Romanticism A very brief survey What is Romanticism? –Romanticism is an artistic, philosophical, and literary movement which originated in the late 18.

Romanticism

A very brief surveyA very brief survey

What is Romanticism?What is Romanticism?

– Romanticism is an artistic, philosophical, Romanticism is an artistic, philosophical, and literary movement which originated and literary movement which originated in the late 18in the late 18thth century in Europe and century in Europe and lasted until approximately 1937, the lasted until approximately 1937, the year that Queen Victoria ascended to year that Queen Victoria ascended to the British throne. In the United States, the British throne. In the United States, the Romantic Movement lasted until the Romantic Movement lasted until approximately the end of the Civil War approximately the end of the Civil War although we certainly embrace many of although we certainly embrace many of the Romantic tenets today. the Romantic tenets today.

Romanticism was, in part, a reaction Romanticism was, in part, a reaction to the excesses of the Enlightenment to the excesses of the Enlightenment era, during which logic and reason era, during which logic and reason were considered the pinnacle of were considered the pinnacle of human abilities, and scientific human abilities, and scientific discoveries opened the way for the discoveries opened the way for the Industrial Revolution.Industrial Revolution.

While the Industrial While the Industrial Revolution brought Revolution brought untold untold conveniences and conveniences and wealth to many wealth to many people, it also people, it also brought pollution, brought pollution, overcrowding in overcrowding in cities, and great cities, and great cultural change.cultural change.

Difficult aspects of the Difficult aspects of the Industrial Revolution:Industrial Revolution:

DehumanizationDehumanization Value of technology Value of technology

over humanityover humanity

Poverty and Poverty and pollution in citiespollution in cities

Mass production Mass production takes the place of takes the place of individual individual craftsmanshipcraftsmanship

London neighborhood, circa London neighborhood, circa 18301830

The Romantics: The Romantics: * sought to reassert the importance of nature * sought to reassert the importance of nature

over technology, and believed that nature was over technology, and believed that nature was the place to find true divinity.the place to find true divinity.

*valued intuition and feelings over logic and*valued intuition and feelings over logic and imagination over reason,imagination over reason, *believed that ultimate truth could be found not *believed that ultimate truth could be found not

through the process of reason, but through an through the process of reason, but through an individual’s, (especially an artist’s), emotional life,individual’s, (especially an artist’s), emotional life,

*celebrated the individual over the social order, *celebrated the individual over the social order, andand

*believed that civilization was often a corrupting *believed that civilization was often a corrupting influence.influence.

Romantic artists Romantic artists considered self-considered self-analysis to be analysis to be especially especially constructive. They constructive. They highly valued the highly valued the exploration of the exploration of the inner self; and they inner self; and they brought it into brought it into literature.literature.

Romantic writers and artists frequently perceived Romantic writers and artists frequently perceived themselves as at once sensitive and unappreciated. themselves as at once sensitive and unappreciated. The intensity of personal self-assessment and the The intensity of personal self-assessment and the pursuit of the spiritual or other mystical/psychological pursuit of the spiritual or other mystical/psychological ideas created a sense of alienation from commercial ideas created a sense of alienation from commercial society, often expressed through literature, painting, society, often expressed through literature, painting, and music.and music.

Gothic ConnectionGothic Connection

Many romantics also felt attracted to the Many romantics also felt attracted to the Gothic and the grotesque. Gothic literature is Gothic and the grotesque. Gothic literature is characterized by a mood of decay, action that characterized by a mood of decay, action that is dramatic and generally violent, and loves is dramatic and generally violent, and loves that are destructively passionate, with that are destructively passionate, with grandiose yet gloomy settings.grandiose yet gloomy settings.

Gothic/romantic literature often involves the Gothic/romantic literature often involves the grotesque, bizarre, and unnatural. To the grotesque, bizarre, and unnatural. To the romantics, the grotesque or gothic romantics, the grotesque or gothic represented a freedom of spirit, mystery, and represented a freedom of spirit, mystery, and imagination.imagination.

