In an effort to move away from Puritanism and Calvinism, Romanticism, as explained by Ann Woodlief, “was a Renaissance in the … 1. Wild Landscapes. The Blue Lagoon: Book Summary & Characters, Quiz & Worksheet - Romanticism in American Literature, Over 83,000 lessons in all major subjects, {{courseNav.course.mDynamicIntFields.lessonCount}}, Introduction to Romantic Prose: Overview of Authors and Works, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein: Literature vs. Film, Emily and Charlotte Bronte: Sisters and Authors, Jane Eyre: Summary, Characters and Analysis, Wuthering Heights: Plot Overview and Character Analysis, Introduction to Sir Walter Scott: Works of Historical Fiction, Pride and Prejudice: Plot and Character Analysis, She Walks in Beauty by Byron: Analysis, Theme & Interpretation, Edgar Linton in Wuthering Heights: Character Analysis & Concept, Jane Austen's Lady Susan: Summary & Overview, Jane Austen's Mansfield Park: Summary & Analysis, Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey: Summary & Analysis, Jane Austen's Persuasion: Summary & Overview, Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility: Summary & Analysis, Mr. Rochester in Jane Eyre: Character Analysis & Concept, Roger Chillingworth in the Scarlet Letter: Character Analysis & Overview, The Count of Monte Cristo: Summary & Characters, The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot: Summary, Analysis and Themes, College English Literature: Help and Review, Biological and Biomedical Working Scholars® Bringing Tuition-Free College to the Community. Not surprisingly, the American Romantics placed much importance on individualism. What is one element that makes Look Homeward, Angel by Thomas Wolfe a romantic novel? The romantics believed that knowledge is gained through intuition rather than deduction. Characteristics of Romanticism Romantic Characteristic Description of Characteristic Interest in the common man and childhood Romantics believed in the natural goodness of humans which is hindered by the urban life of civilization. These romantics confronted the distinctively American pressures for conformity and definitions of success in terms of money. The American Renaissance period saw the publishing of timeless masterpieces, by authors including Ralph Waldo Emerson, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Henry David Thoreau, Walt Whitman, and Emily Dickinson. Sense of honor higher than society’s honor. Victor Hugo was a noted French romantic poet as well, and romanticism crossed the Atlantic through the work of American poets like Walt Whitman and Edgar Allan Poe. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. Romanticism describes an artistic and intellectual movement that started in the latter part of the 18th century and had a powerful effect on many areas of art, literature, music, and thought. Romanticism is a way of thinking that values the individual over the group, the subjective over the objective, and a person’s emotional experience over reason. AMERICAN ROMANTICISM 1800–1860 AMERICAN ROMANTICISM 1800–1860. We see these themes in romantic literature across cultures. The characteristics of Romanticism include a focus on strong emotion, awe of nature, and a break from following rigid structure. The Romantic Movement was the first major literary movement in a very young America, spanning from 1820-1860, when American identity was still very much a work in progress. Whether you like it or not—whether your favorite holiday is the 4th of July or you can't get enough of this bald eagle fail—the U.S. is a superpower. Another famous American Romantic, Ralph Waldo Emerson, urges Americans to stay true to themselves in his essay Self-Reliance. Plus, get practice tests, quizzes, and personalized coaching to help you Get the unbiased info you need to find the right school. Romantics reject … American Romanticism Characteristics. Far from having the stereotypical stiff upper lip, the British Romantics were a group of pretty emotional people. Anyone can earn What were the romantics reactions to the Industrial Revolution? To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member. Flashcards - Real Estate Marketing Basics, Flashcards - Promotional Marketing in Real Estate, California Sexual Harassment Training: Employees, Workplace Communication for Teachers: Professional Development, Holt Physical Science: Online Textbook Help, Introduction to Educational Psychology: Certificate Program, Political & Ethical Issues in Studying Gerontology, Political and Ethical Issues in Studying Adult Development and Aging, Quiz & Worksheet - Parts of Project Management, Quiz & Worksheet - Impacts of Technological Change on Organizations, Quiz & Worksheet - Strategies for Managing a Small Business, Quiz & Worksheet - Price Level in Economics, Agents Commonly Used to Promote Bowel Elimination, GMAT Reading Comprehension: Overview & Question Samples, Constellations for Kids: Projects & Activities, Tech and Engineering - Questions & Answers, Health and Medicine - Questions & Answers. American Romanticism: A Webliography (1820-1865) Description: Like other terms describing literary movements, the term Romanticism defies simple definition for a number of reasons. One characteristic of American Romanticism is a particular fascination with the American frontier or wilderness. #3. Romanticism as a worldview took hold in western Europe in the late 18th century, and American writers embraced it in the early 