1. American Romanticism 1800 - 1860

2. 2 Introduction The rationalistic view of urban life was replaced by the Romantic view The rationalistic view of urban life was replaced by the Romantic view Rationalists saw cities as a place to find success and self-realization Rationalists saw cities as a place to find success and self-realization Romantics saw the city as a place of moral corruption, poverty, and death Romantics saw the city as a place of moral corruption, poverty, and death

3. 3 Characteristics of Romanticism values feelings and intuition values feelings and intuition values the power of the imagination values the power of the imagination seeks the beauty of unspoiled nature seeks the beauty of unspoiled nature values youthful innocence values youthful innocence values individual freedom values individual freedom values the lessons of the past values the lessons of the past finds beauty in exotic locales, the supernatural, and in the imagination finds beauty in exotic locales, the supernatural, and in the imagination values poetry as the highest expression of the imagination values poetry as the highest expression of the imagination values myth, legend, and folk culture values myth, legend, and folk culture

4. The Five “I”s InspirationInspiration IndividualismIndividualism IntuitionIntuition ImaginationImagination IdealismIdealism 4

5. 5 Romantic Escapism a.k.a. Dark Romanticism The Gothic novel/short story had wild, haunted landscapes The Gothic novel/short story had wild, haunted landscapes It had supernatural events in the plot It had supernatural events in the plot It was often mysterious It was often mysterious Edgar Allan Poe was Romanticism’s great Gothic writer Edgar Allan Poe was Romanticism’s great Gothic writer

6. 6 The New American Hero American Romantic literature created this unique person American Romantic literature created this unique person he was youthful he was youthful he was innocent he was innocent he was intuitive he was intuitive he was one with nature he was one with nature he was a loner he was a loner he was handsome he was handsome he was brave he was brave he was moral and honorable he was moral and honorable James Fenimore Cooper wrote/created some of the first American novels/heroes.

7. 7 American Romantic Poetry Most Romantic poets worked within conventional European literary structures Most Romantic poets worked within conventional European literary structures They proved that American poetry could reflect American subject matter, yet still hold to conventional poetic style They proved that American poetry could reflect American subject matter, yet still hold to conventional poetic style Most American Romantic poets wrote about the past Most American Romantic poets wrote about the past

8. 8 American Romantic Poetry The Fireside Poets, a Boston group of writers; Longfellow, Whittier, Holmes, and Lowell, were widely read and loved in America The Fireside Poets, a Boston group of writers; Longfellow, Whittier, Holmes, and Lowell, were widely read and loved in America They were the TV of the American Romantic period and families gathered around the fireside to be entertained by their poetry They were the TV of the American Romantic period and families gathered around the fireside to be entertained by their poetry Their subject matter was comfortable and instructional Their subject matter was comfortable and instructional

9. “Catskill Scenery,” Thomas Cole, 1833 9

10. “The Oxbow,” Thomas Cole, 1836 10

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12. Music: Ludwig van Beethoven http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQV eaIHWWck http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQV eaIHWWck http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQV eaIHWWck 12

13. How do these people represent the Five “I”s? 13

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