Grotesque/gothic imagesGrotesque/gothic images

A good example of A good example of the gothic in the gothic in romantic literature is romantic literature is Mary Shelley’s Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. A Frankenstein. A SENSITIVE monster SENSITIVE monster created by a created by a SENSITIVE young SENSITIVE young scientist symbolizes scientist symbolizes technology run technology run amok.amok.

Two of the biggest names in Two of the biggest names in Romantic literature: (England)Romantic literature: (England)

William WordsworthWilliam Wordsworth““The world is too much with us; late and The world is too much with us; late and

soon,soon,

Getting and spending, we lay waste our Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers:powers:

Little we see in nature that is ours;Little we see in nature that is ours;

We have given our hearts away, a sordid We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon!”boon!”

“ “ Samuel Taylor Samuel Taylor ColeridgeColeridge

““You stood before me like a You stood before me like a thought…”thought…”

England, continuedEngland, continued

Percy Bysshe Percy Bysshe ShelleyShelley

““The awful shadow of some unseen The awful shadow of some unseen PowerPower

Floats though unseen amongst us,…Floats though unseen amongst us,…

John Keats, (died John Keats, (died young of young of tuberculosis)tuberculosis)

““Heard melodies are sweet, but Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard are sweeter;…”those unheard are sweeter;…”

AMERICAN ROMANTICISMAMERICAN ROMANTICISM

““Growing from the rhetoric of Growing from the rhetoric of salvation, guilt, and providential salvation, guilt, and providential visions of Puritanism, the wilderness visions of Puritanism, the wilderness reaches of this continent, and the reaches of this continent, and the fiery rhetoric of freedom and fiery rhetoric of freedom and equality, the American brand of equality, the American brand of Romanticism developed its own Romanticism developed its own character.”character.” Ann WoodliefAnn Woodlief

Glory years: 1850-1855Glory years: 1850-1855Why??Why??

a.a. Independence had been established, Independence had been established, there was time now for literature and art.there was time now for literature and art.

b. There were American publishers, and b. There were American publishers, and readers with leisure time, including many readers with leisure time, including many women.women.

c.c. Religion: stern dogmas of Calvinism, Religion: stern dogmas of Calvinism, Puritanism replaced by more rationalistic Puritanism replaced by more rationalistic Unitarianism; however people were searching Unitarianism; however people were searching for satisfaction of deep spiritual yearnings; for satisfaction of deep spiritual yearnings; Deism and Unitarianism not enough.Deism and Unitarianism not enough.

More “Why??”More “Why??”

d. d. Politics: 18Politics: 18thth century left heritage of century left heritage of optimism about man’s possibilities and optimism about man’s possibilities and perfectability. Democratic ideals asserted perfectability. Democratic ideals asserted value of individuals, (white male value of individuals, (white male individuals, that is).individuals, that is).

e. Clash of egalitarian ideals with reality, e. Clash of egalitarian ideals with reality, (primarily slavery, also Indian relocation, (primarily slavery, also Indian relocation, and women’s position) enabled writers to and women’s position) enabled writers to see very dark, hypocritical side of see very dark, hypocritical side of fragmented society.fragmented society.

A little more “why”A little more “why”

f. f. Nature: Writers aware of “wild” Nature: Writers aware of “wild” aspects of nature, and were aware aspects of nature, and were aware that this wild side was becoming lost that this wild side was becoming lost as the physical frontiers were being as the physical frontiers were being conquered in this time of “Manifest conquered in this time of “Manifest Destiny.”Destiny.”

Washington Irving (1789-Washington Irving (1789-1851)1851)

First famous American First famous American writer, first American to writer, first American to actually make a living as a actually make a living as a writerwriter

Wrote short stories, travel Wrote short stories, travel books, satiresbooks, satires

Legend of Sleepy Hollow:Legend of Sleepy Hollow: terrified generations of terrified generations of childrenchildren

Rip Van Winkle:Rip Van Winkle: created created success from failure: first success from failure: first anti-heroanti-hero

““Devil and Tom Walker:” an Devil and Tom Walker:” an encounter-with-the-devil taleencounter-with-the-devil tale

Herman MelvilleHerman Melville

(1819-1891)(1819-1891) Ranked as one of Ranked as one of

America’s top novelists, America’s top novelists, but recognized by few in but recognized by few in his own timehis own time

Moby DickMoby Dick::– Didn’t sell, only his friend Didn’t sell, only his friend

N.H. liked it, not reprinted N.H. liked it, not reprinted for 60 years.for 60 years.

