Individualism A Romantic and Transcendental Thought

Transcendentalism Ralph Waldo Emerson & Henry David Thoreau

Transcendentalism An intellectual movement of the 19th century. Transcendentalists were interested in the human spirit and thought that an exploration of nature helped people understand universal truths.

Transcendentalism Believed the individual was at the center of the universe, more powerful than any institution whether political or religious (384).

Transcendentalism Ralph Waldo Emerson was considered the “father” of Transcendentalism in many ways. Struggled with his faith so much, that he began questioning his own beliefs and establishing his own philosophy As he struggled with his own faith, he struggled with the notion that machines might in the future replace people and the concerned him

Nature What does this work reveal to you about Transcendentalism?

Civil Disobedience “That government is best which governs least” is the motto that Thoreau expresses throughout this essay (416). What does he mean? What change is he calling for?

Self Reliance Which aspects, if any, of today’s American culture reflect Emerson’s belief in self- reliance?

Catalogue Poem Read the following poem and… 1.Write an appropriate title 2.Explain what the poem “lists” and if it is effective.

Six Yu-Gi-Oh cards. Chewing gum wrappers. School handouts, two weeks overdue. Three rubber bands. A five-inch-tall stuffed dog. Four small blood stains. Two smooth, gray rocks. Fourth-grade intrigue. Four pencils with no lead and no eraser. Righteous indignation. Stories. Avril Lavigne. Asthma inhaler. A feather. Fourteen pale pink ribbons. Playground news. Someone's phone number scribbled on a Heath Bar wrapper. Eight secrets. Head lice, once. Plans of her own.

Whitman Focus on life rather than death; specifically in the American Culture Problem: only focused on ONE type of culture

Analyzing Speaker Mood Catalogue Poetry—Poem using lists Repetition—using the same words

Mechanics

Carpenter

Mason (Bricklayers)

Boatman and Deckhand

Shoemaker and Hatter /05/dsc01581.jpg

Wood-cutter and Plowboy

Mother, Young Wife, & Girl at work ages/content_mother.jpg pad.com/.a/6a00e553d8 9e9d dce49 970c-400wi nthorizon.com/archi ves/housewife_happ y.jpg

The Cycle of LIFE The Cycle of life can be divided into 5 stages. In your opinion, what are the five stages? What would you use to symbolize each stage? What emotions, ideals, or connotations do people associate with each stage? Why do these stages apply to all cultures and all people?

Poetry Notes Romanticism & The American Dream

Poetry People and their Profound Poetic Prayers Narrative Poetry: tells a story (ballads, epics, verse romantics) Dramatic poetry: presents the speech of more than one character Lyric poetry: expresses the thoughts/feelings of a single speaker (sonnets, odes, elegies, haikus)

Poetic Theme Cycle of LIFE and DEATH

Terms to know –Alliteration: SOUND DEVICE –Catalogue poetry: TYPE –Metaphor: FIGURATIVE LANG –Mood: LIT TERM –Onomatopoeia: SOUND DEVICE –Personification: FIGURATIVE LANG –Refrain: SOUND DEVICE –Repetition: SOUND DEVICE –Speaker: LIT TERM

Authors we’ll look at Edgar Allan Poe Emily Dickinson Walt Whitman

Romantic and Poe Poe wrote mainly with a Gothic style. Gothic style is characterized by the following elements: –The story is set in bleak or remote places. –The plot involves macabre or violent incidents. –Characters are in psychological and/or physical torment. –A supernatural or otherworldly element is often present. How does this fall under the “romantic umbrella”?

Fun Fact “When Edgar Allan Poe died, Rufus Griswold wrote a slanderous obituary of the eccentric writer. He claimed that Poe had been expelled from college, that he had neither good friends nor good qualities, and that he committed flagrant acts of plagiarism. Suspicious of this unconventional obituary, some have speculated that Poe orchestrated the death notice himself to keep his name in the public eye (310)”

Analyzing 1. Mood Feeling the reader gets 2. Onomatopoeia Words that imitate sounds 3. Alliteration Repetition of initial consonant sounds 4. Speaker Who is talking in the piece 5. Refrain Lines that are repeated in verse

The Bells Edgar Allan Poe

We’re going to look for the following: Alliteration (highlight color 1) Onomatopoeia (highlight color 2) Refrain (boxed) Theme (written) Mood (written)

Stanza I

Stanza II

Stanza 3

Stanza IV

(Adapted from) How Death is Handled in Various Cultures Charlotte Kuchinsky

Death and Cultures Why do all cultures have clear identifiable rituals for handling death? What does this tell us about all humans? Does this prove that Poe was right with his poem?

Compare/Contrast Poe’s theme of “Death Triumphs over Life” to one of the cultures’ view of death.

Dickinson Recluse; odd insight to life and death; odd energy and intensity 7 poems published pre-death Self conscious; asked her family to destroy them at her death---why?

Lyric Poem It expresses the feelings of a single speaker’s journey to death… –Similar to Poe? How?

Analyzing Speaker Mood Alliteration Metaphor –A comparison not using like or as Personification: –giving human characteristics to something non human

Because I could not Stop for Death— HE kindly stopped for me.

The Carriage held but just Ourselves— And Immortality

We slowly drove—He knew no haste And I had put away My labor and my leisure too, For his Civility—

We passed the School, where Children strove 10 At Recess—in the Ring—

We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain—

We passed the Setting Sun— Or rather HE passed us—

The Dews drew quivering and chill—

For only Gossamer, my Gown— My Tippet—only Tulle —

So…

We paused before a House that seemed A Swelling of the Ground— The Roof was scarcely visible— The Cornice —in the Ground—

Since then—’tis Centuries—and yet Feels shorter than the Day Feels shorter than the Day I first surmised the Horses Heads I first surmised the Horses Heads Were toward Eternity— Were toward Eternity—

Which view of the cycle of life and death do you identify with the most—Poe’s or Dickinson’s? Explain.

Thinking… What do these occupations have in common? What type of jobs are they? Do they still apply today? What other occupations in today’s culture could you add?

Whitman, Poe and Dickinson Whitman’s poem: Celebrates life Dickinson’s poem: Romanticizes death Poe’s poem: Sees death as inevitable triumph over life What does it tell us about the individual in American Romanticism?

America or more All three poems apply to America—but can they be applied culturally? –D–Dickinson—embrace death (Native American) –P–Poe—respect and fear death (Jewish) –W–Whitman—celebrate life (Irish)

How do you View the Cycle? Using your free write from earlier, compose your own version of these poems. Your poem must include at least 2 of the following… –Alliteration –Onomatopoeia –Personification –Refrain