Download - Gothic Romanticism (Darker Romantics)
Gothic Romanticism
(Darker Romantics)
The Time PeriodExpansion, Commerce, & Grandeur
Lewis & Clark
Social Context
Technology, Democracy, and Slavery
The Writers
Social Vision
Romantic Vision
Darker Romantics A lot of writers wrote against the TranscendentalistDeeply disturbed by human heart: crime, cruelty, guilt, and self-destruction are key aspects of being humanEmphasize human fallibility and proneness to sin Hardships in effecting social changeReaction against Age of Reason (against rigidity/formality)
People are ruled by emotion, not logic and reasonScientific reasoning discourages intuition and spontaneity
More shift to rural: cities are seen as centers of corruption and ugliness
Description of a fallen world Emphasis placed on leaving civilization and entering the world of nature (more so for Transcendentalist) Romantics drew their inspiration from the wilderness and westward expansionPoetry was seen as the greatest witness to the power of imagination Directly influenced by intellectual and social ferment (excitement) in New England
Major Characteristics
Focused on the mystery of the world; atmosphere of mystery & suspense
Interest in the past
Focus on the individual
Inspired by myth, legend, & folklore
Supernaturally charged environment
Setting, characterization, and plot are key aspects
SettingBig reliance on imageryDark, gloomy, frightfulAncient castles, dungeons, flickering lights, screams, ghosts, graveyardsPortrays the deterioration of the world (decayed and ruined)Nature as a spiritual force- but in a sinister way
When it reveals truth, its revelations are evil and hellish
Characterization
Gothic hero is an archetypeProtagonist
usually isolated (voluntarily or involuntarily) Villain
epitome of evil, either by his own fall from grace or by some implicit malevolence
Wandererepitome of isolation; wanders the world in exile
Personify evil in the form of devils, ghouls, vampires, ghosts, etc.
Plot Mirrors the ruined world in its dealings with the fall of the protagonist. This fall from grace usually occurs because the protagonist gives in to the temptations from the villain.Most of the time we can relate to this type of story because it bears some realistic characteristics (but it is magnified)