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Edgar Allan Poe is one of the best known authors of the dark romanticism subgenre.
Edgar Allan Poe is one of the best known authors of the dark romanticism subgenre.

Dark romanticism is a literary subgenre that emerged from the Transcendental philosophical movement popular in nineteenth-century America. Transcendentalism was a group of new ideas in Literature, Religion, Culture, and Philosophy that emerged in New England in the The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Works in the dark romantic spirit were influenced by Transcendentalism, but did not entirely embrace the ideas of Transcendentalism. Such works are notably less optimistic than Transcendental texts about mankind, nature, and divinity. Authors considered most representative of dark romanticism are Edgar Allan Poe, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Herman Melville,[1] poet Emily Dickinson and Italian poet Ugo Foscolo. Edgar Allan Poe (January 19 1809 – October 7 1849 was an American poet, short-story Writer, editor and Literary critic, Nathaniel Hawthorne (born Nathaniel Hathorne; July 4 1804 – May 19 1864 was an American novelist and Short story writer Herman Melville (August 1 1819 &ndash September 28 1891 was an American novelist Short story writer Essayist and poet Ugo Foscolo ( February 6, 1778 - September 10, 1827) was an Italian writer and poet

Contents

Origin

The term dark romanticism comes from both the pessimistic nature of the subgenre's literature and the influence it derives from the earlier Romantic literary movement. Romanticism is a complex artistic literary and intellectual movement that originated in the second half of the 18th century in Western Europe, and gained strength during the Dark Romanticism's birth, however, was a mid-nineteenth-century reaction to the American Transcendental movement. [2] Transcendentalism originated in New England among intellectuals like Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and Margaret Fuller and found wide popularity from 1836 through the late 1840s. History See also History of New England New England's earliest inhabitants were Algonquian -speaking Native Americans including the Ralph Waldo Emerson (May 25 1803 &ndash April 27 1882 was an American essayist philosopher poet and leader of the Transcendentalist movement in the early 19th century Sarah Margaret Fuller Ossoli (May 23 1810 – July 19 1850 was a Journalist, Critic and Women's rights activist associated with the American Year 1836 ( MDCCCXXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap Events and trends Technology First use of General anesthesia in an operation by Crawford Long. [3] The movement came to have influence in a number of areas of American expression, including its literature, as writers growing up in the Transcendental atmosphere of the time were affected. [4] Some, including Poe, Hawthorne, and Melville, found Transcendental beliefs far too optimistic and egotistical and reacted by modifying them in their prose and poetry—works that now comprise the subgenre that was Dark Romanticism. For the Wikipedia guideline regarding editing articles see WikipediaManual of Style. [5]

Characteristics

While Transcendentalism influenced individual Dark Romantic authors differently, literary critics observe works of the subgenre to break from Transcendentalism’s tenets in a few key ways. Firstly, Dark Romantics are much less confident about the notion that perfection is an innate quality of mankind, as believed by Transcendentalists. Subsequently, Dark Romantics present individuals as prone to sin and self-destruction, not as inherently possessing divinity and wisdom. G. R. Thompson describes this disagreement, stating that while Transcendental thought conceived of a world in which divinity was immanent, "the Dark Romantics adapted images of anthropomorphized evil in the form of Satan, devils, ghosts . . . vampires, and ghouls. "[6] Secondly, while both groups believe that nature is a deeply spiritual force, Dark Romanticism views it in a much more sinister light than does Transcendentalism, which sees nature as a divine and universal organic mediator. For these Dark Romantics, the natural world is dark, decaying, and mysterious; when it does reveal truth to man, its revelations are evil and hellish. Finally, whereas Transcendentalists advocate social reform when appropriate, works of Dark Romanticism frequently show individuals failing in their attempts to make changes for the better. Thompson sums up the characteristics of the subgenre, writing that:

Fallen man's inability fully to comprehend haunting reminders of another, supernatural realm that yet seemed not to exist, the constant perplexity of inexplicable and vastly metaphysical phenomena, a propensity for seemingly perverse or evil moral choices that had no firm or fixed measure or rule, and a sense of nameless guilt combined with a suspicion that the external world was a delusive projection of the mind--these were major elements in the vision of man that the Dark Romantics opposed to the mainstream of Romantic thought. [7]

