1. American Romanticism

2. Origins of American Romanticism
Despite its name, the Romantic movement has nothing to do with romantic love
Romanticism was a reaction to realism, which focused on logic, reason, and scientific knowledge.
In the 1800s, cities grew even larger, and disease, crime, violence, and homelessness became huge problems.
Romantics saw a the city as a place of corruption and moral ambiguity.
The countryside was seen as place for moral clarity, independence, and health.

3. Characteristics of Romanticism- The Basics
Interest in the common man and childhood
Strong senses, emotions, and feelings
Awe of nature
Celebration of the individual
Importance of imagination

4. Interest in the common man and child
Romantics believed in the natural goodness of humans that is hindered by the urban life of civilization. They believed the savage is noble, childhood is good, and the emotions inspired by both beliefs cause the heart to soar.

5. Strong senses, emotions, and feelings
Romantics believed that knowledge is gained through intuition rather than deduction. This is best summed up by Wordsworth who stated that “all good poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings.”

6. Awe of nature
Romantics stressed the awe of nature in art and language and the experience of sublimity through a connection with nature. Romantics rejected the rationalization of nature by the previous thinkers of the Enlightenment period.

7. Celebration of the individual
Romantics often elevated the achievements of the misunderstood, heroic, individual outcast.

8. Importance of imagination
Romantics legitimized the individual imagination as a critical authority.

9. Dark Romanticism Sub-genre of the Romantics

10. Dark Romanticism A literary subgenre of Romantic Literature
Dark Romantic works are notably less optimistic about mankind, nature, and divinity.
The Romantic era was characterized by flair, extravagance, emotion and imagination- all present in Dark Romantic texts
While both groups believe nature is a deeply spiritual force, Dark Romanticism views it in a much more sinister light

11. Characteristics of the Genre
Dark Romantics present individuals as prone to sin and self destruction, not as inherently possessing divinity and wisdom.
The natural world is dark, decaying, and mysterious; when it does reveal truth to man, its revelations are evil and hellish.
Dark Romanticism frequently show individuals failing in their attempts to make changes for the better.

12. Transcendentalism an offshoot of the Romantics

13. Meaning of Transcendentalism
The word “transcendentalism” refers to the idea that in determining the ultimate reality of God, the universe,the self, and other big matters, one must go beyond the everyday human experience in the physical world.
Transcendentalists believed in human perfectibility, and worked to achieve it

14. Nonconformity/Individualism Importance of Nature Spirituality
Characteristics
Nonconformity/Individualism
Importance of Nature
Spirituality
Simple Life
Self-Reliance
Intuition

15. How do they compare to the Dark Romantics?