Introduction
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The Romantic time period was the literary and artistic movement of the 19th century that served as a critique of the Enlightenment and placed a premium on imagination, emotion, nature, and individuality. During this time period there was a shift from reason and logic to experience and imagination. Romanticism is divided into two different branches which are, Dark Romanticism and Transcendentalism.
Now that the new nation is established, America was trying to find their identity as a nation. "Lyrical Ballads" written in 1798 by William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge is a depiction of this new identity we were developing. The idea of the poem was, "For all good poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings." This is encouraging one to react based on impulse and emotion rather than logic and intuition. This is a direct critique of the Enlightenment because rather than analyzing the situation one will react based on the emotions they feel.
Everything developed in the beginning creation of the nation was being challenged because there was a shift from Lockean thinking to Kantian. Before Romanticism, John Locke expressed the idea of Tabula Rasa, we were all born with intuition. Rather than relying on intuition, there is a shift to relying on the five senses. One now experiences life through the emotions they feel and the things they experience through the senses. This shift helps spark the imagination of the individual developing America’s new identity separate from Europe.
Dark romanticism focuses on the fact that evil is a prominent thing in the individual’s life. Edgar Allen Poe is one of the most famous dark romantic writers. He always included remote setting, violent or macabre acts, tormented characters, and supernatural elements because these elements focused on the idea of darkness.
The other branch of Romanticism, Transcendentalism focuses on the idea that the individual is defined through nature. Transcendentalists such as Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson express the idea in their writing that we are one with nature.
As America continues to grow, new ideas emerge and evolve with time. Authors heavily relied on human emotion to accomplish their purpose of writing. Most romantic literary work critiques the enlightenment. Romantic writing embraced the individual, sparked imagination, emphasised supernatural ideas, and showed reverence to nature.
Now that the new nation is established, America was trying to find their identity as a nation. "Lyrical Ballads" written in 1798 by William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge is a depiction of this new identity we were developing. The idea of the poem was, "For all good poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings." This is encouraging one to react based on impulse and emotion rather than logic and intuition. This is a direct critique of the Enlightenment because rather than analyzing the situation one will react based on the emotions they feel.
Everything developed in the beginning creation of the nation was being challenged because there was a shift from Lockean thinking to Kantian. Before Romanticism, John Locke expressed the idea of Tabula Rasa, we were all born with intuition. Rather than relying on intuition, there is a shift to relying on the five senses. One now experiences life through the emotions they feel and the things they experience through the senses. This shift helps spark the imagination of the individual developing America’s new identity separate from Europe.
Dark romanticism focuses on the fact that evil is a prominent thing in the individual’s life. Edgar Allen Poe is one of the most famous dark romantic writers. He always included remote setting, violent or macabre acts, tormented characters, and supernatural elements because these elements focused on the idea of darkness.
The other branch of Romanticism, Transcendentalism focuses on the idea that the individual is defined through nature. Transcendentalists such as Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson express the idea in their writing that we are one with nature.
As America continues to grow, new ideas emerge and evolve with time. Authors heavily relied on human emotion to accomplish their purpose of writing. Most romantic literary work critiques the enlightenment. Romantic writing embraced the individual, sparked imagination, emphasised supernatural ideas, and showed reverence to nature.
Walt Whitman
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Walt Whitman, one of America’s most influential poets, was born May 31, 1819 in West Hills, Long Island, New York. His parents, Louisa Van Velsor's and Walter Whitman, raised him and his seven siblings on a small farm. His father struggled to provide for his family and worked many jobs including farmer, carpenter, and a real estate speculator. Whitman is known for his love for America. His love for this great country began because of the way his parents raised him. They also had a love for the country naming many of his siblings after former presidents. Many of his brothers names included George Washington Whitman, Thomas Jefferson Whitman, and Andrew Jackson Whitman.
The Whitman’s moved to Brooklyn, New York when Walt was 3. His father hoped to take advantage of many job opportunities, but he never succeeded because of failed investments. Whitman was taken out of school at age 11 because his father was failing to provide for his family. He worked as an office boy for a Brooklyn attorney team and later found employment for a printing business.
After many years in the printing business, Whitman began teaching. He hated teaching because of the tough circumstances. After teaching for five years in various locations, he decided to quit and focus on journalism. In 1838, he started a weekly the Long Islander. He later moved back to New York City where he worked on his fiction writing and his newspaper editorial. In 1846, he became editor of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle.
In this new position, Whitman proved he was an opinionated journalist. His opinions often made his bosses and readers uncomfortable because he supported radical ideas such as women’s rights and labor issues. He often criticized his co-workers because they continued to follow the lifestyle of Europeans. His harsh criticism caused him to lose his position as editor and ruined his reputation with many newspapers in the New York area.
