Romanticism Review

Romanticism, Transcendentalism,Dark Romanticism

RomanticismRomanticism is a cultural and literary philosophy

that was popular in the United States from roughly 1800-1865.

The Romantic movement began as a sort of rebellion against stringent Rationalism. We are no longer colonial and we are self-reliant. Uniquely American scenes, characters and themes.

This is the first time America has its own literary movement—short stories, novels, poetry that have an American sense.

The Romantic movement includes the other philosophies of Transcendentalism and Dark Romanticism.

Elements of Romantic Literature• It values feelings and intuition over logic and reason• It shuns the artificiality of civilization for the unspoiled

nature• It looks back to the wisdom of the past and distrusts

progress• It champions individual freedom and the worth of the

individual• It places faith in the power of imagination—poetic sense• It contemplates nature’s beauty as a path to spiritual

development• It finds beauty and truth in the natural and supernatural

realm• It seeks Truth—attainable through seeing the Divine

Spirit/God in nature• It usually includes some type of journey from the

civilized, urban world to the idealized, natural world

Characteristics of the Romantic Hero

He is innocent and pure of purposeHe has a sense of honor based on

higher principles than those of society

Has knowledge of people based on intuitive understanding

He loves nature and avoids urban lifeHe quests for some higher truth and

is of higher moral character

Transcendentalism

This movement is an offshoot from Romanticism.

It is as much a social, cultural movement as it is literary. Most of the persons of note were social and cultural activists.

This philosophy saw the potential in mankind but that he is somewhat blinded by the modern world.

Simplify, Simplify, Simplify

Tenets of Transcendentalism

The simplicity of nature is a pathway to the Divine Soul

Commercialism, materialism and industrialism are dehumanizing and corrupting

Man is perfectible—spiritual journeyTruths are attained through intuition and experienceIdealistic and optimistic, leaders sought

improvement through social change: abolition of slavery, improvements in public education, equal rights for all, including the poor, indigent, mentally ill.

Emerson and Thoreau

Ralph Waldo Emerson was the leading speaker and thinker in the transcendentalist movement. He was the leader of the Lyceum Movement.

Henry David Thoreau was a follower of Emerson but chose to live the life of a transcendentalist. Removed himself from society and showed that living the simple life was possible.

He was a strict believer in Human Rights and that man had the right to seek his own path in the world without the constrains of government. His time at Walden Pond was an experiment in simple living.

Dark Romantics

Although the authors followed the literary styles of the Romantics, many of their themes focused on the dark side of human nature

Emphasis on how sin and guilt are strong influences

Also saw the influences of supernatural, spiritual and superstition. Nature can also be cruel and immutable force.

Edgar Allan PoePoe was born in Boston in 1809. Mother separated from his father and

then died in 1811. (Edgar did not know his father.) He was adopted by John Allan, wealthy and influential.

He struggled with family (father) and school by the time he went to college, and was forced to eventually join the army, where he was also dismissed.

He was not an initial success and although his writing became more and more popular his drinking and lifestyle limited his financial gain.

He married his 13 year old cousin. She died in 1847 which continued his downward mental spiral.

He began drinking at a young age and heavy drinking continued throughout his life. After his wife died in 1847, he lost touch with reality, failed at most of his professional endeavors and fell into an alcoholic stupor. He died in 1849, being found alone and delirious in a public house.

Edgar Allan Poe Although he was a prolific writer of short stories and poetry, during his life he was more successful as an editor and critic, being put in charge of two very successful and influential periodicals.

His style falls under and almost defines the “Dark Romantic” era, being one of its most prolific writers (eventually).

The darker images of his poetry are often lost in his lyrical, poetic qualities.

His poems and short stories often follow a pattern and include images of loss, loneliness, death, sorrow, mental anguish, and sin and guilt. Many people equate this with his own “disordered brain”.

The Fireside poetsThe Fireside Poets were so-called because they incorporated simple language and ideas into lyrical easy-to-digest poems.

They were the rock stars of their day.

William Cullen Bryant

Oliver Wendell Holmes

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

were just a few of the poets of the time who also included many natural elements into their poetry

Imagery and Metaphor were commonly used poetic elements

Walt Whitman

Walt Whitman’s career spans the entire Romantic era and beyond from the 1840s to almost 1900. He is the Everyman and the voice of the lower classes (for almost the first time?)His quintessential work, Leaves of Grass, was revised many times before his death.His emphasis is on Man’s relationship to the Natural world but also on Man’s relationship to one another.