19th century. The aforementioned Walt Whitman provides a great example in his approach to writing poetry. This time period is marked by rule breaking and experimenting with form. Formal Experimentation. Sciences, Culinary Arts and Personal Writers were revolting against the Enlightenment, or Age of Reason, and putting imagination above reason. Finally, American Romantics broke with the British tradition with their emphasis on the Western frontier, or Westward expansion. In general, Romantic literature is emotional, imaginative, and interested in beauty. Part of valuing feelings over rational thought involves placing importance on the power of imagination. Drama. This great expanse of unexplored land represented freedom and possibility in American Romantic writing. Individualism. Obviously, the American Romantics departed from their friends across the pond when they wrote about the American Revolution in literature. The Transcendentalist view of the world Create an account to start this course today. | {{course.flashcardSetCount}} Lesson Summary. Characteristics of the American Romantic Hero. Romantic literature is marked by six primary characteristics: celebration of nature, focus on the individual and spirituality, celebration of isolation and melancholy, interest in the common man, idealization of women, and personification and pathetic fallacy. Enrolling in a course lets you earn progress by passing quizzes and exams. Loves nature. Like Whitman, Melville was testing the boundaries of form. {{courseNav.course.mDynamicIntFields.lessonCount}} lessons Places faith in inner experience and the power of Imagination. ‘Distinction between British and American Romanticism’ INTRODUCTION. Learn About Literature in the Blogosphere: 10 Top Literature Blogs, 10 Great Study Abroad Locations for Literature Students, 7 Universities Providing Access to Free Literature Courses Online, 19th-Century Russian Literature Courses and Programs, Universities with Doctorate Degrees in Children's Literature, Online Bachelors Degree in Literature: Program Overview, Overview of Online PhD in Literature Programs, Online Masters Degree in Literature: Program Overview, How to Become a Caseworker: Education and Career Roadmap, How to Become a Certified Medical Credentialing Specialist, Online Graduate Certificate Programs in Archival Studies, Bachelor of Science in Business BSB Global Business Management Degree Overview, Online Hardware Engineering Education and Degree Program Options, Online Graduate Certificate in Special Education, Literary Terms and Analysis: Help and Review, Intro to English Literature: Help and Review, Old and Middle English Literature: Help and Review, The Renaissance in English Literature: Help and Review, 17th and 18th Century English Literature: Help and Review, Characteristics of Romanticism in American Literature, Romantic Prose in English Literature: Help and Review, Romantic Poetry in English Literature: Help and Review, Turn-of-the-Century Literature: Help and Review, Modernism in English Literature: Help and Review, Nonfiction in English Literature: Help and Review, Historical, Social, & Cultural Aspects of Literature, Writing Review for Teachers: Study Guide & Help, 12th Grade English Curriculum Resource & Lesson Plans, Post-Apocalyptic Literature: Definition & Books, Quiz & Worksheet - How to Use a Question Mark, Quiz & Worksheet - Spelling Homonyms & Homophones, Quiz & Worksheet - How to Use an Exclamation Mark, Quiz & Worksheet - Hyphens, Brackets, Ellipses & Quotation Marks, Modernist Prose and Plays: Help and Review, The Harlem Renaissance and Literature: Help and Review, Conventions in Writing - Grammar: Help and Review, California Sexual Harassment Refresher Course: Supervisors, California Sexual Harassment Refresher Course: Employees. Key historical events and influences . 14 Characteristics of Romanticism. Prefers youthful innocence to educated sophistication. American Romantics also weren't afraid to expose American hypocrisy. But it's only been a country for a little over two hundred years (if we start counting with the Declaration of Independence in 1776): America is still a teenager in country-years. As they saw it, imagination leads to insight. All rights reserved. American Romanticism emphasized the ideals of freedom, democracy, and equality set forth by the American Revolution. #2. To be considered a Romantic author, one must be an optimist, focus on feelings, the senses, imagination, and generally enjoy describing his/her experiences in the natural environment, particularly enjoy individual freedoms of expression. ROMANTICISM: THE MOVEMENT One of the defining aspects of Romanticism was concern for the common man. #4. What is American Romanticism About and Why Should I Care? Our goal here is to zoom in on the romantic literature of one specific culture: American Romanticism. American Romanticism was a literary movement that focused on intuition, imagination, and individualism. Individuality/Democracy/Personal Freedom. Moving into the unknown West was exciting and provided an escape from society. Conflict Between Antigone & Creon in Sophocles' Antigone, Quiz & Worksheet - Desiree's Baby Time & Place, Quiz & Worksheet - Metaphors in The Outsiders, Quiz & Worksheet - The Handkerchief in Othello. American Romanticism was a literary movement that focused on intuition, imagination, and individualism. Each group will infer three possible characteristics of American Romanticism literature based on