S. Hasty
Honors Sophomore English/ Block 4
4 December 2014
How are the Romantic's beliefs of optimism and individualism reflected in their writing?
In the Romantic's works, they like to express a lot of optimism and individualism into what they say. Because the whole nature of Romanticism is pleasant, well-rounded thoughts, optimism and individualism elements are very key within the works of Romanticism. A very good example of optimism and individualism is this verse from Swing Low Sweet Chariot,
“The brightest day that I can say,
Coming for to carry me home,
When Jesus washed my sins away,
Coming for to carry me home.”
In this verse above, bright days are being described- setting up the scene for complete optimism. Also, bringing in religion creates a sense of individualism, because religion allows for identification of one's morals- providing basic grounds for discovering one's self- laying down quite the individuality.
What is Romanticism, Gothic Romanticism, and Southern Gothic Romanticism? How are they similar and how are they different?
In all three genres; Romanticism, Gothic Romanticism, and Southern Gothic Romanticism, authors portray very distinct features and elements that adequately represent their genre passionately. The passion in which they carry through their genre is what they all share- everything within the work strongly defines the genre, instead of having a variety of genre's traits.
However, on the contrary, the thing which the genres do not have in common is the specific details of their genre. Romanticism is a movement in the arts and literature that originated in the late 18th century emphasizing inspiration, subjectivity, and the primacy of the individual.
Topics range from past criticism, the cult of sensibility, women and children, to authors Edgar Allan Poe and Nathaniel Hawthorne’s seemingly favorite, supernatural and human psychology.
Gothic Romanticism is a twist on Romanticism that includes creepy, depressing, and even disturbing features. Many works portraying Gothic Romanticism include; The Castle of Ontranto by Horace Walpole, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, and many of the works of Edgar Allan Poe. Southern Gothic Romanticism includes the twists of Gothic Romanticism, while including common traits of Southern culture. Some of these traits include, but are not limited to; the turning of classic Gothic figures into figures of southern culture, a bizarre happening in the town, house or farm, a grotesque (a character inducing both empathy and disgust)
While they may share passion, the genres Romanticism, Gothic Romanticism, and Southern Gothic Romanticism have many differences.
How is the Southern Gothic movement a response to literary movements that have preceded it as well as a manipulation of romantic literary conventions?
To understand Southern Gothic Romanticism, one must first be able to understand the Gothic fiction genre which it was divided from. Gothic Fiction is a somewhat rebellion to Romanticism- taking shared styles such as optimism and individualism, and turning them into the complete opposite- pessimism and confinement of ones self. Southern Gothic Romanticism is simply a spin off of this nature of writing, only pertaining to things asscociated with the South such as; towns, farms, houses, and southern lingo.
How did American culture prompt the dark sides of Romanticism?
Throughout the research of the Gothic authors, it is clear there is a common motif of early suffering- whether it be the loss of their parents, or the adaptation of addictions, the authors of Gothic Romanticism have often suffered some kind of trauma. Given this, there have been many things in American society that would also trauma-date people to turn to dark versions of regularly a happy optimistic genre. Some of these mind-set altering events include; Salem Witch Trials, Civil War, Poverty, and much more.
How do the writings of this time period influence the writings of today?
After having a difference in literature through the Gothic genres, it has set off many other forms of individuality. Having been derived from something that was popular, Gothic Romanticism offered an opportunity for authors to shine in their own light, rather than fit into the genre everyone is writing in. Now we have hundreds of genres- enough for absolutely everyone's taste.
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