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Investigates the shift from reason to emotion and the celebration of the individual spirit and the American wilderness.
What if the most important truths in the universe couldn't be found in a laboratory or a textbook, but only by listening to your own 'inner voice' while standing alone in a forest?
From 1800 to 1860, American literature underwent a massive transformation. Moving away from the Enlightenment, which prioritized logic and scientific observation, the Romantic Period celebrated the 'inner light.' This shift was rooted in Intuition—the belief that knowledge is innate rather than learned. Romantics argued that the individual is the center of the universe, and that the 'self' is the primary lens through which we understand reality. This was a radical departure from the previous era's focus on social order and communal stability. In the Romantic view, the equation for truth changed from to .
Consider the difference between a scientist and a Romantic poet looking at a flower: 1. The scientist (Enlightenment) counts the petals and categorizes the species. 2. The poet (Romantic) ignores the category and focuses on the feeling of awe the flower inspires. 3. The Romantic believes the feeling is a higher form of truth than the data.
Quick Check
What did Romantics believe was the primary source of truth?
Answer
Intuition and individual emotion.
To the Romantics, the American wilderness was not a resource to be conquered, but a spiritual sanctuary. They viewed nature as a mirror for the human spirit. This led to the concept of the Sublime—a state of being where one feels both tiny and infinite when faced with the grandeur of the natural world. Unlike the Puritans, who often saw the forest as the 'Devil's territory,' Romantics saw it as a place of restoration where one could escape the corrupting influence of industrial society. They believed that , suggesting that God's presence is found in every leaf and stream.
In his essay Nature, Ralph Waldo Emerson writes: 'I become a transparent eye-ball; I am nothing; I see all; the currents of the Universal Being circulate through me.' 1. Identify the metaphor: The 'transparent eye-ball' means the self disappears to absorb nature. 2. Connect to the theme: This represents the total union of the individual and the divine through the natural world.
Quick Check
How did the Romantic view of the forest differ from the Puritan view?
Answer
Romantics saw the forest as a spiritual sanctuary and a source of divinity, whereas Puritans often viewed it as a dangerous or evil place.
The Romantic era introduced a new literary archetype: the Romantic Hero. This figure stands in stark contrast to the Colonial Hero. While the Colonial Hero (like Benjamin Franklin) was characterized by his social status, education, and desire to build a civilization, the Romantic Hero is often a social outcast. He is youthful, innocent, and possesses a 'higher' moral code that often clashes with man-made laws. He finds his identity in the wilderness rather than the city. We can represent the Romantic Hero's value system as: .
Compare Natty Bumppo (The Deerslayer) to a Puritan leader like John Winthrop: 1. Origin of Authority: Winthrop's authority comes from the Bible and the community; Bumppo's comes from his innate sense of right and wrong. 2. Environment: Winthrop thrives in the 'City on a Hill'; Bumppo flees the sound of an axe hitting a tree. 3. Knowledge: Winthrop is book-smart; Bumppo is 'nature-smart,' reading the woods like a text.
Which of the following best describes the Romantic concept of 'Intuition'?
How would a Romantic writer likely portray a growing industrial city?
The Romantic Hero is typically a well-educated socialite who values man-made laws above all else.
Review Tomorrow
In 24 hours, try to recall the three main differences between the Colonial Hero and the Romantic Hero.
Practice Activity
Find a modern movie character who fits the 'Romantic Hero' archetype (e.g., someone who rejects society for the wilderness) and list three traits they share with Natty Bumppo.