Assignment #1: Intro to Romanticism
Category 1: Primary Tenets of Romanticism
What is a primary characteristic of Romanticism?
Emphasis on emotion, imagination, and intuition over reason and logic.
How did Romantics view nature?
Nature was seen as the antithesis of materialism, and often viewed as a source of the sublime or divine inspiration.
What did Romanticism emphasize about the individual?
Romanticism celebrated the individual and the sanctity of self-expression.
What was the Romantic view on civilization?
Romantics saw civilization as a corrupting influence and praised the inherent goodness of people, especially in childhood.
What did Romantics think of reason?
Romantics often considered reason to be a negative product of civilization, unlike Enlightenment thinkers who celebrated it.
What is primitivism in the context of Romanticism?
Primitivism is the belief that people are good by nature but corrupted by civilization.
What role did emotion play in Romanticism?
Emotion was considered more reliable than reason, and Romantics often regarded it as a natural, pure expression of the self.
How did Romantics view imagination versus fancy?
Romantics distinguished between fancy (mere playfulness) and imagination, with imagination being a true source of creativity.
What did Romantic writers think of artistic conventions?
Romantics rejected the rigid forms of classicism and neoclassicism, seeing them as restrictive to true artistic expression.
How did Romantics view childhood?
Romantics idealized childhood as a period of pure emotion, freedom, and inherent goodness.
Category 2: Primary Tenets of Transcendentalism
What is a key belief of Transcendentalism?
Each person is innately divine and has the intuitive ability to discover higher truths.
What did Transcendentalists think of societal conventions?
Transcendentalists rejected dogmatic religious doctrines and celebrated self-reliance.
What is the view of nature in Transcendentalism?
Nature is seen as a source of spiritual truth and connection to the divine.
Who is the leading figure of Transcendentalism?
Ralph Waldo Emerson.
What does Transcendentalism emphasize in terms of knowledge?
Transcendentalists emphasize intuition over logic and reason.
What is the importance of self-reliance in Transcendentalism?
Self-reliance is the core principle of Transcendentalism, advocating independence of thought and action.
What did Transcendentalists think about society?
They believed society and its institutions were corrupting, and that individuals should trust their inner voice and intuition.
Which famous work is associated with Henry David Thoreau's Transcendentalism?
Walden.
Which Transcendentalist work emphasized civil disobedience?
"Civil Disobedience" by Henry David Thoreau.
Who were other key figures in Transcendentalism besides Emerson and Thoreau?
Amos Bronson Alcott and Margaret Fuller.
Category 3: Primary Tenets of Gothic Literature
What mood is characteristic of Gothic literature?
A mood of decay, suspense, and terror.
What is a common setting in Gothic literature?
Grandiose yet gloomy settings, often decaying or isolated locations.
What type of love is often depicted in Gothic literature?
*Destructive, passionate love, such as the relationship between Cathy and Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights.
What does the grotesque refer to in Gothic literature?
The grotesque involves strange, bizarre, or unnatural artistic representations, often disturbing.
What kind of heroes or heroines are common in Gothic literature?
Gothic literature often features alienated, misunderstood, and sensitive protagonists.
How does Gothic literature relate to Romanticism?
Gothic literature aligns with Romanticism’s focus on individuality, imagination, and the rejection of rationalism.
What did Romantics think about the Gothic?
Romantics celebrated the Gothic for its freedom of spirit, mystery, and authenticity.
What is a common thematic element in Gothic literature?
Themes of isolation, madness, and the supernatural.
Who is a famous writer of Gothic literature?
Mary Shelley, author of Frankenstein, is an example of a Gothic writer.
How do Gothic protagonists often feel?
They often experience intense feelings of alienation and emotional torment.
Category 4: Key Writers and Works
Which English Romantic poet is known for Ode on a Grecian Urn?
John Keats.
Which American writer is known for Moby-Dick?
Herman Melville.
Who wrote The Scarlet Letter?
Nathaniel Hawthorne.
Which American poet published Leaves of Grass?
Walt Whitman.
Which poet is famous for The Raven and Annabel Lee?
Edgar Allan Poe.
Category 5: Important Dates
What year is commonly cited as the start of the Romantic Period in England?
1798 (the publication of Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge).
When did the American Romantic Period begin?
1828 (with Andrew Jackson’s election as president).
When did the American Romantic Period end?
1865 (the end of the Civil War).
What year was Frankenstein by Mary Shelley first published?
1818.
When was Leaves of Grass first published?
1855.
Category 6: Other Key Concepts
What is the significance of The Dial in Transcendentalism?
It was the periodical through which Transcendentalist ideas were spread.
What event is often cited as the starting point for Romanticism in America?
The election of Andrew Jackson in 1828.
What important political event influenced the Romantic movement in Europe?
The French Revolution of 1789, particularly before the Reign of Terror.
Which work by Emily Dickinson focuses on themes of death and immortality?
Many of her poems, but notably "Because I Could Not Stop for Death."
What novel by Harriet Beecher Stowe played a role in the abolitionist movement?
Uncle Tom’s Cabin (1852).
These flashcards will help you prepare for a quiz on Romanticism, Transcendentalism, Gothic literature, and the key writers and dates from these movements!