Relation to Gothic fiction

Popular in England during the late eighteenth- and early nineteenth-centuries, Gothic fiction is known for its incorporation of many conventions that are also found in Dark Romantic works. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Gothic fiction (sometimes referred to as Gothic horror) is a genre of literature that combines elements of both horror and romance. Gothic fiction originated with Horace Walpole's The Castle of Otranto in 1764. Horace Walpole 4th Earl of Orford ( 24 September, 1717 &ndash 2 March, 1797) more commonly known as Horace Walpole, was a politician Year 1764 ( MDCCLXIV) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a [8] Works of the genre commonly aim to inspire terror, including through accounts of the macabre and supernatural, haunted structures, and the search for identity; critics often note gothic fiction's "overly melodramatic scenarios and utterly predictable plots. Macabre is a quality of certain artistic or literary works characterized by a grim or ghastly atmosphere The term supernatural or supranatural ( Latin: super, supra "above" + natura "nature" pertains to entities events "[9] In general, with common elements of darkness and the supernatural, and featuring characters like maniacs and vampires, Gothic fiction is more about sheer terror than Dark Romanticism's themes of dark mystery and skepticism regarding man. Vampires are mythological or folkloric revenants who subsist by feeding on the blood of the living Still, the genre came to influence later Dark Romantic works, particularly some of those produced by Poe. [10]

Earlier British authors writing within the movement of Romanticism such as Lord Byron, Samuel Coleridge, Mary Shelley, John Shek, and John Polidori who are frequently linked to gothic fiction are also sometimes referred to as Dark Romantics. Romanticism is a complex artistic literary and intellectual movement that originated in the second half of the 18th century in Western Europe, and gained strength during the Samuel Taylor Coleridge ( 21 October 1772 &ndash 25 July 1834) was an English Poet, Critic and philosopher Mary Shelley ( Née Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin; 30 August Their tales and poems commonly feature outcasts from society, personal torment, and uncertainty as to whether the nature of man will bring him salvation or destruction. [11]

Notable Authors

Many consider American writers Edgar Allan Poe, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Herman Melville to be the major Dark Romantic authors. [12]

"The Raven", Poe's work of dark romanticism, as illustrated by Gustave Doré
"The Raven", Poe's work of dark romanticism, as illustrated by Gustave Doré

Edgar Allan Poe

Main article: Edgar Allan Poe

Many consider Edgar Allan Poe to be the seminal dark romantic author. " The Raven " is a narrative poem by the American writer Edgar Allan Poe, first published in January 1845 Edgar Allan Poe (January 19 1809 – October 7 1849 was an American poet, short-story Writer, editor and Literary critic, Much of his poetry and prose features his characteristic interest in exploring the psychology of man, including the perverse and self-destructive nature of the conscious and subconscious mind. Psychology (from Greek grc ψῡχή psȳkhē, "breath life soul" and grc -λογία -logia) is an Academic and [13] Some of Poe’s notable dark romantic works include the short stories "Ligeia" and "The Fall of the House of Usher" and poems "The Raven" and "Ulalume". " Ligeia " is an early Short story written by Edgar Allan Poe, first published in 1838. " The Fall of the House of Usher " is a Short story written by Edgar Allan Poe. " The Raven " is a narrative poem by the American writer Edgar Allan Poe, first published in January 1845 "Ulalume" is a Poem written by Edgar Allan Poe in 1847.

Author Nathaniel Hawthorne had close ties to American Transcendentalism.
Author Nathaniel Hawthorne had close ties to American Transcendentalism.

Nathaniel Hawthorne

Main article: Nathaniel Hawthorne

Nathaniel Hawthorne is the dark romantic writer with the closest ties to the American Transcendental movement. Nathaniel Hawthorne (born Nathaniel Hathorne; July 4 1804 – May 19 1864 was an American novelist and Short story writer He was associated with the community in New England and even lived at the Brook Farm Transcendentalist Utopian commune for a time before he became troubled by the movement; his literature later became anti-transcendental in nature. Brook Farm was a transcendentalist Utopian experiment that was put into practice by transcendentalist and former Unitarian minister George Ripley Utopia is a name for an ideal community taken from the title of a book written in 1516 by Sir Thomas More describing a fictional Island in the [14] Also troubled by his ancestors' participation in the Salem witch trials, Hawthorne's short stories, including "The Minister's Black Veil", frequently take the form of "cautionary tales about the extremes of individualism and reliance on human beings" and hold that guilt and sin are qualities inherent in man. The Salem witch trials were a series of hearings before local magistrates followed by county court Trials to prosecute people accused of Witchcraft in Essex The short story is a literary genre of Fictional Prose Narrative that tends to be more concise and to the point than longer works of fiction such "The Minister's Black Veil" is a Short story written by Nathaniel Hawthorne. [15]

