American Romanticism

1
American Romanticism
2
A New Setting

• Rationalistscity was a place to find success and
  self realization
• Romantic Writerscity was place of shifting
  morals, corruption, and death
• Focus on countrysidemoral clarity, independence,
  and healthful living

3
Definition

• School of thought that values feelings and
  intuition over reason

4
Beliefs

• Could you find the 6 Is of romanticism in your
  reading? Where?
• Intuition
• Imagination
• Innocence
• Inspiration from nature
• Inner experience
• Individualism

5
Goal

• Rise above the dull realities to a realm of
  higher truth
• Exotic settings
• Reflected on natural world until dull reality
  fell away to reveal underlying beauty and truth
• Focus on ordinary

6
The American Novel

• Different subject matter
• Limitless frontiers
• Westward expansion
• Nationalist spirit
• Spread of cities
• Idealization of frontier life

7
The American Romantic Hero

• Virtue was in innocence, not sophistication
• Truth discovered in wilderness
• Youthful
• Intuitive
• Close to nature
• Hopelessly uneasy with women (represent
  civilization)
• Can you think of any??

8
Poetry

• Followed European standards

9
Transcendentalists

• To determine the ultimate reality of God, the
  universe, the self, and other important matters,
  one must transcend, or go beyond, everyday human
  experience in the physical world.
• Human perfectibility
• All part of Divine Soulmust realize!

10
Dark Romantics

• Explored conflict between good and evil
• Explored psychological effects of guilt and sin
• Explored madness in the human psyche