- One of the primary differences between American Romanticism and European Romanticism is the type of literature that was created. While many writers of the Romantic Era in Europe produced poems, the American Romantics produced more prose. Although writers like Walt Whitman (1819-1892) and Emily Dickinson (1830-1886) were crucial to the movement and created influential pieces of verse, many novels like Herman Melville's (1819-1891) Moby Dick (1851) and Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852) by Harriet Beecher Stowe (1888-1896), and short stories like Edgar Allan Poe's (1809-1849) "The Tell-Tale Heart" (1843) and "Rip Van Winkle" by Washington Irving dominated the American literary scene.
- Pieces produced during the Romantic period embody the essence of a nation struggling with different ideologies and working toward a national identity. While some works of literature were a reaction to the political and social conditions of the times, others embodied some of the following elements central to American Romanticism:
- the belief in the natural goodness of man
- a delight in self-reflection
- a yearning for solitude
- a return to nature for spirituality
- a focus on democracy and individual freedom
- an emphasis on physicality and the beautiful
- development of new forms
The above list is not comprehensive. The Romantic era is an expansive time period rife with social changes, economic development, political struggle, and technological development. Although also considered part of American Romanticism, these subgenres often exhibit other characteristics. - Although also considered part of American Romanticism, these subgenres often exhibit other characteristics.
- Transcendentalism: Transcendentalism is a subgenre of American Romanticism that embraces idealism, focuses on nature, and opposes materialism.
- Dark Romanticism: This subgenre focused on human fallibility, self-destruction, judgment, and punishment.
- Gothic: Gothic Romanticism focused on the darker side of human nature, such as revenge and insanity, and often included a supernatural element.
- Slave Narratives: The American Slave Narrative is a first-hand account of the life of a former slave. Either written by them or told orally and recorded by another party, the narrative has vivid character description, expresses dramatic incidents, and shows the individual's self- and ethical-awareness.
- Abolitionism: This is anti-slavery literature written in prose, poetry, and lyrics.
- Civil War Literature: Literature written during the Civil War consisted largely of letters, diaries, and memoirs. It marks a move away from American Romanticism and toward a more realistic depiction of American life.
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