Derrick, David, Alice, Tom,

1
RomanticismAmerican Literature

• Derrick, David, Alice, Tom,
• Daniel, Frances, and Katie

2
Introduction

• Romantic literature and American authors helped
  to create a sense of independent national pride
  though their artistic creativity. They
  established America as a cultural center, thereby
  developing America's national intellectual
  identity. By helping to develop a sense of
  American culture, these authors facilitated the
  structure of an independent nationhood.

3
A Brief Discussion of Romanticism

• Romanticism was an international movement which
  arose as a response to enlightenment ideals and
  the French revolution.
• The cold rationalism and materialism of the
  enlightenment were rejected for a far more
  emotional movement with an almost religious
  appreciation of nature and worship of the
  individual misunderstood hero.
• Humans were essentially good the problem was
  civilization.

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A Brief Discussion of Romanticism

• The initial strongholds of Romanticism were
  England and Germany.
• The American movement was greatly inspired by
  English poets such as Coleridge, Keats, and
  Byron.
• Nationalism was a key element in romanticism.
  English, German as well as American movements all
  had nationalistic trends.

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Characteristics of American Romanticism

• American Romanticism had a large focus on a
  return to nature.
• It idealized American heroes, such as the framers
  of the constitution.
• It helped give birth to the distinctly American
  Transcendentalism.

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The Fireside Poets

• The majority of the individuals covered in this
  presentation were fireside poets.
• Consisted of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, William
  Cullen Bryant, John Greenleaf Whittier, James
  Russell Lowell, and Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.

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Washington Irving

• American Author
• (1783 1859)

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Background Information

• Born on April 3, 1783 and died on November 28,
  1859.
• Raised in Manhattan, New York, by his parents
  William and Sarah.
• His family was comprised of merchants, who
  encouraged him in his pursuits as a writer, as
  well as a politician.
• Appointed in 1842 Minister to Spain for the
  United States of America.
• First American author to receive international
  fame and recognition.
• Received several honors and awards not only in
  America, but in European countries as well such
  as England and Spain.

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Key Works

• Sketch Book (1819-1820)
• Rip Van Winkle
• The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
• History of Christopher Columbus (historical)
• Tour on the Priaries (Western)
• Astoria (Western)
• The Adventures of Captain Bonnevile, U.S.A.
  (Western)

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Themes and Influence

• Throughout his work, he satirizes historical and
  overly-exalted figures for their god-like status.
• Irving incorporated his memories of New York and
  America into his writing, as well as the other
  numerous places to which he traveled in his
  career.
• Washington Irvings work helped to expand
  American nationalism by exploiting the common
  English language of the United States. Irvings
  works united Americans around a shared
  appreciation of his literature.
• This led to a national bonding by creating
  American literature and American culture in
  the United States American nationalism arose
  because of a common appreciation of Irvings
  writing.
• Irvings work has left unifying effects on the
  United States that can be seen even today. For
  example, the New York Knicks basketball team got
  their name from a pen name of Irvings Diedrich
  Knickerbocker.

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Influence (continued)

• Irvings writing also brought about a national
  sense of permanence and national direction.
• Irving became well known in much of Europe as
  well as across America. By reshaping the image of
  the United States as an intellectual country in
  the international community, Irving created a
  sense of American permanence on both the national
  and international levels.
• Irvings work also illustrated the permanence of
  national democratic ideals. Although Irving often
  poked fun at United States society in his
  writing, his work was still celebrated as an
  American achievement, proving the strength of the
  concept of free speech.

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Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

• American Poet
• (1807 1882)

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Background Information

• Born and raised in Portland, Maine.
• Resigned as a Harvard professor in 1854.
• Provided his family a comfortable living
  exclusively with the income from his writing.
• Longfellows work is loved for its American
  themes and its cadence and easy rhymes.

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Key Works

• Evangeline A Tale of Arcadie
• The Song Of Hiawatha
• The Landlords Tale Paul Reveres Ride
• The Courtship of Miles Standish

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Themes and Influence

• Recurrent themes in his work include
• American nationalism
• Freedom/oppression
• Romance
• Critics suggest that Longfellow desired to
  establish American Mythology in his poems,
  which helped instill a sense of American
  belonging in his readers.
• Poems like The Song of Hiawatha, The Courtship of
  Miles Standish and The Landlords Tale Paul
  Reveres Ride, tell narratives that have become
  better known than the actual historical facts.

16
Nathaniel Hawthorne

• American Novelist
• (1804 1864)

17
Background Information

• Born in Salem, MA.
• Had a Puritan family.
• His father died.
• Rich relatives paid for his education at Bowdoin
  College.

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Key Works

• Wrote a lot of short stories
• First book written in 1828, Fanshawe.
• The House of Seven Gables
• The Scarlet Letter, 1st American psychological
  novel.

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Themes and Influence

• Individualism
• Society
• Guilt
• Alienation
• Puritan Society in New England
• Hawthorne continued to push peoples ideas while
  he wrote very controversial material, which
  explored individualism, the society, guilt and
  alienation.
• Hawthorne helped to affect nationalism because of
  being considered the first physiological author
  with controversial ideas. He also brought in the
  idea of America and the culture into the works,
  with the ideas of his home, Salem, and Puritan
  ideals.

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Oliver Wendell Holmes

• American physician and poet
• (1809 - 1894)

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Background Information
22
Key Works Old Ironsides

• "Old Ironsides.--- It has been affirmed upon
  good authority that the Secretary of the Navy has
  recommended to the Board of Navy Commissioners to
  dispose of the frigate ConstitutionSince it has
  been understood that such a step was in
  contemplation we have heard but one opinion
  expressed, and that in decided disapprobation of
  the measure. Such a national object of interest,
  so endeared to our national pride as Old
  Ironsides is, should never by any act of our
  government cease to belong to the Navy, so long
  as our country is to be found upon the map of
  nations.New York Journal of Commerce Tuesday,
  September 14, 1830

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Themes and Influences

• Oliver Wendell Holmes writings had a clear
  patriotic streak. As poet Laureate of Boston he
  wrote poetry for significant holidays and
  birthdays of famous individuals
• Oliver Wendell Holmes was influenced by his time
  with fellow American authors in Boston, and by
  those overseas in England.

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Conclusion

• American authors created a unique culture, that
  was distinct from European culture.
• Their ideas aided American individualism and
  intellectual thought.
• By spreading American ideas via literature they
  helped unite the newly formed nation.

25
Bibliography

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• Gunnar, Bengtsson. "Biography of Henry Wadsworth
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• Mellow, James R. Nathaniel Hawthorne in His
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