Romantic ElementsRomantic Elements

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RomanticismRomanticism

When you think “Romantics” When you think “Romantics” DON”T think of “romance”!DON”T think of “romance”!

The literary term The literary term “Romanticism” is very different “Romanticism” is very different from what “romantic” from what “romantic” commonly means today.commonly means today.

Romantics often wrote about Romantics often wrote about sad situations (love or death).sad situations (love or death).

Or they wrote about natureOr they wrote about nature Or they wrote fantasy storiesOr they wrote fantasy stories

How did the Romantics How did the Romantics Begin?Begin?

Puritans came to New World in 1620. Puritans came to New World in 1620. Remember that Colonial Era literature Remember that Colonial Era literature is written for the purpose of survivalis written for the purpose of survival

Ex: Letters, legal documents, journals, Ex: Letters, legal documents, journals, etc.etc.

By 1776, we were in the Revolutionary By 1776, we were in the Revolutionary War. Writing was linked with forming a War. Writing was linked with forming a national identity.national identity.

Ex: brochures, pamphlets, political Ex: brochures, pamphlets, political information, etc.information, etc.

How did the Romantics How did the Romantics Begin?Begin?

Many historians view the Romantic era as Many historians view the Romantic era as beginning between beginning between 1785 and 1798.1785 and 1798.

During this era, some authors, decided to During this era, some authors, decided to ignore/avoid the political topicsignore/avoid the political topics, and , and focus on different ideas (specifically focus on different ideas (specifically nature) in their writings.nature) in their writings.

They were turning away from the values They were turning away from the values and ideas of the previous era, and ideas of the previous era, embracing embracing new ways of expressing their new ways of expressing their imagination and feelings. imagination and feelings.

Who were the Romantics?Who were the Romantics?

Instead of a concentration on "head," Instead of a concentration on "head," the intellectual focus of reason, the intellectual focus of reason, they they preferred to rely on the self, in preferred to rely on the self, in the radical idea of individual the radical idea of individual freedom. freedom.

Instead of striving for perfection, the Instead of striving for perfection, the Romantics preferred Romantics preferred "the glory of "the glory of the imperfect." the imperfect."

Romanticism ElementsRomanticism Elements

Fantasy and Fantasy and imaginationimagination

Writing is fictional, Writing is fictional, fanciful and could fanciful and could not be true not be true

Picture – Rip Van Picture – Rip Van Winkle’s Winkle’s adventure…adventure…

RomanticismRomanticism

Love of Love of NatureNature Nature/outdoors is Nature/outdoors is

showcased. The showcased. The character(s) may character(s) may live outside, the live outside, the majority of the majority of the story takes place story takes place outside, etc.outside, etc.

RomanticismRomanticism Intense Intense EmotionEmotion Characters are Characters are

very dramatic and very dramatic and emotional.emotional.

Picture – Poe often Picture – Poe often wrote about wrote about intense emotions intense emotions and being driven and being driven mad because of mad because of them…them…

RomanticismRomanticism Sympathetic Sympathetic

interest in the past, interest in the past, medievalmedieval

Characters learn from Characters learn from their pasts, mention their pasts, mention the past, reflect on the past, reflect on the past, rather than the past, rather than looking forward. This looking forward. This could be through could be through regrets, wishes to regrets, wishes to change former change former decisions/actions, etc.decisions/actions, etc.

Picture – In Picture – In ‘Young Goodman ‘Young Goodman Brown”, the main Brown”, the main character cannot character cannot move on and lets move on and lets the past ruin his the past ruin his future.future.

RomanticismRomanticism Exotic PlacesExotic Places The settings take place The settings take place

outside of the normal, outside of the normal, everyday places. This everyday places. This could be as literal as an could be as literal as an exotic islandexotic island or more or more figurative like figurative like a dream a dream world or imagination.world or imagination.

Melville became famous Melville became famous for his stories about for his stories about tropical islands and crazy tropical islands and crazy adventures.adventures.

RomanticismRomanticism Legends and mythsLegends and myths A A legendlegend is a is a story that begins story that begins

as truthas truth, , but gets but gets told so many told so many times and times and exaggeratedexaggerated so much so much that it that it becomes fictionbecomes fiction. (Fish . (Fish story)story)

A A mythmyth is is sacred historysacred history. It tells . It tells a specific culture/group of people a specific culture/group of people -where they came from and their -where they came from and their past.past.

““The Legend of Sleepy The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” was based on real events Hollow” was based on real events and real places, but with fictional and real places, but with fictional elements.elements.