He moved to New Orleans in 1848 and became editor of the Crescent. He only stayed there for three months, but while he was there he witnessed slavery for the first time. He returned to New York in 1848, he started a new newspaper called the Brooklyn Freeman. Slavery continued to grow as a major issue in the nation, along with Whitman’s anger for the issue. He worried about its impact on the society and government. During this time, he wrote down all of his frustration and observations in a spiral notebook. Little did he know this notebook would evolve into major works of poetry.
Whitman finally found his writing style in 1855 and published a collection a 12 unnamed poems with preface titled “Leaves of Grass.” “Leaves of Grass” was a stretch from typical poetry during the time because of his unspecific structure that did not rely on meter. His works did not receive much attention from the public, but it did spark the attention of Ralph Waldo Emerson who gave him much praise. Whitman published a revised version of “Leaves of Grass” that featured 32 poems and Emerson’s letter of praise. The second revision received little recognition, but the third edition seemed like it had hope. The third edition of “Leaves of Grass” would have succeeded, but the start of the Civil War damaged its chances.
As the Civil War progressed, Whitman wrote poetry to encourage America. In 1837, Whitman had a stroke drastically affecting his life. He continued to revise and write poetry for “Leaves of Grass.” His life's work finally received praise and validation from people across the world. He continued to work on “Leaves of Grass until his death on March 26, 1892. In his lifetime he did not receive much recognition for the 300 plus poems he wrote, but today Walt Whitman is one of America’s most influential poets.
The Whitman’s moved to Brooklyn, New York when Walt was 3. His father hoped to take advantage of many job opportunities, but he never succeeded because of failed investments. Whitman was taken out of school at age 11 because his father was failing to provide for his family. He worked as an office boy for a Brooklyn attorney team and later found employment for a printing business.
After many years in the printing business, Whitman began teaching. He hated teaching because of the tough circumstances. After teaching for five years in various locations, he decided to quit and focus on journalism. In 1838, he started a weekly the Long Islander. He later moved back to New York City where he worked on his fiction writing and his newspaper editorial. In 1846, he became editor of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle.
In this new position, Whitman proved he was an opinionated journalist. His opinions often made his bosses and readers uncomfortable because he supported radical ideas such as women’s rights and labor issues. He often criticized his co-workers because they continued to follow the lifestyle of Europeans. His harsh criticism caused him to lose his position as editor and ruined his reputation with many newspapers in the New York area.
He moved to New Orleans in 1848 and became editor of the Crescent. He only stayed there for three months, but while he was there he witnessed slavery for the first time. He returned to New York in 1848, he started a new newspaper called the Brooklyn Freeman. Slavery continued to grow as a major issue in the nation, along with Whitman’s anger for the issue. He worried about its impact on the society and government. During this time, he wrote down all of his frustration and observations in a spiral notebook. Little did he know this notebook would evolve into major works of poetry.
Whitman finally found his writing style in 1855 and published a collection a 12 unnamed poems with preface titled “Leaves of Grass.” “Leaves of Grass” was a stretch from typical poetry during the time because of his unspecific structure that did not rely on meter. His works did not receive much attention from the public, but it did spark the attention of Ralph Waldo Emerson who gave him much praise. Whitman published a revised version of “Leaves of Grass” that featured 32 poems and Emerson’s letter of praise. The second revision received little recognition, but the third edition seemed like it had hope. The third edition of “Leaves of Grass” would have succeeded, but the start of the Civil War damaged its chances.
As the Civil War progressed, Whitman wrote poetry to encourage America. In 1837, Whitman had a stroke drastically affecting his life. He continued to revise and write poetry for “Leaves of Grass.” His life's work finally received praise and validation from people across the world. He continued to work on “Leaves of Grass until his death on March 26, 1892. In his lifetime he did not receive much recognition for the 300 plus poems he wrote, but today Walt Whitman is one of America’s most influential poets.
KEY AUTHORS
Washington Irving- The Devil and Tom Walker
Nathaniel Hawthorne- The Minister's Black Veil Edgar Allen Poe- The Fall of the House of Usher Herman Melville- Moby Dick Ralph Waldo Emerson- From Nature and From Self-Reliance Henry David Thoreau- From Walden Emily Dickinson- "Because I could not stop for Death" Walt Whitman- "From Leaves of Grass" and "Song of Myself" |
The Fall of the House of Usher movie trailer
Timeline
THEMES
The dominant theme of the Romantic Period is essentially understanding of the inividual and finding identity. Stories written suring the Romantic time period such as "The Minister's Balck Veil," promotes the idea of evalutating oneself to better ones identity beofre judging someone else. This story was written in the branch of Dark Romanticism which promotes the idea that everyone makes mistakes and that one must react based on emotion. Transcendentalist pieces such as "From Nature," have the same prominent theme of finding yourslef through nature. The Romantic period gives the individual more respect and supports the understanding of identity the interations one has with nature and the emotions humans feel help define the person.
"Walt Whitman Biography." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 2 Dec. 2016.