Nationalism Ascendant: Romanticism

Alex Reuben Kevin Edan Meghan

What is Transcendentalism?

 A movement started by American authors to define themselves – Had achieved political independence, but now wanted literary independence  Believed in freedom and knowledge for all  Turning point: Civil war inspired many of the authors – Started theme of American nationalism  Writers started to focus on nature and American scenes, rather than those of Europe

Nathaniel Hawthorne

 1804 - 1864 (Reuben)

Background Information

 Born in 1804 in Salem, Massachusetts from a long line of Puritans  Experienced tragedy early in life – Father died on an ocean voyage  Became one of the most famous writers of his time for his romantic novels that explored human nature (Soylent Communications)

The Scarlet Letter

(1850)

 Tells the story of a woman whose secret lover is a minister of gospel in Puritan Boston  Any adulteress is made to wear the letter “A” on her clothing for her sin – Dealt with the exploration of sin and repentance (Fantastic Fiction)

The Marble Faun

(1860)

 Tells the story of four artists who witness a murder in Rome  Takes place in a romantic setting, and deals with concepts such as love and misery – Recognition of evil and the idea of past vs. present (Advameg, Inc.)

Nationalism

 Hawthorne’s romantic writings helped form an emerging era  Works reflected the belief of transcendentalism – Urged nonconformity and questioned the integrity of humanity  Works contributed to the quest for independence – Advocated self reliance  Shaped the nation’s identity – Promoted idealism and psychological thought

Oliver Wendell Holmes

1809-1894 (Wikipedia)

Background Information

 Born in Massachusetts in 1809  Was a physician and a professor at Harvard University  Well known for his poetry – – Wrote on many different topics Became well-known for patriotic writing  During the Civil War: – He changed from a conservative poet to a radical patriot (Cazalet)

Brother Jonathan’s Lament for Sister Caroline

 A patriotic writing

(1861)

 Discusses the Civil War and the splitting of South Carolina  Holmes did not want the nation to break apart  Hoped the Carolinas would once again join the nation  Significance: – Showed his support of the nation – Expressed his faith and and hope that the United States would soon reunite.

(Code Network Media Group)

Old Ironsides

(1830)

 A poem about the decommission of the

U.S.S. Constitution



U.S.S. Constitution

of 1812 was vital during the War  Used a simple object that everyone could relate to – Was a symbol of nationalism  Used reverse psychology to show its importance  Significance: – – Brought the nation together Put in a museum in 1930 (Roach)

Nationalism

 Holmes’s writing style changed during the Civil War  Wrote many patriotic poems to promote nationalism  Holmes supported the nation as a whole – Known as an “American Patriot”  Themes of nationalism can be seen in many of his poems (Matheson)

Washington Irving

1783 - 1859 (Wikipedia)

Background Information

 Born to a family of merchants in Manhattan in 1783  Served in the War of 1812  Moved to Europe in 1815 to salvage merchant business  Returned to the United States in 1832  Became a diplomat and a writer (Wikipedia)

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

(1820)

  Explores the story of Ichabod Crane as he is pursued by a ghost of the American Revolution Hints that the nation’s history still closely follows its citizens  Expresses a major theme in the battle between civilization and wilderness.

– Explains that there is almost never a balance between the two (Holodook)

Rip Van Winkle

(1819)

 The main character goes from living as a subject of King George III to becoming an American  Explores the changes that take place after the American Revolution  Expresses the ideas that, though continuity is necessary, drastic changes are vital for a society to grow (Holodook)

Nationalism

 Irving wrote many famous American works – Contributed to America’s growing library  Discussed internal and external conflicts – Internal: the growing nation – External: the struggle of people vs. environment  Influenced future American writers, such as Edgar Allen Poe (Washington Irving Trail Museum)

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

1807 - 1882 (Rabe)

Background Information

 Born in 1807 in present-day Maine  Attended Bowdoin College  Was a foreign languages professor  Published books on grammar and poetry – Included some of his Puritan beliefs in his work – Set an example for how professors should carry out the educational system (Drane)

A Psalm of Life

(1825)

 Written the same year Longfellow graduated  Was a religious poem  Encourages one to leave their mark on the world  Persuades that one should not live in the past (Poet Seers)

Evangeline

(1847)

 Explores the life of two Acadians during their move from Canada to the colonies  Due to his teachings of French grammar, Longfellow enjoyed writing about the lives of the Acadians as they lived in North America  Was set to take place before the American Revolution (Doucette)

Nationalism

(Advameg, Inc.)  Longfellow printed some of the first American textbooks on foreign languages  Set a precedent for future scholars  His works reminded Americans why and how their country was founded –

Paul Revere’s Ride

(1860)

Conclusion

 Writers of the 19 contributed to America’s newfound nationality th century greatly – Nathaniel Hawthorne  Explored human nature – Oliver Wendell Holmes  Explored patriotism – Washington Irving  Explored innocence and adventure – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow  Explored the history of the country and published American textbooks

Works Cited

(Information)               Gollin, Rita K. “Nathaniel Hawthorne.” 02 October 2007. http://college.hmco.com/english/heath/syllabuild/iguide/hawthorn.html

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Hollander, John. American Poetry: The Nineteenth Century. Vol. 1. New York: Literary Classics of the United States, Inc., 1993.

