1. How History Influences Texts
American Romanticism

2. American Romantic Period (1800 – 1860)
Sometimes called the American Renaissance.
However, Renaissance means “rebirth” and the American Renaissance was not the rebirth of an old style; it was a completely new, uniquely American style.
Authors were mature, innovative, and optimistic about America and individualism.

3. Values of American Romanticism
Cherished imagination, individual feelings, and wild nature
Held a realistic view of the dark side of the human spirit
Reflected strong national pride
Believed that the individual, no matter what background or class, was to be respected for his/her personal, and unlimited, accomplishments

4. American Romanticism was a response to:
The grime and noise of the industrial age
The direct contact of the population with the American wilderness
Brewing conflict among the people regarding slavery
Women’s push toward equality with men
An audience of readers hungry for literature that was purely American

5. The Progression of American Thought
ROMANTICS WERE DISTINCT FROM PREVIOUS AMERICANS …
YET, INFLUENCED BY THESE SAME GROUPS OF AMERICANS
Romantics saw themselves as revolting against the “Age of Reason” and its values.
Romanticism rejected fiery Puritan rhetoric about religion, guilt, and salvation.
Romantics were moved by powerful Rationalist rhetoric about the rights of the individual and freedom.
Romantics searched for truth and beauty in ordinary objects or scenes, like the Puritans.
The Progression of American Thought

6. The Voyage of Life: Childhood Thomas Cole, 1840

7. The Voyage of Life: Childhood Thomas Cole, 1840 (detail)
How does this painting depict childhood. Consider both what it shows (denotation) and what it implies (connotation). You have five minutes to write.

8. Characteristics of Romantic texts
Passionate and emotional
Sentimental
Sometimes deal with the supernatural
Characters are often larger-than-life and aristocratic—sometimes stock characters are used
Distinctions between upper and lower class characters
Colloquial language and settings

9. More characteristics of Romantic texts
Often written in third- person omniscient with the author/narrator interrupting to moralize or guide the reader
Intense, with strong rising action leading to a dramatic climax
Symbolic, allegorical
Show life as it might have been or might be rather than average life as it was during the author’s lifetime

10. Romanticism vs. Rationalism
intuition versus calculation
emotion versus reason
spontaneity versus control
individualism versus social order
wilderness versus industry
subjective experience versus objective fact
metaphysical musing versus scientific research

11. The Dark Romantics
Like other Romantics, valued intuition over logic and reason
Like other Romantics, saw signs and symbols in all events
Unlike other Romantics, did not believe that nature is good or harmless
Explored the conflict between good and evil, the psychological effects of guilt and sin, and even madness
Saw the horror of evil behind the thin façade of respectable society

12. Timed Writing: Are You Rationalist or Romantic?
Do you, personally, relate more closely to the values of the Rationalists or of the Romantics? Give specific examples of political / philosophical assumptions that you share with the group you identify.