RomanticismRomanticism

DeathDeath Characters die or Characters die or

are obsessed with are obsessed with death. Often death. Often depressing.depressing.

Picture – In many of Picture – In many of the poems/stories the poems/stories written by Poe, the written by Poe, the love of his life has love of his life has died.died.

RomanticismRomanticism

Morbid Morbid melancholy; melancholy; InsanityInsanity

Characters are depressed Characters are depressed and/or insane.and/or insane.

The story takes place The story takes place within the character’s within the character’s mind/depressionmind/depression

Picture – In “The Black Cat” Picture – In “The Black Cat” by Poe, the main character by Poe, the main character literally goes insane…literally goes insane…

RomanticismRomanticism The Supernatural The Supernatural Could be religious, Could be religious,

superstitious, superstitious, involve gods and/or involve gods and/or mystical figures. mystical figures.

Picture –Nathaniel Picture –Nathaniel Hawthorne’s stories Hawthorne’s stories are grounded in are grounded in Puritan culture & Puritan culture & religion & often religion & often involve mystical involve mystical characters.characters.

RomanticismRomanticism

Failed LoveFailed Love Mourning the loss Mourning the loss

of love, a break up, of love, a break up, the death of the death of someone special, someone special, cheating, cheating, unfaithfulness, etc.unfaithfulness, etc.

Picture – “The Picture – “The Raven” by Poe; he Raven” by Poe; he is tormented by is tormented by the loss of his love.the loss of his love.

RomanticismRomanticism Mysticism (spiritual Mysticism (spiritual

intuition beyond intuition beyond ordinary ordinary understanding)understanding)

A sense/prediction of A sense/prediction of the future, and “un-the future, and “un-earthly” understanding, earthly” understanding, spiritual insight, etc.spiritual insight, etc.

““The Minister’s Black The Minister’s Black Veil,” the main Veil,” the main character understands character understands a spiritual concept that a spiritual concept that the rest of the the rest of the community cannot community cannot grasp…grasp…

RomanticismRomanticism Rural Life and the Common Rural Life and the Common

Man Man –– The The main characters are main characters are

averageaverage, “every man” , “every man” characters.characters.

The The storiesstories are not written are not written aboutabout kings, queens and kings, queens and celebrities, but rather celebrities, but rather common, common, average, middle/lower class average, middle/lower class citizens.citizens.

In “The Legend of Sleepy In “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” the main character is a Hollow” the main character is a simple school teacher…simple school teacher…

5 I’s of Romanticism5 I’s of Romanticism

Intuition over fact (trust instincts, gut)Intuition over fact (trust instincts, gut) Imagination over reason Imagination over reason

(psychological)(psychological) Innocence over education (worldly Innocence over education (worldly

knowledge, not scholarly)knowledge, not scholarly) Inspiration from nature/supernaturalInspiration from nature/supernatural Inner experience over dull reality Inner experience over dull reality

(escape into the mind/dreams)(escape into the mind/dreams)

The Romantic HeroThe Romantic Hero

Young or possesses youthful qualitiesYoung or possesses youthful qualities Sense of honor (internal, not social)Sense of honor (internal, not social) Knowledge of people/life based on Knowledge of people/life based on

experience (intuition)experience (intuition) Loves nature/avoids town lifeLoves nature/avoids town life Quest for a higher truth in the Quest for a higher truth in the

natural world (getting back to the natural world (getting back to the simple life)simple life)

The American DreamThe American Dream America = the new EdenAmerica = the new Eden

– Land of beauty, bounty, and unlimited Land of beauty, bounty, and unlimited promisepromise

Self-made man/womanSelf-made man/woman– Independent, self-reliant individual will Independent, self-reliant individual will

succeedsucceed Anything is possible for a person who Anything is possible for a person who

trusts his/her own potential/powertrusts his/her own potential/power Progress is good and we expect Progress is good and we expect

every generation to improveevery generation to improve

The JourneyThe Journey

Quest for the American DreamQuest for the American Dream Rationalist’s view: the city held Rationalist’s view: the city held

opportunity and improvement for opportunity and improvement for societysociety

Romantic’s view: the city was corrupt, Romantic’s view: the city was corrupt, but the frontier/nature holds beautybut the frontier/nature holds beauty

Dark Romantic’s :the dark hidden Dark Romantic’s :the dark hidden soul/imagination was an escape from soul/imagination was an escape from reality and its harsh lessonsreality and its harsh lessons