independence Bryant, Homes, Whittier, Longfellow, and Bryant, Homes, Whittier, Longfellow, and Lowell are Romantic poets Lowell are Romantic poets Irving is the Father of American Literature Irving is the Father of American Literature Cooper is the Father of the American Cooper is the Father of the American novel novel Poe is the inventor of the American Short Poe is the inventor of the American Short Story Story

Introduction Emerson is the Father of American Emerson is the Father of American Transcendentalism Transcendentalism Thoreau is a famous practical Thoreau is a famous practical transcendentalist transcendentalist Melville and Hawthorne are Anti-Romantics Melville and Hawthorne are Anti-Romantics Dickinson and Whitman are bridge poets Dickinson and Whitman are bridge poets between American Romanticism and the between American Romanticism and the 20 th century 20 th century

Introduction The rationalistic view of urban life was replaced by the Romantic view The rationalistic view of urban life was replaced by the Romantic view Rationalists saw cities as a place to find success and self-realization Rationalists saw cities as a place to find success and self-realization Romantics saw the city as a place of moral corruption, poverty, and death Romantics saw the city as a place of moral corruption, poverty, and death

Introduction The Romantic journey is to the The Romantic journey is to the countryside. countryside. The Romantics associated the country The Romantics associated the country with independence, moral clarity, and with independence, moral clarity, and purity. purity. The Gothic Romantic, E.A. Poe, saw the The Gothic Romantic, E.A. Poe, saw the country as a place of phantasm. country as a place of phantasm. Irving saw the country as idyllic and as an Irving saw the country as idyllic and as an escape. escape.

The Romantic Sensibility Romanticism: Romanticism: valuing feeling and intuition over reason valuing feeling and intuition over reason viewing life as we would like it to be, rather than how it really is viewing life as we would like it to be, rather than how it really is Romanticism began in Germany and Romanticism began in Germany and influenced literature, music, and art influenced literature, music, and art Romanticism is a reaction against Rationalism Romanticism is a reaction against Rationalism

The Romantic Sensibility The development of slums and poverty due to the Industrial Revolution turned people from Rationalism The development of slums and poverty due to the Industrial Revolution turned people from Rationalism Romantics believed that imagination, emotion, spontaneity, feelings, and nature were more important than rational thought Romantics believed that imagination, emotion, spontaneity, feelings, and nature were more important than rational thought

Characteristics of Romanticism values feelings over intuition values feelings over intuition values the power of the imagination values the power of the imagination seeks the beauty of unspoiled nature seeks the beauty of unspoiled nature values youthful innocence values youthful innocence values individual freedom values individual freedom values the lessons of the past values the lessons of the past finds beauty in exotic locales, the supernatural, finds beauty in exotic locales, the supernatural, and in the imagination and in the imagination values poetry as the highest expression of the values poetry as the highest expression of the imagination imagination values myth, legend, and folk culture values myth, legend, and folk culture

Romantic Escapism Romantic writing looked for comforting or Romantic writing looked for comforting or exotic settings from the past exotic settings from the past This was found in the supernatural, in This was found in the supernatural, in nature, and/or in folk legends nature, and/or in folk legends Romantics believed in contemplating, or Romantics believed in contemplating, or becoming one with the natural world becoming one with the natural world The Gothic novel emerged from The Gothic novel emerged from Romanticism Romanticism

Romantic Escapism The Gothic novel The Gothic novel had wild, haunted landscapes had wild, haunted landscapes had supernatural events in the plot had supernatural events in the plot often mysterious often mysterious “brooding” romantics- anti-transcendentalists; only Romantic in their emphasis on emotion, nature, the individual and the unusual. “brooding” romantics- anti-transcendentalists; only Romantic in their emphasis on emotion, nature, the individual and the unusual. Gothic concept had roots in France, Germany, and England Edgar Allan Poe was Romanticism’s great American Gothic writer Edgar Allan Poe was Romanticism’s great American Gothic writer Others: Hawthorne, Melville

Romantic Escapism Transcendentalism: Transcendentalism: A philosophical and literary movement that emphasized living a simple life and celebrating the truth in nature and personal emotion and imagination A philosophical and literary movement that emphasized living a simple life and celebrating the truth in nature and personal emotion and imagination Stressed idesas of optimism, freedom and self-reliance, and that transcendent forms of knowledge that existed beyond reason and experience

Romantic Escapism Emerson: said every individual is capable of discovering this higher truth on his or her own, through intution. Emerson: said every individual is capable of discovering this higher truth on his or her own, through intution. Transcendentalists believed individuals should follow their own beliefs Hated rationalism and Puritanism b/c they emphasized material prosperity and obedience to the laws of society

Romantic Escapism Romanticism also used lyrical poetry as a Romanticism also used lyrical poetry as a means to contemplate the beauty of means to contemplate the beauty of nature nature It focused on simple natural beauties It focused on simple natural beauties Its intent was to seek truth through Its intent was to seek truth through contemplation of simple natural beauty contemplation of simple natural beauty Romantics saw God in this contemplation Romantics saw God in this contemplation

The American Novel Most American Romantic writers imitated Most American Romantic writers imitated the European writing style the European writing style However, American novelists broke away However, American novelists broke away from European tradition and discovered uniquely American topics and settings from European tradition and discovered uniquely American topics and settings explored the vast unknown lands – something the Europeans could not do explored the vast unknown lands – something the Europeans could not do

The American Novel James Fenimore Cooper was the first James Fenimore Cooper was the first American novelist to break from European American novelist to break from European tradition tradition His novels were set on American frontier His central character, Natty Bumppo, was the first American literary hero the first American literary hero The Last of the Mochicans The Last of the Mochicans

The American Novel Bumppo appeared in a series of Cooper Bumppo appeared in a series of Cooper novels as other characters: Hawkeye, novels as other characters: Hawkeye, Deerslayer, Leatherstocking, etc. Deerslayer, Leatherstocking, etc. Bumppo was virtuous, moral, distrustful of city life, one with nature, etc. Bumppo was virtuous, moral, distrustful of city life, one with nature, etc. Bumppo’s skills were almost superhuman Bumppo’s skills were almost superhuman Cooper’s series of novels involving Bumppo were called The Leatherstocking Tales Cooper’s series of novels involving Bumppo were called The Leatherstocking Tales

The New American Hero American Romantic literature created this American Romantic literature created this unique person unique person youthful youthful innocent innocent intuitive intuitive one with nature one with nature a loner – uneasy around women a loner – uneasy around women handsome handsome brave brave moral and honorable moral and honorable

American Romantic Poetry poets worked within conventional European literary structures proved American poetry could reflect American subject matter, yet still have conventional poetic style Most wrote about the past Most wrote about the past

American Romantic Poetry Fireside Poets: a Boston group Longfellow, Whittier, Holmes, and Lowell Longfellow, Whittier, Holmes, and Lowell Strongly committed to using poetry to bring about social reform. Strongly committed to using poetry to bring about social reform. Championed the common man of the Romantic Period: farmers, lumbermen, migrants, the poor Championed the common man of the Romantic Period: farmers, lumbermen, migrants, the poor They were the TV of American Romanticism They were the TV of American Romanticism families gathered around the fireside to be entertained by their poetry families gathered around the fireside to be entertained by their poetry Subject matter was comfortable and instructional