Romanticism Romanticism Romanticism Romanticism

A Literary, Intellectual, and A Literary, Intellectual, and Artistic Movement Artistic Movement

A Literary, Intellectual, and A Literary, Intellectual, and Artistic Movement Artistic Movement

What is Romanticism?What is Romanticism?What is Romanticism?What is Romanticism?

Movement and School of Thought

Valued and emphasized feelings, emotion, and Intuition

Against Rationalism

Not centered around romance

Movement and School of Thought

Valued and emphasized feelings, emotion, and Intuition

Against Rationalism

Not centered around romance

When and Where did Romanticism When and Where did Romanticism Take Place? Take Place?

When and Where did Romanticism When and Where did Romanticism Take Place? Take Place?

Officially from 1798-1832, starting in Germany and England

Based on English and German literature

Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge

Hymns to the Night by Novalis

Deaths of Sir Walter Scott and Goethe

When considering movement as a whole, and its influence, there is different time period

1770s-1870s

Later for America

Peak from 1800-1850s

Officially from 1798-1832, starting in Germany and England

Based on English and German literature

Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge

Hymns to the Night by Novalis

Deaths of Sir Walter Scott and Goethe

When considering movement as a whole, and its influence, there is different time period

1770s-1870s

Later for America

Peak from 1800-1850s

What Else Was Happening in the What Else Was Happening in the World?World?

What Else Was Happening in the What Else Was Happening in the World?World?

American Revolution

French Revolution

Industrial Revolution- Led by Rationalism

Rise of factories

Disregarding nature

Mindless jobs

Worse Conditions

Revolutions of 1848

Dominance of Enlightenment ideals and rational thought

Westward Expansion

American Revolution

French Revolution

Industrial Revolution- Led by Rationalism

Rise of factories

Disregarding nature

Mindless jobs

Worse Conditions

Revolutions of 1848

Dominance of Enlightenment ideals and rational thought

Westward Expansion

Causes and InfluencesCauses and InfluencesCauses and InfluencesCauses and Influences

Many disagreed with Rationalism

Effects of Industrial Revolution pointed out Rationalism’s flaws

Pollution

Deforestation

Often dirty urban life

Monotonous Factory Jobs

People already accustomed to drastic changes

People were accustomed to challenging the status quo

Westward expansion in America

Closer contact with Nature

Many disagreed with Rationalism

Effects of Industrial Revolution pointed out Rationalism’s flaws

Pollution

Deforestation

Often dirty urban life

Monotonous Factory Jobs

People already accustomed to drastic changes

People were accustomed to challenging the status quo

Westward expansion in America

Closer contact with Nature

Characteristics of Romantic Characteristics of Romantic ThoughtThought

Characteristics of Romantic Characteristics of Romantic ThoughtThought

Valued feelings, emotions, and intuition

Imagination was highest faculty of the mind

Ultimate creative power

More important that reason

Relished beauty of nature

Viewed as organic, encompassing emotion, not just objectively and analytically

Importance of the “Individual” and uniqueness

Freedoms of speech, experimentation, and writing without constraints

More to life than rational thought could encompass

Complexity of the commonplace and beauty of the exotic

Many paradoxes. Example: Natural and Supernatural

Valued feelings, emotions, and intuition

Imagination was highest faculty of the mind

Ultimate creative power

More important that reason

Relished beauty of nature

Viewed as organic, encompassing emotion, not just objectively and analytically

Importance of the “Individual” and uniqueness

Freedoms of speech, experimentation, and writing without constraints

More to life than rational thought could encompass

Complexity of the commonplace and beauty of the exotic

Many paradoxes. Example: Natural and Supernatural

Other CharacteristicsOther CharacteristicsOther CharacteristicsOther Characteristics

Poetry was highest embodiment of imagination

Searched for exotic settings removed from industrial influences

Tried to reflect on the natural world to reveal its underlying beauty

Not just analyze it rationally or scientifically’

Emphasized importance of local language and tradition

Nationalism and unity

Poetry was highest embodiment of imagination

Searched for exotic settings removed from industrial influences

Tried to reflect on the natural world to reveal its underlying beauty

Not just analyze it rationally or scientifically’

