The American Renaissance “A Literary Coming of Age”

1
The American Renaissance A Literary Coming of
Age

• 1840-1860

2
American Literature

• 1.
• 2.
• 3.
• 4.

3
Will there ever be an American William
Shakespeare?

• Herman Melville and Nathaniel Hawthorne thought
  YES
• Both saw a dark side to human existence
• Urged Americans to prize and cherish American
  Literature

4
Renaissance

• Rebirth
• Explosion of American Literary genius
• Comparing themselves to European Renaissance
• coming of age
• 1849-1855 American writers produced large body of
  work. Enough masterpieces for a national
  literature

5
New England

• Had a great interest in self-improvement and
  intellectual inquiry

6
Lyceum movement

• 1826- Millbury Massachusetts
• Had a number of goals
• Educating adults
• Training teachers
• Establishing museums
• Instituting social reforms

7
Reform movements

• Horace Mann- improved public education
• Dorthea Dix- Relieved horrible conditions in
  institutions for the mentally ill
• William Lloyd Garrison- struggled to put an end
  to slavery
• Elizabeth Peabody, Margaret Fuller, Emma Willard-
  campaigned to increase womens rights