1. ROMANTICISM s

2. Learning Targets At the end of this unit, I can:
Determine two or more themes central to a text
Determine the meaning of words and phrases used in text, including figurative and connotative meaning
Determine how word choice affect a text’s tone, theme, symbolism, and motif

3. Lit Terms to know in this unit
Tone
Motif
The attitude (emotion) of the author or narrator
An event or image that is repeatedly used to reinforce the theme of a work, and draw the reader's attention to a particular idea

4. Literature terms to know in this unit
Symbol
Symbolism
A thing that represents or stands for something else
Use of symbols to help develop the theme

5. Theme
The central idea(s) or purpose(s) of a text, seen through motif, symbolism, tone, and plot

6. CHARACTERISTICS Characteristics of the Romantic Era
Distrust of “civilization”
Nostalgia for the past
Concern with the individual freedom
Interest in the supernatural
Profound love for natural landscape

7. More Characteristics of Romanticism
Anti-Industrialism
Spontaneous overflow of emotion recollected in tranquility

8. History Rationalism vs. Romanticism
Reaction to rationalism and the Age of Reason
Imagination able to discover truths that reason cannot reach

9. Sub-genre of Romanticism: transcendentalism
Defining Transcendentalism
In order to understand the universe, one must go beyond (or transcend) everyday human experience using intuition and imagination

10. Ralph Waldo Emerson Emerson and Nature
In his essay Nature Emerson explains how every idea has its source in nature, and that the attentive person can "see" those ideas in nature

11. Anti-transcendentalism
Nathaniel Hawthorne, Edgar Allen Poe, and Herman Melville
Unlike Emerson and transcendentalism, their view of the world lacked optimism. They saw a dark side to human existence and recorded this aspect of human nature in their works.
Similarities to transcendentalism:
valued intuition over reason, spiritual facts lie behind physical appearances

12. Poe Master of suspense/horror
Used his stories to show readers the truth that lies in the dark depths of the human mind
Poe is a Gothic writer
Gothic novels feature mysterious settings, elements of the bizarre and supernatural
Poe wrote the first detective story
Inspired Arthur Conan Doyle to create Sherlock Holmes

13. Gothic literature Includes highly charged emotional states
Supernatural events:  ghosts, doors that open themselves, unexplained sounds, etc.
Damsels in distress are frequent
Atmosphere of mystery and suspense
Omens, foreshadowing, and dreams usually present

14. Works Cited
Arpin, Gary. “American Romanticism.” Elements of Literature, 5th Course. Austin: Holt, Rhinehart, and Winston,
Brulatour, Meg. “Transcendental Ideas: Definitions.” Virginia Commonwealth University. Web. 12 October 2011.
“Transcendentalism, Anti-Transcendentalism and the Dark Romantics.” Arcadia School System. Powerpoint. 12 Ocotober teachers.ausd.net/classlink/getfile.ausd?fileid=65679