American Romanticism was an artistic and intellectual movement that thrived from the 1830s to the Civil War, emphasizing individualism, emotional expression, and nature's spiritual role. It produced iconic literary figures like Huckleberry Finn and Natty Bumppo, who symbolize the quest for freedom. Key writers included Emerson, Thoreau, and Whitman, whose works like 'Self-Reliance,' 'Walden,' and 'Leaves of Grass' remain influential. The movement also gave rise to subgenres like Transcendentalism and Dark Romanticism, reflecting diverse themes in American literature.
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American Romanticism emerged as a movement to establish a distinct cultural identity separate from European traditions
American Romanticism placed a premium on individualism and emotional expression, in contrast to the previously dominant Neoclassicism
American Romanticism celebrated the natural world and the boundless potential of human imagination
American Romantic literature often depicted protagonists as societal outliers who adhered to their own moral codes and defied conventional norms
Nature was seen as a vital source of spiritual sustenance and a conduit for uncovering deeper truths in American Romanticism
American Romanticism placed a deep trust in the power of imagination and artistic expression to transcend materialistic concerns
American Romanticism was influenced by British poets like William Wordsworth, who emphasized the imagination's ability to reveal unseen aspects of existence
American Romanticism was characterized by a focus on prose, with authors like Herman Melville, Harriet Beecher Stowe, and Edgar Allan Poe contributing groundbreaking works
Authors like Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and Walt Whitman played a crucial role in defining American Romanticism through works like "Self-Reliance," "Civil Disobedience," and "Leaves of Grass."
Transcendentalism, led by Emerson and Thoreau, focused on idealism and a deep connection to nature
Dark Romanticism explored the complexities of human imperfection and the potential for self-destruction
The Gothic tradition delved into the darker aspects of the human psyche, often incorporating supernatural elements
American Romanticism also addressed social and political issues, such as slavery and the Civil War, foreshadowing the subsequent Realism movement
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______ Romanticism, an important artistic and intellectual movement, thrived from about ______ until the end of the ______.
American
1830
Civil War
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Defining features of American Romanticism
Focus on individualism, nature reverence, trust in imagination and artistic expression.
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American Romanticism's view on societal norms
Challenges societal constructs, promotes personal moral codes and emotional guidance.
