This divide in culture of change vs tradition continued around 1850. There were writers like Henry David Thoreau, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Walt Whitman and many others that created the transcendentalist movement and culture. It was a change from the normal american culture with beliefs in connecting with nature, civil disobedience, and individuality. On the other end, the maintaining end, was Dark romanticism. Dark romanticism was created by writers like emily dickinson and edgar allan poe who believed in the more evil side of humanity. This culture was not only in response to transcendentalism, but it was built off of gothic fiction, a popular genre in england at the time. Dark romantics wanted to stay with the culture of england, which had always been done, while transcendentalists weer trying to make an american culture and make changes.
Transcendentalism:
Civil Disobedience, by Henry David Thoreau
Summary: Civil Disobedience shows the need to prioritize conscience over rules and regulations and shows this by criticizing American society and politics of the late 1840s. He begins by arguing that the government is rarely useful and legitimate views aren't always the majority views. He believes people should follow their conscience and not laws. He didn't believe in the reform within the government. He used both poetry and social commentary to get across his purpose that civil disobedience by following your self conscience is the best way to live.
Analysis: Civil disobedience wasn't recognized as a work of art in it's time, but it is a good representation of the transcendentalist movement as whole. This movement was a change in American culture and created a new way of viewing society, politics, and our country. It went against previous literature in that it was all about the individual and showed direct opposition to the government. This work, and others by Henry David Thoreau, as well as other transcendentalist writers, changed and shaped early American culture. He created an ideal we still live by, that the individual is more important than the government and we are the ones who are able to make changes.
Civil Disobedience, by Henry David Thoreau
Summary: Civil Disobedience shows the need to prioritize conscience over rules and regulations and shows this by criticizing American society and politics of the late 1840s. He begins by arguing that the government is rarely useful and legitimate views aren't always the majority views. He believes people should follow their conscience and not laws. He didn't believe in the reform within the government. He used both poetry and social commentary to get across his purpose that civil disobedience by following your self conscience is the best way to live.
Analysis: Civil disobedience wasn't recognized as a work of art in it's time, but it is a good representation of the transcendentalist movement as whole. This movement was a change in American culture and created a new way of viewing society, politics, and our country. It went against previous literature in that it was all about the individual and showed direct opposition to the government. This work, and others by Henry David Thoreau, as well as other transcendentalist writers, changed and shaped early American culture. He created an ideal we still live by, that the individual is more important than the government and we are the ones who are able to make changes.
Dark Romanticism
The Raven, by Edgar Allan Poe
Summary: The unnamed narrator of this poem heard a tapping at his door but when he opened it, only heard the word "Lenore", his echo. He heard the tapping once he returned inside, and when he opens the window, a raven enters, amusing the narrator with the grave appearance. The Raven states that its name is Nevermore. The narrator predicts the raven will leave him the next day like all of his friends had, and the bird again responds nevermore. The narrator tries pondering the meaning of the word as the raven stares at him. The narrator feels angels enter and he calls the raven an evil prophet and asks if he will see his friend in heaven, and the raven once again said nevermore. The raven wouldn't leave and the narrator felt as though his soul will "nevermore" leave the raven's shadow.
Analysis: "The Raven" is the most famous of Poe's poems as it holds great meaning and is beautifully written. The narrator is in a Gothic setting and is tragedy struck by the death of his friend. The raven's continuous saying of "nevermore" reflects the despair of the narrator's soul. The poem shows the fear of death and oblivion and the raven was the bearer of bad news because it allows the narrator to be both the deliverer of the story and the interpreter. This poem along with other works by Edgar Allan Poe reflect the themes of dark romanticism. It shows very similar connections to Gothic style writing that was popular in England at the time. Writers like Poe wanted to stick with the culture of England and were against the change that the transcendentalists brought to American culture.
The Raven, by Edgar Allan Poe
Summary: The unnamed narrator of this poem heard a tapping at his door but when he opened it, only heard the word "Lenore", his echo. He heard the tapping once he returned inside, and when he opens the window, a raven enters, amusing the narrator with the grave appearance. The Raven states that its name is Nevermore. The narrator predicts the raven will leave him the next day like all of his friends had, and the bird again responds nevermore. The narrator tries pondering the meaning of the word as the raven stares at him. The narrator feels angels enter and he calls the raven an evil prophet and asks if he will see his friend in heaven, and the raven once again said nevermore. The raven wouldn't leave and the narrator felt as though his soul will "nevermore" leave the raven's shadow.
Analysis: "The Raven" is the most famous of Poe's poems as it holds great meaning and is beautifully written. The narrator is in a Gothic setting and is tragedy struck by the death of his friend. The raven's continuous saying of "nevermore" reflects the despair of the narrator's soul. The poem shows the fear of death and oblivion and the raven was the bearer of bad news because it allows the narrator to be both the deliverer of the story and the interpreter. This poem along with other works by Edgar Allan Poe reflect the themes of dark romanticism. It shows very similar connections to Gothic style writing that was popular in England at the time. Writers like Poe wanted to stick with the culture of England and were against the change that the transcendentalists brought to American culture.
