1. Unit II: Romanticism  Colonial literature  Puritanism – Belief that man is inherently evil. Only the divine mercy of God will allow them into Heaven.  Rationalism- Humans can use their own reasoning; they do not need God to figure out their own solutions to their own problems. Deism- People do not need God’s help. They are capable of caring for themselves. People need reasoning to get through life – not God’s divine guidance.

2. Birth of Romanticism  Began in Europe, affecting art, music, and literature  Reaction against rationalism  Also reaction to Industrial Revolution over-crowded, crime-ridden cities wretched working conditions  Spread to American post Revolutionary War

3. Characteristics of American Romanticism  Values feeling and intuition over reason  Places faith in inner experience and the power of the imagination  Shuns the artificiality of civilization and seeks unspoiled nature  Prefers youthful innocence to educated sophistication  Champions freedom and the worth of the individual

4. Characteristics of American Romanticism  Contemplates nature’s beauty as a path to spiritual and moral development  Looks backward to the wisdom of the past and distrusts progress  Finds beauty and truth in exotic locales, the supernatural realm, and the inner world of the imagination  Sees poetry as the highest expression of the imagination  Finds inspiration in myth, legend, and folk culture

5. Escaping reality  The Journey to the countryside/nature Find moral clarity, healthful living, independence, and imagination Reveal underlying beauty and truth

6. Romantic Hero  Exemplified by James Fenimore Cooper’s Natty Bumpo (The Last of the Mohicans)  Characteristics Young or has youthful qualities Innocent or pure of heart Has a sense of honor not based on society’s rules—based on a higher principle Not necessarily formally educated—still has deep, intuitive understanding of people and life Loves nature—avoids towns/cities  Quest for some higher truth in natural world

7. Romantic Poetry/Fireside Poets  Movement in American poetry to prove that Americans were sophisticated—could also write poetry  Devoted to European/English poetic traditions of meter, rhythm, imagery, and theme  Fireside Poets: Longfellow, Whittier, Holmes, and Lowell Poetry read aloud by families by fireplace—“fireside” Subject matter: Patriotism, Love/family, Nature, God/religion

8. Puritanism/CavaliersRationalism (Deism)RomanticismTranscendentalismDark Romanticism 1620-18001750-18001800-18601840-1860 Mayflower Compact Jamestown/Plymouth Harvard/printing press King Philip’s War Stamp Act/Boston Tea Party American Revolution Constitution War of 1812 Expansion: Lousiana Purchase Movement: Railroad Mexican War elected Gold Rush Women’s Rights/Sufferage Uncle Tom’s Cabin Whitman’s Leaves of Grass Frederick Douglass Raid on Harper’s Ferry Bradford/ Rowlandson/ Bradstreet Byrd (Cavalier) Franklin/ HenryIrving/ Fireside Poets/ BryantEmerson/ ThoreauHawthorne/ Melville/ Poe God and The BibleUse God-given intellectAll basic truths found in nature Man is sinfulMan is goodMan is good if he stays connected to nature/morality DivineFree willSociety/cities corrupt PredestinationScience and technology help promote society Intuition & imagination are just as important as religion and intellect UtilitarianismHelping others proves morals Success proves God’s favor Bible as literal fact AMERICAN LITERATURE (Beginning to 1860) The American Renaissance