1. Dark Romantics in American Literature
Also called - the American Renaissance

2. Two Subgenres / Categories of Writers
Dark Romantics
Transcendentalists
(Carroll)

3. Dark Romantics explore the inner workings of the mind
takes a shadowy approach to the fantastical
(Vitamin D Deficiency)
(Carroll)
(Mystical Ocean)

4. Romantic Writers
took an optimistic approach to the mystical aspects of writing
believed that sins are properly punished
believed those who are truly good are rewarded
“The Devil & Tom Walker” is an example of Romantic Writing.
(Carroll)

5. Dark Romantics were more serious
found the darkness and evil in people and life’s events
evil tended to overtake the good
(Carroll)
(Good VS Evil)

6. Dark Romantics (con’t.)
Writers of this time period were sometimes called “Gothic”
Famous Gothic writers of this period were:
Edgar Allan Poe
Nathaniel Hawthorne
Herman Melville
(Carroll)
(The Dark Romantic Writers)

7. Characteristics of “Dark Romantic” Writing
lots of “creepy” symbols
horrific themes
psychological effects of guilt & sin
(Carroll)

8. Common Symbols Found in “Dark Romantic” Literature
Red rose = romance, love, passion, vitality
Black rose = death, loss, evil
Raven = death, hopelessness, picks at corpses, hangs around battlefields (Poe’s - “The Raven”)
(Single Red Rose)
(Black Rose)
(Carroll)
(Maxresdefault)

9. Theme
Symbols are put into the story intentionally by the author to reinforce the meaning of the story; its theme.
Theme = a statement that the text seems to be making about the subject, or the statement it is making about life in general.
(Carroll)

10. Theme (con’t.)
Dark Romantics often studied the struggles of human nature.
Sin & evil is found everywhere in Dark Romantic stories. It represents the
Devil and spirits.
The idea that our surroundings could be filled with evil fueled much of the Dark Romantics’ writings. This encouraged the readers to question everything around them.
(Spirit)
(Origins)
(Carroll)

11. Struggles of Human Nature Surroundings that could be filled with Evil
Horrific Themes
Struggles of Human Nature
Surroundings that could be filled with Evil
Horrors of Evil lurking in everyone
Writing dealt with the stream of consciousness & the deterioration of the mind. (Poe’s-”The Raven” & “Fall of the House of Usher”)
(Carroll)

12. Horrific Themes (Con’t.)
Dark Romantics wanted to explore the horrors of evil that were lurking in everyone.
They didn’t just want to scare you, they also wanted to show you the reasons WHY a character committed in the first place.
A character’s thought processes were very important.
(Carroll)

13. Psychological Effects of Guilt and Sin
Dark Romantic writers want to explore the psychological effects of guilt and sin.
The characters and elements of their writing were:
grotesque
fantastic
morbid
(Carroll)

14. Psychological Effects of Guilt and Sin(Con’t.)
The characters in these tales are often
deranged or
go “mad”
Readers are often “stuck” in the character’s mind watching as it slowly falls (deteriorates) into madness.
(Carroll)

15. Psychological Effects of Guilt and Sin(Con’t.)
Dark Romantics want to know -
Why?
Rather than -
How?
The focus in their writing (about the character) is on -
Psychological
How the mind works
One very important writer from this time period is Edgar Allan Poe.
(Woodberry)
(Carroll)

16. Works Cited
n.a. “Black Rose.” n.d. gallerhip.com. n.p. n.d. Photograph. Web. 1 April 2015.
Carroll, Heather. The Dark Romantics in American Literature. Study.com
Web. 1 April <
the-dark-romantics-in-american-literature.html>.
“Good VS Evil Wallpaper” # January HD4desktop.com Photograph. Web. HD4Desktop Wallpapers. 2 April <
n.a. “Mystical Ocean Background.” n.d. galleryhip.com. n.p. n.d. Photograph. Web. 2 April 2015.

17. Works Cited - (Con’t.)
n.a. “maxresdefault.jpg.” n.d.FOX Sports. Photograph. FOX Sports Interactive Media, LLC.
2015. Web. 1 April <
baltimore-ravens-new-england-patriots-afc-playoffs-steve-smith-screams-like-raven >.
n. a. “Vitamin D Deficiency May Damage the Brain, Study Finds.” n.d. FOX News. Photograph. FOX News Network, LLC Web. 2 April <
2013/12/04/vitamin-d-deficiency-may-damage-brain-study-finds/>.
Woodberry, George E. “Portrait of Edgar Allan Poe, with Signature.” Photograph. The Edgar Allan Poe Society of Baltimore. 21 June Web. 3 April <
n.a. “Origins of the Devil.” Red Ice Creations. n.d. Red Ice Creations. Photograph. Web. 2 April <

18. Works Cited - (Con’t.)
n.a. “Spirit Release.” Photograph. Sshradha.wordpress. n.d. Web. 2 April <
sshradha.wordpress.com/category/spirit-release-experience/>.
n.a. “The Dark Romantic Writers.” Photograph. Study.com. n.d. Web. 2 April <
study.com/academy/lesson.the-dark-romantics-in-american-literature.html>.
n.a. “Single Red Rose.” Google Images. Photograph. Web. n.d..n.p. 1 April 2015.
<nikonites.com>.