American Romanticism

What thoughts does nature bring to your mind? What is the relationship between humanity and nature?

Historical Background The US experienced a period of rapid growth and expansion Louisiana Purchase Westward Expansion Industrialization American writers began to establish a literary tradition equal to Europe Time of great optimism, national pride, growth of Democracy

Literary Movement Spread in Europe as a reaction against Rationalism Key Beliefs The natural world was a source of goodness of which man is only a part Man’s societies were the source of corruption Valued self-knowledge Valued subjective over the objective imagination, spontaneity, individual feelings, and nature were more important than reason, logic, and planning

Characteristics of Romanticism Imagination Intuition Idealism Inspiration Individuality

Imagination Imagination was emphasized over “ reason. ” This was a backlash against the rationalism characterized by the Neoclassical period or “ Age of Reason. ” Imagination was considered necessary for creating all art.

Intuition Romantics placed value on “ intuition, ” or feeling and instincts, over reason. Emotions were important in Romantic art. British Romantic William Wordsworth described poetry as “ the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings. ”

Idealism Idealism is the concept that we can make the world a better place. Idealism refers to any theory that emphasizes the spirit, the mind, or language over matter – thought has a crucial role in making the world the way it is.

Inspiration The Romantic artist, musician, or writer, is an “ inspired creator ” rather than a “ technical master. ” What this means is “ going with the moment ” or being spontaneous, rather than “ getting it precise. ”

Individuality Romantics celebrated the individual. During this time period, Women ’ s Rights and Abolitionism were taking root as major movements. Walt Whitman, a later Romantic writer, would write a poem entitled “ Song of Myself ” : it begins, “ I celebrate myself… ”

Transcendentalism Transcend— t o go beyond the limits of; exceed; be above and independent of the physical universe

Literary Impact Transcendentalists, like their fictional counterparts, the Romantics, were trying to forge a distinctly American literature and philosophy that valued the power of the individual. Important authors include Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and Margaret Fuller

Emerson says… “The Transcendentalist adopts the whole connection of spiritual doctrine. He believes in miracle, in the perpetual openness of the human mind … he believes in inspiration, and in ecstasy. He wishes that the spiritual principle should be suffered to demonstrate itself to the end, in all possible applications to the state of man … that is, anything positive, dogmatic, personal. Thus, the spiritual measure of inspiration is the depth of the thought, and never, who said it? And so he resists all attempts to palm other rules and measures on the spirit than its own....”

A Transcendentalist believes… In going beyond the limitations of the senses and of everyday experience by relying upon intuition rather than reason or logic. Everything in the world, is a reflection of the Divine Soul The physical facts of the natural world are a doorway to the spiritual/idea world People can use their intuition to behold God’s spirit revealed in nature or in their souls Self-reliance and individualism must outweigh external authority Spontaneous feelings and intuition are superior to intellectualism and rationality

Basically… Quest for truth Individualism Strong, direct connection to Nature and God Dislike of materialism Must rely on intuition Self-Reliance

Transparent Eyeball The Transparent Eyeball could simultaneously absorb and observe information while being part of that information was a symbolic representation of these ideas. “Standing on the bare ground,--my head bathed by the blithe air, and uplifted into the infinite spaces,--all mean egotism vanishes. I become a transparent eye-ball; I am nothing; I see all; the currents of the Universal Being circulate through me; I am part or particle of God.”—Emerson

Anti- Transcendentalism

Reasons Opposed the optimism and naïve idealism of transcendentalists Dwelt on the guilt and remorse over past sins Discontented with the current circumstances in America Focused on the dark side of humanity

Key Ideas Belief in the potential destructiveness of the human spirit Human nature is inherently sinful (original sin) Focus on man’s uncertainty and limitations in the universe Nature is vast and incomprehensible, a reflection of the struggle between good and evil. Man vs. nature conflicts bring out the evil in humanity Works usually focus on the inner struggle of the protagonist

American Dark Romanticism

Or Gothic Literature Present individuals prone to sin The natural world is dark, decaying, and mysterious. When it does reveal truth to man, the revelation is often evil and hellish. Adapted images of anthropomorphized evil— Satan, devils, ghosts, etc. Works frequently show individuals failing in their attempts to make changes for the better

American Realism

Characteristics The purpose of the writing is “to instruct and entertain” Character is more important than plot. Ordinary characters with mundane lives Subject matter is drawn from real life experience. The physical and social milieu was depicted in painstaking detail to convey the ethos of the society The realists reject symbolism and romanticizing of subjects; they portrayed things objectively. Settings are usually those familiar to the author. Plots emphasized “the norm of daily experience”