Herman Melville

Main article: Herman Melville

Best known during his lifetime for his travel books, a twentieth-century revival in the study of Herman Melville’s works has left “Moby-Dick” and “Bartleby the Scrivener” among his most highly regarded. Herman Melville (August 1 1819 &ndash September 28 1891 was an American novelist Short story writer Essayist and poet Travel literature is Travel writing considered to have value as Literature. The twentieth century of the Common Era began on Moby-Dick is an 1851 Novel by Herman Melville. The story tells the adventures of the wandering sailor Ishmael and his voyage on the whaleship "Bartleby the Scrivener: A Story of Wall Street " is a Novella by American author Herman Melville (1819-1891 Also known for writing of man's blind ambition, cruelty, and defiance of God, his themes of madness, mystery, and the triumph of evil over good in these two works make them notable examples of the dark romanticism subgenre.

Prominent examples

Elements contained within the following literary works by Dark Romantic authors make each representative of the subgenre:

References

  1. ^ Reynolds, David S. " The Birth-Mark " is a romantic Short story written by Nathaniel Hawthorne that examines obsession with human perfection Year 1843 ( MDCCCXLIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common Nathaniel Hawthorne (born Nathaniel Hathorne; July 4 1804 – May 19 1864 was an American novelist and Short story writer "The Minister's Black Veil" is a Short story written by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Year 1843 ( MDCCCXLIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common Moby-Dick is an 1851 Novel by Herman Melville. The story tells the adventures of the wandering sailor Ishmael and his voyage on the whaleship 1851 ( MDCCCLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common year Herman Melville (August 1 1819 &ndash September 28 1891 was an American novelist Short story writer Essayist and poet "Bartleby the Scrivener: A Story of Wall Street " is a Novella by American author Herman Melville (1819-1891 Year 1856 ( MDCCCLVI) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year " Ligeia " is an early Short story written by Edgar Allan Poe, first published in 1838. Year 1838 ( MDCCCXXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common Edgar Allan Poe (January 19 1809 – October 7 1849 was an American poet, short-story Writer, editor and Literary critic, " The Fall of the House of Usher " is a Short story written by Edgar Allan Poe. Year 1839 ( MDCCCXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common This article lists all known poems by American author and critic Edgar Allan Poe ( January 19, 1809 – October 7, 1849) Year 1844 ( MDCCCXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year " The Raven " is a narrative poem by the American writer Edgar Allan Poe, first published in January 1845 Year 1845 ( MDCCCXLV) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common "Ulalume" is a Poem written by Edgar Allan Poe in 1847. Year 1847 ( MDCCCXLVII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common Beneath the American Renaissance: The Subversive Imagination in the Age of Emerson and Melville. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 1988. ISBN 0674065654. p. 524
  2. ^ Dark Romanticism: The Ultimate Contradiction.
  3. ^ Galens, David, ed. Literary Movements for Students Vol. 1. Detroit: Thompson Gale, 2002: p. 319.
  4. ^ Levin, Harry. The Power of Blackness: Hawthorne, Poe, Melville. New York: Alfred A. Knopf Inc. , 1958: p. ix.
  5. ^ Koster, Donald N. "Influences of Transcendentalism on American Life and Literature. " Literary Movements for Students Vol. 1. David Galens, ed. Detroit: Thompson Gale, 2002: p. 336.
  6. ^ Thompson, G. R. , ed. "Introduction: Romanticism and the Gothic Tradition. " Gothic Imagination: Essays in Dark Romanticism. Pullman, WA: Washington State University Press, 1974: p. 6.
  7. ^ Thompson, G. R. , ed. 1974: p. 5.
  8. ^ The Romantic Period: Topics, The Gothic: Overview.
  9. ^ The Gothic: Materials For Study, Introduction.
  10. ^ The Romantic Period: Topics, The Gothic: Overview.
  11. ^ Dark Romanticism: Byron, Coleridge, Mary Shelley, and the Pursuit of the Supernatural.
  12. ^ Dark Romanticism: The Ultimate Contradiction.
  13. ^ Auden, W. H. "Introduction. " Nineteenth Century Literature Criticism Vol. 1. Detroit: Gale Research Company, 1981: p. 518.
  14. ^ Galens, David. 2002: p. 322.
  15. ^ Wayne, Tiffany K. "Nathaniel Hawthorne. " Encyclopedia of Transcendentalism. New York: Facts on File, Inc. , 2006: p. 140.

General references

External links

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