The Romantics!

1. The Romantics! Mr. Feraco American Literature Period 4

2. Before We Begin • Your homework assignment is to read “Sleepy Hollow” by next Monday, with a comparison/contrast piece that analyzes the film and story! • You can find the complete text (about twenty single-spaced pages) at http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/etext92/sleep11h.htm (write down the address!)

3. Now We Begin! • As the book points out, American Romanticism can be described through a few distinct characteristics: • Moved away from civilzation • Moved away from rational thought • Moved toward a love of nature and the countryside • Moved toward the freedom of the imagination and emotion

4. Romanticism in General • “Romanticism” generally refers to schools of thought that value feeling and intuition over reason • It arose in response to rationalism, the schools of thought that prized the advance of civilization and the power of logic above all else • After the Industrial Revolution, some wanted to return to a simpler, less corrupt time (sound familiar?)

5. Feeling and intuition are greater than reason and logic Faith in internal experience, reflection, and imagination Shunned the artificiality of civilization and cities Sought places where no human had spoiled the natural world Youthful innocence and wonder are greater than educated sophistication Individual freedom is the greatest pursuit of man, and the individual is more valuable than the larger society Contemplated natural beauty as a way to develop morally and spiritually Romantic Characteristics:

6. Distrusts progress; believes the best wisdom is the wisdom of the past Beauty/truth can be found in exotic natural locations Beauty/truth can also be found in the spiritual realm and the world of the imagination The Romantics saw poetry as the highest expression of art and the imagination Found inspiration in myth, legend, and folk culture Romantic Characteristics:

7. Two Roads • Romantics could take two “roads” in order to reach a deeper understanding of higher truths • One road involved exploring the past, as well as reflecting on exotic or supernatural realms • The other road involved the careful study of nature and natural beauty • We see the second road every time we read a novel about westward expansion, or about the nature of frontier life!

8. The American Romantic Hero • You’ve studied these figures from a young age – you just didn’t know you were doing it! • They’re youthful, innocent, intuitive, naturalistic, and honorable (based on higher principle, rather than on societal rule) • They love nature and avoid town life • Searches for a higher truth in the natural world • Understands people at an intuitive level • Think Indiana Jones!

9. Quick Write! • How would you characterize yourself – are you a romantic, or a rationalist? (Why do you define yourself this way?) • Are you practical, ambitious, and worldly? • Are you emotional, imaginative, and naturalistic? • Are you too much of a blend of both to tell? (In this case, which aspects of you can be described by which schools of thought?) • Would you like to be something else?