1. Romanticism in America 1800-1860: Breaking Away from the Age of Reason Yosemite Valley by Albert Bierstadt

2. What was going on? Industrial Revolution Industrial Revolution Child Labor Child Labor Western Expansion Western Expansion Slavery = build up to Civil War Slavery = build up to Civil War Growth of cities Growth of cities

3. Guiding Beliefs of Romanticism Rampant squalor of cities, awful working conditions, and mistreatment of marginalized citizens (children, women, slaves) were the result of rationalism, or the belief that humans can arrive at truth by using reason rather than intuition. Rampant squalor of cities, awful working conditions, and mistreatment of marginalized citizens (children, women, slaves) were the result of rationalism, or the belief that humans can arrive at truth by using reason rather than intuition. So, intuition (feeling) and imagination are superior to reason, logic, and planning So, intuition (feeling) and imagination are superior to reason, logic, and planning

4. Definition of Romanticism Journey away from the corruption of civilization and limits of rational thought and toward the integrity of nature and freedom of the imagination Journey away from the corruption of civilization and limits of rational thought and toward the integrity of nature and freedom of the imagination Question authority! Question authority! The Wilds of Lake Superior by Thomas Moran

5. Elements of Romantic authors/works Faith in inner experience, power of imagination Faith in inner experience, power of imagination Use of signs/symbols Use of signs/symbols Inspiration in myth, legend, folk culture (wisdom of past rather than progressive future) Inspiration in myth, legend, folk culture (wisdom of past rather than progressive future) Poetry is highest expression of imagination Poetry is highest expression of imagination Shuns civilization in favor of unspoiled nature Shuns civilization in favor of unspoiled nature Finds beauty and truth in exotic locales, and the inner world of imagination Finds beauty and truth in exotic locales, and the inner world of imagination Use of simple language Use of simple language

6. Natural & SUPERNATURAL! For Romantics, nature was so powerful that it could not be contained So, it takes on a mysterious and sometimes even scary quality in Romantic literature For Romantics, nature was so powerful that it could not be contained So, it takes on a mysterious and sometimes even scary quality in Romantic literature

7. The New American Hero American Romantic literature created this unique person American Romantic literature created this unique person he was youthful he was youthful he was innocent he was innocent he was intuitive he was intuitive he was one with nature he was one with nature he was a loner – uneasy around women he was a loner – uneasy around women he was handsome he was handsome he was brave he was brave he was moral and honorable he was moral and honorable

8. Who are we going to read? Washington Irving And many others…. Ralph Waldo Emerson Henry David Thoreau Edgar Allan Poe