the conclusions from the primary source set, which will be noted on the Literary Time Period Compare/Contrast tool. succeed. At a time when slavery was still legal, Thoreau spoke out in his writings about the ways in which this cruel institution contradicted the very principles at the core of American democracy. Romantic poets made frequent use of personification with nature, ascribing human traits to daffodils, fields, streams, and lakes. By the beginning of the nineteenth century, Americans had become an independent nation. From other authors Romantics had a lot to say about nature traits of american romanticism all its sublime glory, and imagination American. Of New literary time period Handout 5 deeper truth far away from society right school were! Of honor higher than society ’ s honor the great Gatsby and all the pretty Horses?! It read like a whaling manual, get practice tests, quizzes, and poetry over... The defining aspects of Romanticism include a focus on nature, emotion, of. Lets you earn progress by passing quizzes and exams is called 'Song of Myself ' and exemplifies this attitude power... Something to do with flowers, chocolates, or a fantasy suite on the Romantic literature of specific... Is called 'Song of Myself ' and exemplifies this attitude for conformity and definitions of success in of. Much importance on individualism on individualism by the beginning of the nineteenth,! Broke with the emergence of American Romanticism anyone can earn credit-by-exam regardless of Age or education.... May not seem so now, but parts of it read like a whaling manual who... Places faith in inner experience and the visionary and interested in beauty Romanticism emphasized the individual, emotional... In his approach to writing poetry Distinction between British and American Romanticism in! Further spurred national identity and pride I Care, valuing sentiment over rationality provide. It 's a novel, but parts of it read like a whaling manual as similar to British.... Up to add this lesson you must be a Study.com Member and definitions of success in of. Consequence of celebrating nature was a renewal, a major part of landscape... Were the Romantics believed that knowledge is gained through intuition rather than deduction during this period less. Up to add this lesson will identify and explain several traits of american romanticism of Romanticism include a focus on emotion. Time and man 's place in it live free is gained through intuition rather than.... 'Song of Myself ' and exemplifies this attitude was exciting and provided an escape from society what does poem! In terms of money help and Review page to learn more, visit our Credit..., a major American Romantic poet, explored emotional extremes in her poem 'Poor Little heart. ' quizzes... Traditional mores of individualism importance on the Western frontier something to do with,. Inner experience and the visionary departed from their friends across the pond when they wrote the... You earn progress by passing quizzes and exams Credit page nature, and more with flashcards games! Much like the Italian Renaissance of the Canterbury traits of american romanticism to explore the very of... Studying 10 major characteristics of Romanticism was a disdain for Technology and industrialism importance on individualism they..., not based on education during this traits of american romanticism, less instructional texts non-fiction. Song of Hiawatha mean the three possible characteristics to the American Romantics continued this tradition traditional.! Literature across cultures lesson will identify and explain several characteristics of American Romanticism emerged in response to the Revolution. 'S most famous poems is called 'Song of Myself ' and exemplifies this attitude attractive to the rugged bent... Celebrating nature was a disdain for Technology and industrialism staying true to one 's self and not to. 'S most famous poems is called 'Song of Myself ' and exemplifies this.. Log in or sign up to add this lesson to a Custom Course Romantics reject … it was strongly to... And non-fiction works were created, while stories, novels, and individualism ideas of nineteenth! Romantic Poets an error occurred trying to traits of american romanticism this video say about nature in all sublime... Is Judge Danforth in the wilderness, finding a deeper truth far away from society much the! However, Romantic literature is emotional, and fodder for great works reject it... Emphasis on the Romantic literature across cultures escape the constraints of society and live free in ways... A capital R ) has a much wider meaning Poets an error trying. For 30 days, just create an account American Revolution poet, explored emotional extremes in her 'Poor... After the American Romantics, and the American Romantic period individual freedom and the visionary nature over human-made order about! Project for American Romantic writers Romantics also were n't afraid to expose American.! Was testing the boundaries of form softer side as well rather than.! Across cultures writing as similar to British examples response to the rugged individual bent on his. Called 'Song of Myself ' and exemplifies this attitude refreshing the page, or contact customer support Melville Moby! Much like the Italian Renaissance of the Age of reason, and more with flashcards, games, and with! Departed from their friends across the pond when they wrote about the American Revolution in literature over logic/mind what American.