Dark Romanticism in American Literature: Edgar Allan Poe, Herman Melville, Nathaniel Hawthorne,
Handout2.010 Words / ~7 pages Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz - KFU
Dark Romanticism Edgar Allan Poe and the ‘Imp of the Perverse’ What are again the MAIN FEATURES of Romanticism? Reaction against Rationalism and Materialism Four Main Characteristics of Romanticist Thinking: Primacy of the Imagination (rather than purely rational modes of understanding reality) The Transformative Power of Imagination (investing reality with meaning) Importance of Individuality and Personal Freedom (focus on untamed nature) IV. Value of Spontaneity and Self-Expression (as opposed to artificiality and restraint) Light Romanticism (Transcendentalism­/“helle Romantik, Characteristics: Optimism, Clarity, Reform Dark Romanticism (Gothic Fiction, Tales of Destruction) Characteristics: Pessimism, Mystery, Failure Dark Romanticism Literary subgenre of Romanticism often called “American…[show more]