American Romanticism

J. SchwartzEnglish IIIFall 2013

American Romanticism

Literary period in the U.S. spanning from 1800-1860.Remember, The Romantic Period coincides with the

Transcendentalist movement.Romantics value:

Emotion over intellectThe individual over societyImagination , inspiration, intuitionExotic locales, supernatural realmsPoetry as the highest expression of the imagination

The American Romantic hero is youthful, innocent, intuitive, close to nature, and uneasy around women.

Background Information

AlienationRestorative Power of NaturePurity of NatureNature Held in AweSimplicityRejection of Authority

Major Themes of Romanticism

If you had to classify yourself as either a rationalist or a Romantic, which would you be? Would you be a practical, ambitious, worldly Benjamin Franklin or an intuitive, close-to-nature Romantic? Which traits- of either school of thought- do you truly value and think you would like to encourage in your own life?

Free write an explanation of your thoughts on this issue. Remember to ORGANIZE your ideas!

Free Write – 15 points

Often called the “father of American literature.”Made American literature legitimateEnjoyed his literary fame

Best known works:Knickerbocker’s History of New YorkThe Sketch Book (contains stories like “Rip Van Winkle” and “A Legend of Sleepy Hollow”)

Irving found inspiration in folklore and legendFirst American writer to incorporate a comic hero into

his writingIrving’s writing marks a transition to a darker

Romanticism, one that deals with questions in the human heart.

Washington Irving (1783-1859)

Satire: A technique which uses wit and humor to ridicule a subject, usually some social institution or human fault, often with the intention to inspire reform.

Tone: The perspective or attitude that the author adopts with regard to a specific character, place, or development.

Frame Story: The result of inserting one or more small stories within the body of a larger story that encompasses the smaller ones.

Literary Devices in “Rip Van Winkle”

Father of the Detective novel and a forerunner of science fiction.

Largely unknown during his lifetime, but now retains a firm, legendary place in popular culture.

Suffered a great deal of tragedy in personal life.

According to Poe, the best writing should be brief, with each word and expression chosen for maximum effect.

Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849)

American variant of Romanticism (Poe, Hawthorne, Melville, Dickinson).

Themes of DR are often reversals of Romantic themes:Psychological issues vs. emotional, physical issues

Hidden recesses of the mind

Excesses of individualism- neurotic focus on the self.

Elements of the supernatural: ghosts, demons, etc.

Death and decay vs. life and exuberance

Dark Romanticism

Literary Devices and themes in “The Raven” (1845)

Rhyme AlliterationImageryRepetitionAtmosphere (mood)Onomatopoeia Tone Symbolism

Madness Beauty and grief

Literary Devices and Themes in “The Fall of the House of Usher” (1839)

Foreshadowing Atmosphere Allegory

MadnessHuman destiny and

its terrorsIsolation Failure to adapt

Born into a merchant family in New York.Experienced at sea. Along with Twain’s Huck Finn, Moby Dick is considered to be one of the most important American literary works of the 19th century.Nathaniel Hawthorne was a close, personal friend.

Herman Melville (1819-1891)

CharacterizationAllegory

Non-conformityDeath Comedy in tragedyCharityEmerging American life

Literary Devices and Themes in “Bartleby the Scrivener” (1853)

ANSWER EACH QUESTION COMPLETELY- BE SPECIFIC!1. How does the narrator feel about Bartleby?

2. What does the narrator realize about Bartleby’s living situation?

3. What does the narrator decide to do with Bartleby?

4. Extra Credit: What does the narrator find in Bartleby’s desk?

“Bartleby” Quiz- Pages 5-12 (10 points)

Born into a wealthy family and received an advanced education- rare for a woman in this time period.

Becomes very isolated in 1853 (age 23).After father’s death in 1874, Dickinson almost

never leaves the house.Her Isolation and Her Work

Isolation due to romantic disappointments?Can’t make assumptions based upon gender.

Emily Dickinson (1830-1886)

Themes

Techniques

Themes and Techniques in Dickinson’s Poetry

• Truth • Concept of Time and

Eternity• Permanence and Decay

• Calvinist Religion• Actualized

Experience• Homilies

• Slant Rhyme • Contradictions• Changes in the functions of

words• Unstable meter

• Telegraphic Fragments

• Consonance• Mixed Metaphor• Mixed Diction

Choose one of Dickinson’s poems and discuss the importance of slant rhyme, telegraphic fragments, or metaphor. Explain how the literary device functions in the poem.

Choose another of Dickinson’s poems and discuss how one of her themes (Truth, Time and Eternity, Permanence and Decay, or Homilies) function in the poem and illuminate it.

Critical Thinking Questions

Born in NYC, the setting of a great deal of his poetry.

Worked as a printer, journalist, teacher.Began writing poetry at age 36.Leaves of Grass published in 1855 and continually revised.

Walt Whitman (1819-1892)

Themes and Techniques in Whitman’s PoetryThemes

Connection of all people

Value and power of individuals

ContradictionPure joy associated

with being alive

Techniques Free Verse

AlliterationAssonanceImagery Onomatopoeia Parallel Structure Cadence

Choose one of Whitman’s poems and discuss how one of his themes is brought to life, how it illuminates the poem, and how it contributes to his meaning.

In Whitman’s other poem discuss the importance of one of his techniques. Explain how the literary device functions in the poem.

Critical Thinking Questions