1. Romantics and gothics A shift from the age of reason:
Early to Mid 1800’s (post-American revolution)
American Renaissance: (ish)

2. Essential question Where do people look for truth?
(romantics vs. rationalists from age of reason)

3. Romantic Values Imagination Spontaneity Intuition Nature Individuality
Self-reliance
Beauty

4. Romanticism vs. Rationalism
City is corrupt; nature is pure
City is a place of moral ambiguity
Imagination is valued; reason is too constricting and has limits
City is a land of opportunity
City is a place of progress and moral growth
Reason and logic are the keys to truth and progress

5. Celebrating the individual
Exploring the glories of the individual spirit, the beauty of nature, the possibilities of the imagination

6. New nation Great growth and opportunity
1803 Louisiana purchased doubled the nation’s size
1830 Indian removal act forced the relocation of native peoples—west
Mid-century “manifest destiny” or the belief in the destiny of the u.s. to expand to the pacific ocean.
1845 texas annexed from mexico triggering Mexican- American war

8. Industrial growth
Shift from largely agrarian society to industrial powerhouse
Factory system
Shift from rural farm life to cities
Writers focused on the negative results of this shift—increase in commercialism, hectic pace, lack of conscience

9. The tragedy of slavery 1793-1860 increase in cotton production
Enslaved workers—brutal conditions—increase tension between the north and the south
Beginnings of the abolitionist movement

10. writers
Nationalism—belief that interests of nation as a whole more important than those of individual regions (challenged by clashing views of slavery)
Writers forging unique literary voice—not imitating European writers for the first time
Early romantic writers influenced by European writers, but as population grew, began to capture energy of their new country

11. Romantic Poetry
Poetry was perceived as highest form of Romantic writing
Intense study of natural objects or events
Insight discovered through contemplating nature
TRADITIONAL forms
American subject matter
Fireside Poets

12. The American Novel First American novels published
First time American literature is original
Uniquely American settings
Adventures
American frontier (westward expansion)

13. The Romantic Hero Very different from Age of Reason heroes
Traits of Romantic hero:
Innocent
Adventurous
Youthful
Intuitive
Close to nature
Distrust in society (and women)
Superhuman resourcefulness

14. Gothic writers
Complex philosophy, dark currents, deep awareness of human capacity for evil
Exploration of inner life of characters and darker forces
Still emphasis on emotion, nature, individual, and unusual
Often inspired by European writers (ie, mary shelley’s Frankenstein)
Psychological effects of sin and guilt