1. Romanticism Transcendentalism Dark Romanticism
Individualism
Romanticism
Transcendentalism
Dark Romanticism

2. Mostly A’s:
You’re a Rationalist. You reject strict, overly-controlling rules and conformity, but you still believe there is a place for structure in a society. Your views are based on reason. You can, at times, be hypocritical in your words and actions. You have trouble making friends because you love to debate and make your voice heard. You also ask a lot of rhetorical questions, which makes people uncomfortable.

3. Mostly B’s
You’re a Romantic! No, you’re not into wooing and candlelit dinners; you’re into respecting the beauty around you and valuing your own abilities. You wholly disagree with any authority and know that individuals should experience life for themselves without someone else leading them. Emotion drives your actions. Your introverted ways lead you to seclude yourself from society, so your best friends are your spirituality, your heart, and probably a squirrel that sits outside your window.

4. Mostly C’s
You’re a Puritan! You love rules, rules, and more rules. Any sort of fun or entertainment is avoided. Your favorite pastimes are tilling the land, following the crowd, and hoping you aren’t eternally doomed. Also, you can totally rock a bonnet and apron or a wide-brimmed cap, tall white socks, and knickers.

5. Individualism (1800-1850) Romanticism Transcendentalism
Influenced by British Romanticism
Rejection of Puritanism and the Rationalist movement
Reaction to first Industrial Revolution
Threatening to the human spirit and intrinsic rights of humans
Reaction to Abolitionist movements
Subgenre– Dark Romanticism
Reaction to American Romanticism

6. Romanticism: Calling all Introverts!
Focus: Freedom, Nature, Emotion/Imagination, Optimism
Style/Characteristics: Short stories, novels, poems, highly colorful plots, supernatural/gothic elements, descriptive language, characters and setting set apart from society
Philosophies:
Nature is beautiful and pure. Society is corrupt and evil.
The individual should follow emotion rather than reason.
The individual should be free from any authoritative constraints (e.g. church, slaveholders, government), and can only do good things when freed.

7. Dark Romanticism (AKA Gothic)
For some Romantic writers, the imagination led to the threshold of the unknown—the shadowy region where the fantastic, the demonic and the insane reside.
When the Gothics saw the individual, they saw the potential of evil.
Romantic writers celebrated the beauties of nature while Gothic writers peered into the darkness at the supernatural.
We’ll look more closely at Dark Romanticism later.

8. A Psalm of Life Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
One of the most popular poets of the 19th Century
Optimistic tone and uplifting subject matter was attractive to his followers
Recognized for his poetry’s melodious musicality
Part of a group called “Fireside Poets”
source of entertainment for families gathered around the fire at home
Also composed “Paul Revere’s Ride”
“A Psalm of Life” is one of the most anthologized poems to date.
Inspired by the death of Longfellow’s wife– encouraged him to keep going
Sometimes criticized for being too optimistic

9. A psalm of Life Read the poem in the textbook on pg. 345
Complete the close reading tasks detailed on your handout. Then, create two arguments and provide evidence for support.

10. Transcendentalism Transcendentalism can be difficult to define.
There are many different views among philosophers, but that is essentially what creates Transcendentalism. They celebrated their individuality.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Henry David Thoreau

11. Transcendentalism
Focus: Freedom, Nature, Optimism, Intuition, Mindfulness
Style/Characteristics: essay, nonfiction, poetry
Philosophies:
The individual should follow intuition/conscience rather than reason.
One must rise above (transcend) the current state of the world (politics, church, society) to become self-aware
Inspiration/spirituality is everywhere and in everything

12. Romanticism vs. Transcendentalism
Truth is found through:
Emotion (External)
Intuition/Conscience (Internal)
Individuals need:
To be free from society but still live parallel to it
To transcend/ Rise above societal constraints
Spirituality is the understanding that:
God is something personal
God is everywhere and in everything
Expressed in forms of:
Fiction (Most often)
Nonfiction

13. Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)
American poet, essayist, and philosopher
Entered the ministry but resigned due to conflicting philosophies
The “Father of Transcendentalism”
Known for challenging traditional thought
An optimist in contrast to gothic writers of the time
His motto became “Trust Thyself” which many Transcendentalists adopted