knapp aditya

Romanticism

A 19th-century literary artistic and intellectual movement emphasizing emotion imagination individualism nature and the sublime over reason science and industrialization

Romanticism qualities

Celebrates the 5 I’s: Imagination (creative vision) Intuition (inner truth) Idealism (perfectibility of humanity) Inspiration (divine or natural spark) Individuality (unique self-expression)

Transcendentalism

American philosophical and literary movement (1830s–1860s) rooted in idealism believes in the inherent goodness of people and nature the corruption of society and the power of intuition and self-reliance to connect with the divine

Transcendentalism qualities

Optimism in human potential rejection of materialism emphasis on personal intuition over tradition spiritual unity with nature nonconformity

Anti-Transcendentalism

A darker more pessimistic response to Transcendentalism explores human sinfulness psychological complexity moral ambiguity and the limits of individualism (also called Dark Romanticism)

Anti-Transcendentalism qualities

Focus on guilt evil the subconscious symbolism irony and the flawed human condition often uses Gothic elements

Longfellow

(1807–1882) America’s most popular Romantic poet known for musical accessible verse like “A Psalm of Life” (motivational) and “The Cross of Snow” (elegy)

William Cullen Bryant

American Romantic poet and editor (1794–1878) wrote “Thanatopsis” at age 17 viewed nature as a teacher of life and death

Emerson

(1803–1882) “The Sage of Concord” founder of Transcendentalism wrote “Nature” (1836) and “Self-Reliance” (1841) championed intuition nonconformity and spiritual self-trust

Thoreau

(1817–1862) Emerson’s protégé lived simply at Walden Pond wrote “Walden” (1854) and “Civil Disobedience” (1849)—a foundational text for nonviolent resistance

American Romantic hero traits

Young innocent intuitive connected to nature rejects societal norms quests for self-discovery or higher truth often isolated or tragic values feeling over logic

Rip Van Winkle (Irving 1819)

Washington Irving’s satirical tale a lazy villager sleeps 20 years under the Catskills wakes to a changed America explores time identity escapism and revolution

Emily Dickinson poetry

Reclusive poet (1830–1886) over 1800 poems known for short lines dashes slant rhyme compressed thought themes: death immortality nature faith inner psyche

Thanatopsis (Bryant 1821)

Meditative poem meaning “view of death” nature speaks teaching that death unites all in eternal rest promotes acceptance over fear

Psalm of Life (Longfellow 1838)

Inspirational lyric urging active purposeful living: “Let us then be up and doing” rejects passive mourning

The Cross of Snow (Longfellow 1879)

Petrarchan sonnet written 18 years after his wife’s death compares enduring grief to a snow-covered mountain cross

Aphorisms (Emerson)

Concise memorable sayings from journals and essays distill Transcendentalist wisdom (e.g. “Trust thyself: every heart vibrates to that iron string”)

Self-Reliance (Emerson 1841)

Landmark essay arguing individuals must avoid conformity and trust their own instincts “Whoso would be a man must be a nonconformist”

Civil Disobedience (Thoreau 1849)

Essay asserting moral duty to resist unjust laws “Under a government which imprisons any unjustly the true place for a just man is also a prison”

Edgar Allan Poe

Master of Gothic fiction poetry and the short story explored obsession madness grief and the macabre (e.g. “The Fall of the House of Usher” “The Raven”)

Nathaniel Hawthorne

Anti-Transcendentalist examined sin guilt and Puritan hypocrisy in works like The Scarlet Letter and “Young Goodman Brown” uses allegory and symbolism

Aphorism

A brief pithy statement expressing a general truth or principle (e.g. “To be great is to be misunderstood” – Emerson)

Paradox

A seemingly contradictory statement that reveals a deeper truth (e.g. “I must be cruel only to be kind”)

Imagery

Language that appeals to the senses—sight sound touch taste smell—to create vivid mental pictures

Alliteration

Repetition of initial consonant sounds in neighboring words (e.g. “whispering winds”)

Consonance

Repetition of consonant sounds within or at the end of words not limited to initials (e.g. “blank and think”)

Stanza Forms

Structured groups of lines in poetry common types: couplet (2) tercet (3) quatrain (4) sestet (6) octave (8)

Rhyme Scheme

Pattern of end rhymes in a stanza marked with letters (e.g. ABAB AABB)

Slant Rhyme

Near or imperfect rhyme (e.g. “love” and “move” “worm” and “swarm”) used by Dickinson

Inverted Syntax

Rearranged word order for emphasis rhythm or archaic effect (e.g. “Powerful you have become”)

Dichotomy

Sharp division or contrast between two opposing ideas (e.g. light vs. dark reason vs. emotion)

Juxtaposition

Placing contrasting elements side by side to highlight differences or create tension

Mood

The overall emotional atmosphere evoked in the reader (e.g. eerie joyful melancholic)

Attitude

The author’s tone or emotional stance toward the subject (e.g. reverent sarcastic nostalgic)

First Person

Narration from “I” or “we” creates intimacy and subjectivity

Second Person

Narration using “you” rare in literature draws reader in directly

Third Person

Narration using “he” “she” “they” can be limited (one character’s view) or omniscient (all-knowing)

Enjambment

Running a sentence or phrase over a line break in poetry without pause builds momentum

Mythological Allusions

References to Greek Roman Norse or other myths (e.g. Icarus Prometheus)

Biblical Allusions

References to characters stories or quotes from the Bible (e.g. Garden of Eden Prodigal Son)

Literary Allusion

Reference to another work of literature character or author (e.g. “He was a real Romeo”)

Ethos

Rhetorical appeal to credibility ethics or character of the speaker

Pathos

Rhetorical appeal to emotion—pity anger joy—to persuade

Logos

Rhetorical appeal to logic reason evidence and facts

Personification

Giving human qualities to animals objects or ideas (e.g. “The wind whispered through the trees”)

Assonance

Repetition of vowel sounds in nearby words (e.g. “fleet feet sweep by sleeping geeks”)

Metaphor

Direct comparison of two unlike things without “like” or “as” (e.g. “Time is a thief”)

Simile

Comparison using “like” or “as” (e.g. “Her smile was like sunshine”)

Hymn

A religious song or poem of praise often structured and devotional

Ballad

A narrative poem or song telling a story usually in quatrains with ABCB rhyme often folk origins

Primary Sources

Original materials from the time period—letters diaries speeches the literary work itself

Secondary Sources

Interpretations analyses or critiques of primary sources (e.g. essays biographies scholarly articles)

Hyperbole

Deliberate exaggeration for emphasis or humor (e.g. “I’ve told you a million times”)

Diction

The author’s choice of words affects tone clarity and style (formal informal poetic archaic)

Archaic Language

Outdated words or grammar for historical or poetic effect (e.g. “thou” “thee” “hath” “doth”)

Romantic focus on 5 I’s

Imagination Intuition Idealism Inspiration Individuality—core values rejecting rationalism

Championed

Publicly supported defended or promoted a cause or idea

Sojourn

A temporary stay or journey often with reflective or spiritual purpose

Tenet

A fundamental principle belief or doctrine held by a group

Succumb

To yield give in or die—often to temptation illness or despair

Lurid

Vividly shocking sensational or gruesome often overly bright or unnatural in color

Importune

To beg or urge someone persistently and annoyingly

Melancholy

A deep lasting sadness or gloom often reflective or poetic

Pervade

To spread throughout every part to permeate or infuse completely