American Romanticism 美国浪漫主义时期.pptVIP

The Romantic Period of American Literature 1.?Time period: From the end of the 18th century to the outbreak of the Civil War. 2.??Its position: One of the most important periods in the history of American literature, “the American Renaissance.” The Social Background 1. The westward expansion. 2. The industrial transformation. 3. The ideal of democracy and equality. 4. Anti-Slavery Society was established in 1883. 5. A strong sense of optimism and the outburst of romantic feeling. 6. The influence of egalitarianism and individualism. 7. The influence of Puritanism. Hawthorn’s idea of human nature: He believed that “the wrong doing of one generation lives into the successive ones.” Human beings are basically depraved and corrupted, hence, they should obey God to atone for their sins. ? The Features of Literature 1. The urge to have American’s own literature. 2. American Romanticism was influenced by that of Europe. See their common characteristics on P55. ?? 3.?Emphasize the imaginative and emotional qualities, concentrate on the picturesque, the exotic, the sensuous, the sensational and the supernatural.? 4.Emphasize the psychology of the characters.? 5.?The desire for an escape from society and a return to nature. 6. The influence of nationalism on literature. 7. Transcendentalism (超验主义): A. Started by the Transcendental Club in New England in 1830s. B. The two major figures: Emerson and Thoreau. The idea of Transcendentalism: ? 1) Man is capable of knowing truth intuitively or attaining knowledge transcending the reach of the senses. 2)?Nature is ennobling and the individual is divine and perfect, therefore, man should be self-reliant. Washington Irving– The first American writer who earned an international reputation and the Father of the American short stories. * * *