RomanticismRomanticism

RomanticismRomanticism• Movement associated with imagination and Movement associated with imagination and

boundlessnessboundlessness

• Contrasted with Rationalism which is Contrasted with Rationalism which is commonly associated with reason and commonly associated with reason and restriction.restriction.

• Originated In the mid 1800’s in Germany due Originated In the mid 1800’s in Germany due to a strong influence of literature, music and to a strong influence of literature, music and artart

• CharacteristicsCharacteristics– SentimentalismSentimentalism

– PrimitivismPrimitivism

– Cult of the noble savageCult of the noble savage

– Political liberalismPolitical liberalism

– Celebration of natural beauty and the simple lifeCelebration of natural beauty and the simple life

– IntrospectionIntrospection

– Idealization of the common man uncorrupted by Idealization of the common man uncorrupted by societysociety

– Interest in picturesque pastInterest in picturesque past

– Interest in remote placesInterest in remote places

– IndividualismIndividualism

– Morbid melancholyMorbid melancholy

Social AspectsSocial Aspects• Recognizably modern, industrialized nation transformed from an agricultural Recognizably modern, industrialized nation transformed from an agricultural

one.one.

• Immigrants in large numbers arriving in the states.Immigrants in large numbers arriving in the states.

• Progressive decay of urban life.Progressive decay of urban life.

• America(ns) becoming increasingly wealthy.America(ns) becoming increasingly wealthy.

• Aristocratic fear displaced by enlarging working classAristocratic fear displaced by enlarging working class– Middle class exasperated with the hierarchies which brought them little powerMiddle class exasperated with the hierarchies which brought them little power– Growing emphasis of individual over social conventionGrowing emphasis of individual over social convention

• Clearer possibilities of viable democracyClearer possibilities of viable democracy– Growing optimism about man’s possibilities and perfectabilityGrowing optimism about man’s possibilities and perfectability– Lofty ideals asserted the value of individuals regardless of class, education, etc.Lofty ideals asserted the value of individuals regardless of class, education, etc.

Environmental Environmental ElementsElements

• Westward Expansion effected by rationalist spirit and the rapid growth of Westward Expansion effected by rationalist spirit and the rapid growth of citiescities– Frontier:Frontier:

• Interest in external nature…beauty for the sake of beautyInterest in external nature…beauty for the sake of beauty– Nature as a source of knowledge of the primitiveNature as a source of knowledge of the primitive– Nature as a refugeNature as a refuge– Nature as a revelation of God to the individualNature as a revelation of God to the individual

• Journey away from the town to the world of natureJourney away from the town to the world of nature

• Flight from something to something Flight from something to something – Escape constraints of civilization (growing distrust of civilization)Escape constraints of civilization (growing distrust of civilization)

Spiritual ConceptsSpiritual Concepts• Religion took on more pantheistic toneReligion took on more pantheistic tone

– Pantheism:Pantheism:– More natural, purposeful, meaningful spirituality than DeismMore natural, purposeful, meaningful spirituality than Deism

• Growth of science brought about a psychic dislocationGrowth of science brought about a psychic dislocation– Need for individual meaningNeed for individual meaning– Sought truth from intuition and imaginationSought truth from intuition and imagination

RomanticismRomanticism– ImaginationImagination

• Quest for beautyQuest for beauty

• Use of far-away and Use of far-away and non-normal (antique, non-normal (antique, fanciful)fanciful)

• Imagination thought to Imagination thought to discover truths (through discover truths (through emotion and beauty) emotion and beauty) that reason could not that reason could not reachreach

• Imagination emphasized Imagination emphasized over formal rules over formal rules (classicism) and sense of (classicism) and sense of fact (rationalism)fact (rationalism)

• LifestyleLifestyle– OptimismOptimism– Preference of youth over Preference of youth over

educated sophisticationeducated sophistication– Resurgence of instinct and Resurgence of instinct and

desiredesire– Rebellion against external Rebellion against external

law and intellectualismlaw and intellectualism– Individual at the center of Individual at the center of

life and experiencelife and experience– Objectivity(external) Objectivity(external)

replaced with subjectivity replaced with subjectivity (self)(self)

Technique and Technique and StyleStyle

• Setting: remote landscapes, natural, exotic and far away placesSetting: remote landscapes, natural, exotic and far away places

• Plots are improbable and exaggeratedPlots are improbable and exaggerated

• Inadequate and/or unlikely characterizationInadequate and/or unlikely characterization

• Society as “harmful to morality”….a world of “lies”Society as “harmful to morality”….a world of “lies”

• Organic principle of writing (from rises from content..not formal)Organic principle of writing (from rises from content..not formal)

• Experimentation of new forms and some use of obsolete patternsExperimentation of new forms and some use of obsolete patterns

• Cultivation of individualized, subjective form of writingCultivation of individualized, subjective form of writing

• Authorial subjectivityAuthorial subjectivity

American HeroAmerican Hero• InnocentInnocent

• Simple Morality/VirtuousSimple Morality/Virtuous

• Sense of honor based on higher principles (not society’s)Sense of honor based on higher principles (not society’s)

• HeroicHeroic

• Love of NatureLove of Nature

• Distrust of town lifeDistrust of town life

• Skillful frontiersmanSkillful frontiersman

• Superhuman resourcesSuperhuman resources

• Quest for higher truths in natural worldQuest for higher truths in natural world