a merican l iterature introduction to the romantic age (1820 – 1855)
TRANSCRIPT
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AMERICAN LITERATUREIntroduction to the Romantic Age
(1820 – 1855)
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THEMES OF THE AMERICAN RENAISSANCE
The American Ideal
Transcendentalism
The American Dream
The Romantic Hero
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AMERICAN IDEALS
The following ideals are very present in American writing of the time:
Optimism Tolerant of different religions, social classes,
and ethnic backgrounds Read: The first two paragraphs of the
Declaration of Independence Think: When it was written, did the line “all
men are created equal” include women and people of color?
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TRANSCENDENTALISM
"all knowledge transcendental which is concerned not with objects but with our mode of knowing objects.“ – Kant
Divinity lies within the man Great importance on the individual Man will be able to transcend the material
world and understand spiritual truths through art, science, and intuition.
Great importance on understanding the natural world
Discuss: What examples of Transcendentalism are there in “A Song of Myself”
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THE AMERICAN DREAM
Through moral behavior and hard work, human beings will achieve success and prosperity.
The happiness and optimism of the American People
Discuss: Is the American Dream now different from the American dream in the 19th century?
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THE ROMANTIC HERO
Common in Romantic texts is the image of the Romantic hero.
Freedoms of the Individual Detests conformity; rebels The hero is tolerant, respects others, values
freedom and nature Wanderers Emotional
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WALT WHITMAN
Read lines 53-130 of “Song of Myself” on pages 153-154 in your textbook
“Song of Myself” – Imagined autobiographical image of Whitman; very lyrical
Content and style are different from conventions popular at the time
Regards nature as a miracle Saturates poems with many details of the
surroundings
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EMILY DICKINSON
Agoraphobic Wide perspective in poems deceiving of her
lifestyle. She imagined the world how she wanted it to be
Respects nature but also sees the dark side of it
Many poems about death and passion that display anxiety
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THIS CONCLUDES YOUR INTRODUCTION TO THE ROMANTIC
ERA!