1. Romanticism Followed what literary age?
They believed in the natural goodness of humans which is hindered by the urban life of civilization.
They believed that the savage is noble, childhood is good and the emotions inspired by both beliefs causes the heart to soar.
They believed that knowledge is gained through intuition rather than reasoning. Use your gut feelings!
They Contemplated nature’s beauty as a path to spiritual and moral development
Shuns the artificiality of civilization and seeks unspoiled nature
Romantics often elevated the achievements of the misunderstood, heroic individual outcast.
Champions individual freedom and the worth of the individual
Places faith in inner experience and the power of the imagination

2. Romanticism Romantic Authors??? Longfellow Irving
How did our texts fit with Romantic ideals?

3. Transcendentalism
God is in every aspect of nature/nature is a reflection of the divine spirit.
Self-reliance and individualism must outweigh external authority. Inspiration is blunted by social conformity, thus it must be resisted.
People can use their intuition to behold God’s spirit revealed in nature or their own souls.
Spontaneous feelings and intuition are superior to deliberate intellectualism and rationality.

4. Transcendentalist Authors??
Emerson
Thoreau
How do our texts fit with Transcendentalist ideals?

5. Dark Romanticism
Dark Romantic writers explored the human potential for evil, including the psychological effects of guilt, sin, and madness.
The Dark Romantic view countered the optimism of the Transcendentalist writers of the time.
They were often called anti-transcendentalists
How does the “House of Usher” fit with these ideals?

6. REALISM & REGIONALISM 1)Event that sparked realism?
The Civil War
2)Realism was a reaction to Romanticism, why? What did the Romantics do in their writing that the realists would not do?
They idealized their characters
3)What did realism seek to portray?
The true human form with realistic characters with real conflicts
4)What is Regionalism?
Focuses on characters, dialect, customs, topography, and other features specific to a certain region.
5)Focuses on the role of the _______ on the individual.
6)Who is the most well known Regionalist writer? Why?
Mark Twain
7)How does Huck Finn fit with the movement of regionalism?