One way to describe the American Romantic movement, which was less of a movement
One way to describe the American Romantic movement, which was less of a movement and more of a group of tendencies in art during the first half of the 1800s, is to identify three focal points that distinguish Romantic art from Neoclassical art (from the Enlightenment era).
A focus on the individual (vs. a focus on society), including an individual’s experiences, thoughts, and emotions.
An emphasis on the value of spiritual and emotional experiences (vs. observation, logic, and reason) as a way to know or understand the world.
A focus on nature as in relationship to individual humans. It can be a soothing relationship, as we see in Bryant’s “Thanatopsis,” but it doesn’t have to be.
With this in mind, think about how Poe’s uniquely Gothic expressions work as expressions of Romanticism.
Choose one of Poe’s works that I have assigned for this lesson, and write about 300 words describing how the work fits with these Romantic tendencies. The connections you are able to make might surprise you. Please use at least two direct quotations from the work you choose to support your claims. Use page numbers from our book (the 9th or 10th edition) in your citations. Quotations do not count towards your 300 words.