– Now considered America’s Now considered America’s greatest prose epicgreatest prose epic

Walt WhitmanWalt Whitman (1819-1892)(1819-1892) Rejected conventional Rejected conventional

themes, forms, subjectsthemes, forms, subjects Used long lines to capture the Used long lines to capture the

rhythm of natural speech, free rhythm of natural speech, free verse, everyday vocabularyverse, everyday vocabulary

““Song of Myself”Song of Myself” ““I hear America Singing”I hear America Singing” ““O Captain My Captain”O Captain My Captain”

Leaves of Grass: Leaves of Grass: published published 18551855

““When I Heard the Learn’d When I Heard the Learn’d Astronomer”Astronomer”

Walt WhitmanWalt Whitman

When I heard the learn’d astronomer,When I heard the learn’d astronomer, When the proofs, the figures, were ranged in columns before me,When the proofs, the figures, were ranged in columns before me, When I was shown the charts and diagrams, to add, divide, and When I was shown the charts and diagrams, to add, divide, and

measure them,measure them, When I sitting heard the astronomer where he lectured with much When I sitting heard the astronomer where he lectured with much applause in the lecture-room,applause in the lecture-room, How soon unaccountable I became tired and sick,How soon unaccountable I became tired and sick, Till rising and gliding out I wander’d off by myself,Till rising and gliding out I wander’d off by myself, In the mystical moist night-air, and from time to time,In the mystical moist night-air, and from time to time, Look’d up in perfect silence at the stars.Look’d up in perfect silence at the stars.

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)1882)

(Mrs. Kurnick’s B.F.)(Mrs. Kurnick’s B.F.) The leader of the The leader of the

“Transcendentalists” “Transcendentalists” His writings helped His writings helped

established the established the philosophy of philosophy of individualism, an idea individualism, an idea deeply embedded in deeply embedded in American culture.American culture.

““There is a soul at the There is a soul at the center of nature, and center of nature, and over the will of every over the will of every man, so that none of man, so that none of us can wrong the us can wrong the universe.”universe.”– ““Spiritual Laws” - essaySpiritual Laws” - essay

Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-18641864

Wrote about sin and Wrote about sin and guilt; consequences of guilt; consequences of pride, selfishness, etc. pride, selfishness, etc.

Ancestor was Judge Ancestor was Judge “Hathorne” at the “Hathorne” at the Salem Witch trials.Salem Witch trials.

The Scarlet LetterThe Scarlet Letter Short Stories:Short Stories:

– ““The Minister’s Black The Minister’s Black Veil”Veil”

– ““Young Goodman Young Goodman Brown”Brown”

Edgar Allen Poe (1809-Edgar Allen Poe (1809-1849)1849)

Lousy childhood, Lousy childhood, substance abuse issuessubstance abuse issues

Created modern short Created modern short story and detective storystory and detective story

GothicGothic Didn’t believe that a Didn’t believe that a

long poem had to teach long poem had to teach a lesson.a lesson.

Inspired future Inspired future detective/horror stories, detective/horror stories, Stephen King, etc.Stephen King, etc.

American Romantic ArtistsAmerican Romantic Artists

Asher DurandAsher Durand

John Quidor, (“Headless John Quidor, (“Headless Horseman”)Horseman”)

Emerson the dogEmerson the dog

Painting from the Romantic Painting from the Romantic Period:Period:

Composers of the Romantic Composers of the Romantic Era:Era:

Ludwig Von Beethoven Ludwig Von Beethoven GermanyGermany

Richard WagnerRichard Wagner GermanyGermany

Frederic ChopinFrederic Chopin Poland/FrancePoland/France

Felix MendelssohnFelix Mendelssohn Germany Germany