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Evolution of American literature
Evolution of American literature
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“Romanticism is seen as a response to the Enlightenment.” (4) It makes sense that the literature was the way that it was during this time period. Americans were essentially looking for someone to liberate them from British rule so they could finally experience freedom. It was all about the “heroism” and superiority of the American man. Lewis and
American Romanticism were mostly written during the 1800’s. The use of American Romanticism was to get readers to read. The authors would exaggerate stories to get them attached and start reading them. American Romanticism were stories that were mostly gothic or dark stories. The death of a protagonist is usually over exaggerated.
Man vs. Society The short story "Two Fishermen" by Morley Callaghan depicts an important message about the relationship that conformity has with morality. Callaghan illustrates that the true nature of an individual 's being is only revealed when they are put under pressure. This message is portrayed through the characters Michael Foster, Billy Hilton, and K. Smith. In Michael Foster 's case, he is given a choice to stand up for and protect an innocent man with whom he had become acquaintances with.
During the period from 1760’s to the 1910’s, the European intellectual viewpoints have evolved over time starting with the Enlightenment, which sparked in the French Revolution. Equality and education became very important to the Europeans along with theories on human behavior and reason. Winding time forward, Romanticism was a movement in the arts and literature that emphasized passion, emotion of the individual, and admiration of nature. This praising of the individual transitioned to imperialism era, which was the colonization by the European powers, USA, and Empire of Japan. Every nation was in a competition to take over the natives’ land first.
The romanticism was the response to the Industrial Age. That movement began in America from 1820 ’s to 1870’s. Washington Irving was part of that movement which began in America after Revolutionary War. They tried to separate them from the rest of the world and create a country as a nation. They used their chance of individuality and creativity, and they addressed economic social and many other concerns by their writings.
The Romantic Period was an artistic, literary movement that started in Europe at the end of the 18th century. The Romantic movement was partly a reaction to the industrial revolution that dominated at that time; it was also a revolt against aristocratic social and political norms of the Age of Enlightenment and reaction against the scientific rationalization of nature. After a grueling revolutionary war, America finally gained its independence from the great British. Nevertheless, Americans have grown dependent on the British throughout the many years of colonization. It was at this dire times that Romanticism reached America.
The Romantic Movement started in Germany and then it moved all around the world and became well known in England. It was a reaction to the Enlightenment and the focus on the human reason. It was a reaction towards the Industrial Revolution and Neo Classical Movement as well. Frankenstein is a novel which is written by Mary Shelley. It is an example of a Romantic novel.
American Romanticism American Romanticism is a concept that developed in the 17th century. Romanticism is all about emotions, the meaning of life, religion, society, the human form, death, and nature. Romanticism is very diverse and complex because each writer interprets the themes differently and each person who reads the poem can see something different and unique. Two famous and influential romantic poets were Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman. Although Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman were both romantic poets they interpreted society and death in two completely different ways.
Edgar Allen Poe, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Emily Dickinson are just some of the few authors who wrote gothic literature. American Romanticism was used to show the reactions to the restrictions of the puritans during the 1800’s. The purpose of Gothic literature was and still is to entertain and to inspire improvement of oneself through imagination. Some characteristics of dark romanticism are desolate location, ghost or spirit, use of symbols, and death by disease or madness. Of course not all gothic stories have to have every single component to be thought as gothic literature.
Romanticism was a time which had many unique attributes, but Washington Irving did not agree with those attributes and made fun of those ideas through his writing. Romanticism is a time period that was at its peak from 1800-1850 in which people all over the world focused on the many new ideas in art, music, and writing. The definition of Romanticism is simply, anything but the here or now or whatever isn’t realistic but is commonly referred to as the time period
Romanticisim was a movement in literature and art which lasted from about 1789-1870 in Europe, North America and Latin America .The rising of Romanticism is associated with the Industrial Revolution, or with the American War of Independence and the French Revolution. Especially, the Industrial Revolution led to some technological and socio-economic-cultural changes at that period in the Europe. As a matter of fact that these changes invited to people to use of natural sources and the mass production of manufactured goods ,mankind obtained new skills and became a machine operator who was dependent on factory. After all,having control over nature and the ability of using resources gave a confidence to humanity. Thus,Romanticism was born as a reaction to mechanization of human life by evoking the emotional side of human and falsifiying reality.
The values of Romanticism include the idea of individualism, human’s respect toward nature, and the emphasis on emotions. During the Romantic Era, many authors began to promote individuality and to oppose the society. In their art works, Romanticists often try to convince the public that all individuals should be unique, different from everyone else. Instead of following the social trends and copy others, individuals should trust their own decisions.
Throughout this time period American literature shifts from American foundation into American development. Following the Revolutionary War, America saw a huge population increase; migration westward; and many technological advances. These events thus initiate the Romantic Era. Within this era society held the values of individual importance; close association with nature; and humanism. In the romanticism poem The Tide Rises, The Tide Falls the reader can obtain a glimpse of these nature focused beliefs.
In this grand poem, Whitman glorifies the unity of all people and life. He embraces the geographical diversity as well as the diversity of culture, work, as well as sexuality or beliefs. Whitman’s influence sets American dreams of freedom, independence, and self-fulfillment, and changes them for larger spiritual meaning. Whitman appreciates hard work as well as being simple and non-egotistical. His major ideas are things such as soul, good health, as well as the love of nature.
Reflection By studying American Romanticism, we are able to learn that American literature allows its readers to understand transcendentalist views which led to individuals in American society to realize that everyone perceives the world differently. In American literature, individuals are able to understand the values of transcendentalism in which it illustrates the importance of nature, self reliance, and individuality through essays such as “Walden” by Henry David Thoreau, and Ralph Waldo Emerson’s essays “Nature” and “Self-Reliance”. In Henry David Thoreau’s essay “Walden” he says “ life never the bone where it is sweetest.” This quote suggests the importance of individuality due to the fact that we do not need to change to make others satisfied because we are only truly happy when we are able to accept ourselves. The best part in this unit was to look at an image and listen to the different