Holmes, Oliver W. Grandmother's Story and Other Poems. New York: Houghton, Mifflin and Company, 1883.

Holmes, Oliver W. "Old Ironsides." Legal Launguage Serivces. 2007. 6 Oct. 2007 http://www.legallanguage.com/poems/OldIronsides.htm.

Hoyt, Edwin P. The Improper Bostonian Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes. New York: William Morrow and Company, 1979.

Lewis, Jone J. "What is Transcendentalism?" Transcendentalists. 2007. 7 Oct. 2007. http://www.transcendentalists.com/what.htm.

Merriman, C.D. "Oliver Wendell Holmes." The Literature Network. 2006. Jalic Inc. 2 Oct. 2007 http://www.online-literature.com/oliver-holmes/ .

Merriman, C.D. “Nathaniel Hawthorne.” The Literature Network. 02 October 2007. http://www.online-literature.com/hawthorne/ .

Hess, Gary R. "Oliver Wendell Holmes Biography - Poems." Poem of Quotes. 2004. Poem of Quotes. 2 Oct. 2007 http://www.poemofquotes.com

Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth. Poems and Other Writings. New York: Literary Classics of the United States, Inc., 2000.

Rabe, Roberto. “Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.” My Bookshelf. Roberto Rabe. 2007. Eclectic Esoterica. http://eclecticesoterica.com/longfellow_bio.html

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Robinson, Dennis J. "The Poem That Saved Old Ironsides." SeacoastNH. 1998. 2 Oct. 2007. http://seacoastnh.com/Maritime_History/Old_Ironsides/.

Wagenknecht, Edward. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow: His Poetry and Prose. New York: The Ungar Publishing Company, 1986.

Williams, Stanley T. The Complete Works of Washington Irving. 1935. www.hudsonvalley.org.

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Works Cited

(Pictures) Advameg, Inc. Encyclopedia of World Biography: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Advameg, Inc. 2007. http://www.notablebiographies.com/Lo-Ma/Longfellow-Henry Wadsworth.html

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Cazalet, Sylvain. Homeopathy and Its Kindred Delusions: Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes. 4 Oct. 2007. http://homeoint.org/cazalet/holmes/index.htm. Code Network Media Group. Map of South Carolina. 6 Oct. 2007. http://www.map-ofusa.co.uk/images/south carolina.gif.

Doucette, John. Longfellow’s Evangeline. John Doucette. July 18, 2005. http://www.john.doucette.com/acadian/longfellow-evangeline.html

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Drane, Andrew. Poets of Cambridge, U.S.A.: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Harvard Square Library. 2006. http://www.celebrateboston.com/literature/brahminpoets/longfellow.htm

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Fantastic Fiction. The Scarlet Letter. Fantastic Fiction. 2007. http://www.fantasticfiction.co. uk/images/n0/n599.jpg

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Holodook, Joseph. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. http://www.porterfieldsfineart.com/josephholodook/theheadlesshorseman.htm.

Matheson, Allen. American Flag. 6 Oct. 2007. http://photohome.com/pictures/flag pictures/american-flag 2a.jpg.

Poet Seers. Poet Seers: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Poet Seers. www.poetseers.org/.../longfellow_poems.

Reuben, Paul P. "Chapter 3: Nineteenth Century to 1865 - Nathaniel Hawthorne." PAL: Perspectives in American Literature- A Research and Reference Guide. 2007. http://web.csustan.edu/english/reuben/pal/chap3/hawthorne.html

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Roach, John C. USS Constitution. 6 Oct. 2007. http://www.polkcounty.org/timonier/images/3mast.jpg

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Soylent Communications. Nathaniel Hawthorne. Soylent Communications. 2007. www.nndb.com/people/880/000031787/ .

Washington Irving Trail Museum. Washington Irving. http://www.cowboy.net/non-profit/irving/.

Wikipedia. Oliver Wendell Holmes (1894). 6 Oct. 2007. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Oliver_Wendell_Holmes_Sr_circa_1894.jpg.