The Elements of Romanticism

1. The Elements of Romanticism A Renaissance in American Literature

2. The Rise of Romanticism • Reaction to the “cold” intellect (devoid of emotion) of the Age of Reason • Enlightenment and French Revolution refines the role of the individual • Scientific and Industrial Revolutions lead to interest in the unknown and new ways of thinking • Major reform movements such as abolitionism and women’s rights lead to the search for truth and the perfection of the social order • Rise of Transcendentalism and Unitarianism • Attempts to cultivate utopian societies • The move westward adds to American optimism

3. Elements of Romanticism • The quest for “pure beauty” and truth • The use of antique and fanciful subject matter • Interest in the past • Use of the grotesque, gothic, odd or queer • Escapism from American problems • Interest in external nature as a source of beauty and knowledge • Nature as a refuge and a revelation of God to the individual

4. Elements of Romanticism, cont. • Emphasis on emotion • Appeals to imagination/ use of the sublime and mystical (otherworldly) • Subjectivity of the speaker as opposed to objectivity • Common people as subject matter as opposed to “the great” • Originality/ New philosophies and ways of doing things

5. Romantic Techniques • Remote settings • Improbable/contrived plots (inclusion of magical/mystical/unexplained events) • Organic principle: form rises out of content • Authorial subjectivity • Appearance of authenticity • Romantic writing forms: essay, short story. poetry, novel

6. 5 BASIC BELIEFS OF TRANSCENDENTALISM • Everything is a reflection of God - People are basically good- People will still sin, but they will repent and will most of the time choose to do the right thing- People are close to God- Nature is great! • Contemplating nature can allow you to transcend the real world and go to a higher, spiritual level- People can get closer to God without church- Nature is as close as you can get to God- Society (the opposite of nature) keeps people from getting to a higher spiritual level

7. 5 BASIC BELIEFS OF TRANSCENDENTALISM , cont. A person’s INSTINCT (intuition) can lead them to understand God’s spirit • Everyone can do this!  Wealth, status, prior knowledge not needed.- Stressed that people were basically good – their gut instincts could lead them to GodIndividualism and self-reliance are better than following others or depending on tradition. - People will make the right choices if given the chance- Believed that government was not necessary- Urged people to question tradition- Materialism was not good; people should not be dependent on money or belongings • A person’s true feelings and intuition are more valuable than book knowledge. • - Average people were able to do this- Money, wealth, status not necessary- Trusted people to do and feel good things

8. 5 BASIC BELIEFS OF TRANSCENDENTALISM , cont. • A person’s true feelings and intuition are more valuable than book knowledge.- Average people were able to do this- Money, wealth, status not necessary- Trusted people to do and feel good things

9. American Romantic Authors • Washington Irving • Ralph Waldo Emerson • Henry David Thoreau • Nathaniel Hawthorne • Herman Melville • Edgar Allan Poe • Emily Dickinson

10. Influence of Romanticism & Transcendentalism • Led to the American ideals of individualism and free thought • Celebrated multiculturalism and feminism • Encouraged reform • Emphasized self reflection and exploration • Paved the way for literary creativity of the modern era

11. Discuss • How does Emerson’s “Nature” illustrate some of the principles of the Romantic and Transcendental movements?