Romanticism Movement: European and American Literary Shifts

Romanticism: New Ideas and Feelings

Romanticism introduced new ideas and different ways of thinking and feeling. It began in Western Europe during the latter half of the 18th century, championed by poets, artists, and philosophers. It is often considered the birth of the modern world.

Key Events

• The Salon in Paris (May 1762): Focused on children's care.
• August 1770, Brook Street, London: Thomas Chatterton committed suicide. He was a poet who did not wish to be a lawyer, leading to the idea of the sensitive person being born.
• 1774: Publication of The Sorrows of Young Werther.

Romantics deeply loved nature and sought to express and release human feelings.

British Authors

• Mary Shelley: Never formally educated, she ran away with a married man. She is considered the first author to write science fiction with Frankenstein. She died at 53 from brain cancer.
• Mary Ann Evans (George Eliot): Born in the UK in 1814, she wrote 7 novels, focusing on strong feelings, such as in Mill on the Floss.
• Arthur Conan Doyle: Born in Scotland in 1859, his father was an alcoholic. He is known for detective and science fiction works (Sherlock Holmes, A Study in Scarlet, etc.). He was a friend of Houdini.

Literature in America

American Literature began in the early 17th century. Native American cultures possess a rich history of oral literature.

Literary Periods

• The Colonial and Early National Period (17th century to 1830)
• The Romantic Period (1830 to 1910)
• Realism and Naturalism (1879 to 1910)
• The Modernist Period (1910 to 1995)
• The Contemporary Period (1995 to present)

17th Century Developments

• John Smith is credited with initiating American Literature. Key books include A True Relation of Virginia (1680) and The Generall Historie of Virginia, among others.
• Themes included biographies, treatises, accounts, and sermons.
• Some poetry of high quality was produced.
• The style largely mirrored British writings of the time.

18th Century Shifts

• The wrench of the American Revolution emphasized growing differences between American and British political concepts, which significantly influenced literature.
• Thomas Paine moved from England to Philadelphia and became a magazine editor, helping the revolution.
• Poetry became a weapon during the American Revolution.
• Dramas and novels of some historical importance were produced by the end of the 18th century.

19th Century Aspirations

• After the American Revolution, American writers were strongly encouraged to produce literature that was truly native.
• During and after the American Renaissance, many movements appeared:

19th Century American Literary Movements