1. Unit II – American Romantic and Gothic Literary Introduction
Adapted by Mr. Valentine from elements of literature – fifth course by holt, Rinehart, and Winston – as well as other sources.

2. Units I and II
In Unit I, we discussed Early American History and Literature ( ) while skipping over one specific portion of that time-period.
This omission is because the period between 1800 and 1860 was characterized by a dramatic shift in literature from more realistic literature to writings based on feeling, imagination, sometimes even dark and supernatural elements.
We will focus on readings from these literary movements here, in Unit II.

3. Unit II – AD
Historically, this time period is well after America was settled, well after the American Revolution, but just before the Civil War (Began in 1861).
People were moving more and more out west as a result of the Louisiana Purchase and the Gold Rush.

4. Literary Movements Important literary movements at this time included:
Transcendentalism
The Romantic
The Gothic
What all such movements had in common was a rebellion against realism. Life and human nature were explored not through the depiction of gritty day-to-day struggles, but through spirituality, nature, emotion, and the imagination.
The latter two movements began in Europe and came over to America.

5. Transcendentalism
Transcendentalism “refers to the idea that in determining the ultimate reality of God, the universe, the self, and other important matters, one must transcend, or go beyond, everyday human experience in the physical world” (Holt, Rinehart, and Winston 146).
One major author of this movement was Ralph Waldo Emerson (Pg 179)

6. The Swing of the Pendulum
The Romantic Period in Europe –
Some things go back and forth in history, from one polar opposite to the other.
In the Age of Reason, literature was very critical of society, followed certain specific rules and structures, and was, like the name of the age, reasoned out.
Furthermore, the Industrial Revolution brought more jobs to the cities, resulting in overcrowding and pollution.

7. From Reason to Imagination
Some grew tired of this. Some felt that literature and art should focus on beauty, truth, nature, emotion, and the human experience, etc. Some felt that the simple beauty of nature and the country side was preferable to the city, any day. Some felt that imagination was superior to reason.
These people were called the Romantics.

8. What Does “Romantic” Mean? – Pgs 529 – 530, 532
Nature and the Countryside
As before mentioned, Romantics love the beauty of nature and rural life.
A Child’s Sense of Wonder
i.e. Innocence, seeing and appreciating everything as if it were new.
The beauty in flowers, trees, the stars, a river, laughter, a smile, etc.
Social Idealism
The romantics were not realists. They were idealists.
They thought mostly of how things should be, rather than how things are.
i.e. The best type of government, the best way to live one’s life, etc.
Adaptation to Change
Romantics are more go with the flow.
They don’t fear change.
Imagination vs. Reason
The former period valued reason and logic most highly.
The Romantics value imagination first and foremost.
They believe the most truth and insight can be gained by following it, instead.
Feelings and emotions
In the end, it was more than the nature or the idealism or the change.
Very much so, it was about how things made humans feel.

9. The Gothic – Box on Pgs
As Romanticism focuses on human feelings and emotions, some of it inherently focuses on the darker emotions. This genre is known as the Gothic.
The Gothic Movement emphasizes fear, helplessness, and sorrow.
It emphasizes supernatural creatures, like the undead (vampires, ghosts, revenants), demons, etc.
It generally takes place in mysterious settings, like ruined castles and monasteries, dark forests, graveyards, caves, etc.

10. Major Authors in the American Romantic and Gothic Movements
Nathaniel Hawthorne
Edgar Allan Poe
Washington Irving

11. Nathaniel Hawthorne – Pg 225-226
Notable Works
The Scarlet Letter
House of the Seven Gables
“Young Goodman Brown”
“Dr. Heidegger’s Experiment”
“The Minister’s Black Veil”

12. Edgar Allan Poe – Pg 253
Important figure in not only Gothic fiction, but early Crime Fiction.
Notable works include:
The Tell-Tale Heart
“The Pit and the Pendulum”
“The Raven”
Fall of the House of Usher
Murders in the Rue Morgue

13. Washington Irving – Pg 150 1783-1859
Notable works include the following:
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
Rip Van Winkle

14. Modern Horror
All of these authors (and more) in the Gothic Movement had a huge influence on modern horror literature, film, and culture.
Two very noteworthy authors of modern American horror that we will touch on towards the end of this unit are Robert E. Chambers and H. P. Lovecraft.

15. Robert W. Chambers
Most noteworthy work is The King in Yellow
This work is an anthology of short stories, half of which focus on a fictional work by the same name.
Whenever the characters find this book, they go insane.
Themes explored here include madness and unreliable narrators.

16. H. P. Lovecraft
Famous for Lovecraftian horror – horror that focuses on cosmic otherworldly beings beyond all human understanding, terror, and helplessness.
Notable works include the following:
“The Call of Cthulhu”
“Dagon”
“At the Mountains of Madness”
“Shadow over Innsmouth”

17. Read and Report Activity
Get into small groups (3-4)
I will call you at random, and each person called will be able to choose their group’s reading from those still available.
The choices are as follows
1. Nathaniel Hawthorne – Pg 225
2. Edgar Allan Poe – Pg 253
3. Washington Irving – Pg 150
4. Ralph Waldo Emerson – Pg 179
5. Henry David Thoreau – Pg 189
Each group should read their author’s bio, summarize, and write five facts.
Be prepared to share your summary / facts with the group at the end of the activity.
Your group’s sheet will be turned in to the box, with all group members’ names, after sharing.