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American LiteratureUnit 2: The Individual and Society

Dark Romanticism Study

A Poison Treeby William Blake

I was angry with my friend:I told my wrath1, my wrath did end.I was angry with my foe2:I told it not, my wrath did grow.

And I watered it in fears,Night and morning with my tears;And I sunned it with smiles,And with soft deceitful3 wiles4.

And it grew both day and night,Till it bore5 an apple bright.And my foe beheld it shine.And he knew that it was mine,

And into my garden stoleWhen the night had veiled the pole;In the morning glad I seeMy foe outstretched beneath the tree.

1 anger2 an enemy3 misleading or false4 a trick5 to make or produce

“A Dream within a Dream”by Edgar Allan PoeTake this kiss upon the brow!And, in parting from you now,Thus much let me avow-You are not wrong, who deemThat my days have been a dream;Yet if hope has flown awayIn a night, or in a day,In a vision, or in none,Is it therefore the less gone?All that we see or seemIs but a dream within a dream.

I stand amid the roarOf a surf-tormented shore,And I hold within my handGrains of the golden sand-How few! yet how they creepThrough my fingers to the deep,While I weep- while I weep!O God! can I not graspThem with a tighter clasp?O God! can I not saveOne from the pitiless wave?Is all that we see or seemBut a dream within a dream?

The Oceanby Nathaniel Hawthorne

HE Ocean has its silent caves, Deep, quiet and alone; Though there be fury on the waves, Beneath them there is none. The awful spirits of the deep Hold their communion there; And there are those for whom we weep, The young, the bright, the fair. Calmly the wearied seamen rest Beneath their own blue sea. The ocean solitudes are blest, For there is purity. The earth has guilt, the earth has care, Unquiet are its graves; But peaceful sleep is ever there, Beneath the dark blue waves.

“We grow accustomed to the dark”by Emily Dickinson

We grow accustomed to the Dark --When light is put away --As when the Neighbor holds the LampTo witness her Goodbye --

A Moment -- We uncertain stepFor newness of the night --Then -- fit our Vision to the Dark --And meet the Road -- erect --

And so of larger -- Darkness --Those Evenings of the Brain --When not a Moon disclose a sign --Or Star -- come out -- within --

The Bravest -- grope a little --And sometimes hit a TreeDirectly in the Forehead --But as they learn to see --

Either the Darkness alters --Or something in the sightAdjusts itself to Midnight --And Life steps almost straight.

The Oceanby Nathaniel Hawthorne

HE Ocean has its silent caves,Deep, quiet and alone;

Though there be fury on the waves,Beneath them there is none.The awful spirits of the deepHold their communion there;

And there are those for whom we weep,The young, the bright, the fair.

Calmly the wearied seamen restBeneath their own blue sea.

The ocean solitudes are blest,For there is purity.

The earth has guilt, the earth has care,Unquiet are its graves;

But peaceful sleep is ever there,Beneath the dark blue waves.

American LiteratureDark Romantic PoetryGroup A Guiding Questions

DirectionsFollow the questions and guidelines below to guide you through your poetry study today. You will write a multi-paragraph analysis tomorrow based on your study today.

“The Poison Tree”1. Determine what the literal plot of the poem is.2. What are some deeper elements of the plot? Look for symbolism and some

deeper meanings.3. How does this poem convey ideas of Anti-Transcendentalism? Look back at

your notes in addition to considering the following ideas: the use of nature in the story, the outcome of the story, the theme (or message).

“Richard Cory”1. Determine what the literal plot of the poem is.2. Look deeply at what the public knows of Richard and how that compares to

who he is.3. Why does the poem end like it does? Tie this to an Anti-Transcendental

belief. 4. Based on #3, what is the message (theme) of the poem? (Think Anti-

Transcendentalist!)

“A Dream within a Dream”1. Determine what the literal plot of the poem is.2. Look how Poe uses nature in the poem and analyze its role and how that is

Anti-Transcendental.3. What is the theme (message) of the poem? How is this Anti-Transcendental?

FOR ALL POEMS:1. What is similar in ALL poems? This needs to be a literal element that you

can tie into Anti-Transcendentalism – ex: the use of nature, similar events between the characters/speakers, similar moods, etc.

This will set you up for tomorrow’s writing assignment!

American LiteratureDark Romantic PoetryGroup B Guiding Questions





“The Ocean”1. Determine what the literal plot of the poem is.2. Look at how Hawthorne describes the ocean. In what ways is it negative?

Circle/underline key words/phrases/lines that are proof and write on them what mood is set.

3. How is this poem Anti-Transcendental? Look at the darkness of the ocean.

“We grow accustomed to the dark”1. Determine what the literal plot of the poem is.2. Look how Dickinson describes people. Note how she sees them similarly

and differently. 3. What is the theme (message) of the poem? How is this Anti-Transcendental?4. What are some deeper elements of the poem? Think back to how we looked

deeply into certain things (colors, people, nature, etc.) in “Young Goodman Brown.”




American LiteratureDark Romantic PoetryGroup C Guiding Questions





“Richard Cory”1. Determine what the literal plot of the poem is.2. Look deeply at what the public knows of Richard and how that compares to

who he is.3. Why does the poem end like it does? Tie this to an Anti-Transcendental

belief. 4. Based on #3, what is the message (theme) of the poem?

“The Ocean”1. Determine what the literal plot of the poem is.2. Look at how Hawthorne describes the ocean. In what ways is it negative?

Circle/underline key words/phrases/lines that are proof and write on them what mood is set.

3. How is this poem Anti-Transcendental? Look at the darkness of the ocean.




American LiteratureUnit 2: The Individual and SocietyDark Romantic Poetry: Response

DirectionsBased on your study of your assigned poems yesterday, choose ONE of the available responses below in which you respond. You need a brief introduction (a few sentences leading into your thesis), two body paragraphs, and a short conclusion.

1. How do your chosen poems convey similar themes that relate to Anti-Transcendental beliefs?

2. How do your chosen poems use the same elements of Anti-Transcendentalism? (Ex: the same use of nature, the same mood, the same discussion of death or dark subjects).

3. How do your chosen poems both use symbolism to convey Anti-Transcendental beliefs?

American LiteratureUnit 2: The Individual and SocietyDark Romantic Poetry: Response

DirectionsBased on your study of your assigned poems yesterday, choose ONE of the available responses below in which you respond. You need a brief introduction (a few sentences leading into your thesis), two body paragraphs, and a short conclusion.

1. How do your chosen poems convey similar themes that relate to Anti-Transcendental beliefs?

2. How do your chosen poems use the same elements of Anti-Transcendentalism? (Ex: the same use of nature, the same mood, the same discussion of death or dark subjects).

3. How do your chosen poems both use symbolism to convey Anti-Transcendental beliefs?

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