Romantics1800-1860

RomanticsA. Colonies are now a nation, 23 states-

expanding rapidly.1. 1803 Louisiana Purchase.2. War of 1812 against Britain opened up more

land.a. By 1820, moving west and claiming land for

civilization.b. Native Americans struggled to hold on to land.

Romantics: LiteratureA. Tired of reason and logic, the Romantics

wished to examine inner feelings of individuals and their emotions.

1. Emphasis on the unique individual2. Recognize personal intuition over reason3. Importance of the common people, their lives

and experiences

Romantics broke into two categories:

Transcendentalists American Gothic

Transcendentalists

Definition: Stresses spiritual well-being achieved through intellectual activity (meditation) and a close relationship with nature.

TranscendentalistsA. Beginners of the movement are Ralph Waldo

Emerson and Henry David Thoreau.1. Disgust for conformity and praised individuality.2. Search for the inner self. 3. Respect intuition to guide people to a higher

level of knowledge-supernatural forces.4. Close relationship to nature.5. Criticized material possessions and “get ahead”

work ethic.

Transcendentalists

B. Set up their own transcendentalist farm (Brook Farm) in Massachusetts 1840-1847.1. Lived from the land, grew food, self-sufficient farm2. Discussed thoughts and feelings about life with other members of their “ideal” society.

Transcendentalist Authors

EMERSONTHOREAU

American Gothic

Definition-Emphasis on the dark side of the individual. Not optimistic like transcendentalists. Interested in emotion, nature, the unusual, and the human capacity for evil.

American GothicEdgar Allen Poe• Writing deals with the

terror of the soul. Deterioration of the mind.

• Growth of the horror story.• Lack of affection in his life.

American GothicB. Writing examines the deterioration of the

heart under conditions of fear, greed, vanity, mistrust, and betrayal.

William Faulkner

Flannery O’Connor

Both categories are considered Romantics

because of the focus on the individual and their

reactions to the world in which they live.