Emphasized importance of local language and tradition

Nationalism and unity

Some Major PeopleSome Major PeopleSome Major PeopleSome Major People

Wordsworth- British

Coleridge- British

Nathaniel Hawthorne- American

Sir Walter Scott- British

Goethe- German

Longfellow- American

Emily Dickinson- American

Walt Whitman- American

Wordsworth- British

Coleridge- British

Nathaniel Hawthorne- American

Sir Walter Scott- British

Goethe- German

Longfellow- American

Emily Dickinson- American

Walt Whitman- American

Some American WritersSome American WritersSome American WritersSome American Writers

James Fenimore Cooper

Emily Dickinson

Nathaniel Hawthorne

Walt Whitman

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

James Fenimore Cooper

Emily Dickinson

Nathaniel Hawthorne

Walt Whitman

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Major Literary ImpactsMajor Literary ImpactsMajor Literary ImpactsMajor Literary Impacts

Poetry became much more popular and important

Lyric Poetry flourished

New emphasis on creative writing

Increased volume of literature focused on nature

Literature seen as organic

It is the “the spontaneous overflow of powerful feeling” -Wordsworth

Realization that literature did not need to be rational and scientific to be influential

Poetry became much more popular and important

Lyric Poetry flourished

New emphasis on creative writing

Increased volume of literature focused on nature

Literature seen as organic

It is the “the spontaneous overflow of powerful feeling” -Wordsworth

Realization that literature did not need to be rational and scientific to be influential

American Literary American Literary CharacteristicsCharacteristics

American Literary American Literary CharacteristicsCharacteristics

Embodies Romanticism’s ideas

Emphasizes individualism and spiritual intuition

Use of many literary techniques such as:

Symbols

Myths

Fantastical elements

Vivid imagery

Colloquial Language

Some techniques used to express the protagonist's mental processes or to convey deeper psychological or archetypal themes

Not held or defined by conventional society’s constraints

Portrays nature as a sanctum for the self

Highlights how intuition can conflict with conventional social and religious dogma

Illustrates futile and destructive nature of their questing heroes

Embodies Romanticism’s ideas

Emphasizes individualism and spiritual intuition

Use of many literary techniques such as:

Symbols

Myths

Fantastical elements

Vivid imagery

Colloquial Language

Some techniques used to express the protagonist's mental processes or to convey deeper psychological or archetypal themes

Not held or defined by conventional society’s constraints

Portrays nature as a sanctum for the self

Highlights how intuition can conflict with conventional social and religious dogma

Illustrates futile and destructive nature of their questing heroes

Common Literary ThemesCommon Literary ThemesCommon Literary ThemesCommon Literary Themes

Highly Imaginative

Emotionally Intense

Expresses escapism

Portrays the common man as a hero

Portrays nature as a refuge as well as a source of knowledge and spirituality

Highly Imaginative

Emotionally Intense

Expresses escapism

Portrays the common man as a hero

Portrays nature as a refuge as well as a source of knowledge and spirituality

Some Famous Literary Some Famous Literary WorksWorks

Some Famous Literary Some Famous Literary WorksWorks

The Scarlet Letter

Moby Dick

Leaves of Grass

Lyrical Ballads

Hymns to the Night

The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Frankenstein

The Scarlet Letter

Moby Dick

Leaves of Grass

Lyrical Ballads

Hymns to the Night

The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Frankenstein

A Summer Day by the SeaA Summer Day by the SeaA Summer Day by the SeaA Summer Day by the SeaBy Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

The sun is set; and in his latest beams

  Yon little cloud of ashen gray and gold,

  Slowly upon the amber air unrolled,

  The falling mantle of the Prophet seems.

From the dim headlands many a light-house gleams,

  The street-lamps of the ocean; and behold,

  O'erhead the banners of the night unfold;

  The day hath passed into the land of dreams.

O summer day beside the joyous sea!

  O summer day so wonderful and white,

  So full of gladness and so full of pain!

Forever and forever shalt thou be

  To some the gravestone of a dead delight,

  To some the landmark of a new domain.

By Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

The sun is set; and in his latest beams

  Yon little cloud of ashen gray and gold,

  Slowly upon the amber air unrolled,

  The falling mantle of the Prophet seems.

From the dim headlands many a light-house gleams,

  The street-lamps of the ocean; and behold,

  O'erhead the banners of the night unfold;

  The day hath passed into the land of dreams.

O summer day beside the joyous sea!

  O summer day so wonderful and white,

  So full of gladness and so full of pain!

Forever and forever shalt thou be

  To some the gravestone of a dead delight,

  To some the landmark of a new domain.