Unit ONE: Individualism Romanticism Transcendentalism and Anti-Transcendentalism Romanticism: 1. Time period: early to mid 1800s 2.

Brought about as a reaction to the Age of Reason and the strict doctrines of Puritanism !ery strict religious beliefs and practices in America from 1"00#late 1$00s% &. 'a(or themes or characteristics of Romanticism: importance of the individual, !alues the imagination) and emotional side of human nature rather than rational logical% side of human nature. *ome +riters had a fascination +ith the supernatural. ,riters had an optimistic outlook. -. The natural +orld +as glorified. .. /amous Romantic +riters: ashington Irving 0The 1e!il and Tom ,al2er3% and /ireside Poet) !enr" ads#orth $ong%ello# 0A Psalm of 4ife3%.

,ashington 5r!ing Transcendentalism: &An optimistic o%%shoot o% Romanticism' 1. Time period: mid 1800s to late 1800s.

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2. A belief that 7transcendent forms8 of truth e9ist (e"ond reason and e)perience. *. :alues intuition as a means of gaining this higher truth. -. +ommuning #ith nature made possible an intuiti!e connection +ith the entire uni!erse. .. This connection +ith all: ;od) man2ind) the natural +orld +as 2no+n as the Universal Oversoul. All li!ing things could tap into this spirituality.

". :alued non-con%ormit". $. 'a(or +riters of the time: Ralph aldo Emerson 0*elf#Reliance3%) !enr" ,avid Thoreau Walden and 0<i!il 1isobedience3% and alt hitman Leaves of Grass%.

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Ralph ,aldo =merson Anti-Transcendentalism or -othic &A pessimistic o%%shoot o% Romanticism' .. Time period: mid 1800s to late 1800s. 2. >no+n as the ,ark /ide o% Individualism. &. The focus on the imagination in Romanticism led to a focus on the demonic, the %antastic and the insane for the ;othic. -. ;othic +riters too2 a pessimistic !ie+ of humans and sa+ the potential %or evil in all people. .. 7Essential truths0 about life +ere found in e9treme situations or the darker side o% human nature greed) betrayal) fear) etc.%. ". 'a(or +riters: Edgar Allan 1oe 0The Ra!en3 and 0/all of the 6ouse of ?sher3% and Nathaniel !a#thorne 01r. 6eidegger8s =9periment3%.

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$. ;othic li!es on: /outhern -othic ,illiam /aul2ner) 0A Rose for =mily3 and 2lanner" O0+onnor 0A ;ood 'an is 6ard to /ind3%) and contemporary +riters Anne Rice) Interview With A Vampire%.