1. American Romanticism

2. Romanticism What comes to mind when you hear the word?
When someone is romantic what personality traits are giving to them?

3. The Journey Long distant journey is part of our history
It is a journey away from the corruption of civilization and the limits of rational thought and toward the integrity of nature and freedom of the imagination.

4. Romanticism
Name given to those schools of thought that value feeling and intuition over reason
Intuition- spontaneity, heart, imagination
Against rationalist- logical planning, civilization

5. Rise above the dull realities
They searched for exotic settings in the more natural past away from industrial noise
Gothic development = imagination, other world
Frankenstein, Dracula, Poe

6. Major themes
self-awareness
self-reliance
the belief that self and nature are one
the individual’s moral duty to reform social inequalities and relieve human suffering

7. Romantics took two Roads
One lead to the exploration of the past and of the exotic realms
The other to the contemplation of the natural world

8. Characteristics of AM. Romanticism
Values feelings/intuition over logic
Seeks unspoiled nature
Youthful innocence over educated sophistication
Individual freedom and worth of individual

9. Characteristics
Natures beauty= a path to spiritual and moral development
Looks backward to wisdom of the past and distrusts progress
Beauty and truth in supernatural realms and inner world of imagination

10. Thomas Doughty, “Home on the Hudson”

11. Finds inspiration in myth, legend and folklore
What would some characteristics of the hero be?

12. American Novel Coincided with westward expansion
Most Europeans analyzed the Americans as unsophisticated
Cooper- Last of the Mohicans
Truths were found in the wilderness.
Truths were found but not only the sophisticated way

13. Rip Van Winkle
Inferences- an educated guess based on clues in the text and your own knowledge and experience
Prediction- an educated guess about what will happen in the future
Foreshadow- clues/hints that suggest what will happen next

14. Rip’s Setting
Setting- the physical, geographical, and historical environment in which the story takes place. Catskills Mountains, NY
Misty mountains, mysterious forest, an old fashion village, distant era
Magical change in the hero

15. Thomas Cole, “Home in the Woods” (1847

16. Background
Takes place just before the Revolutionary War, which started in 1775 (before Irving was born)
A made up manuscript by Diedrich Knickerbocker, who studied the Dutch history of New York
Washington Irving is the author. He also wrote the Legend of Sleepy Hollow

17. Journal
Describe a time you needed to get away from people and be by yourself. Where did you go and what did you think about while you were alone?

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