01:512:104 Lecture Notes - Lecture 12: Ralph Waldo Emerson, William Gilmore Simms, James Fenimore Cooper
13 May 2018
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Chapter 12 - Antebellum Culture and Reform
1)The Romantic Impulse
a)Nationalism and Romanticism in American Painting
i)Eurs felt that they alone at center of artistic world, but paintings w/in US
popular b/c felt they had artistic traditions of their own: wonder of nation’s
landscape, shoe power of nature thru wild outdoor scenes- “awe & wonder”
ii)First great school of American painters from Hudson River School in NY:
Frederic Church, Thomas Cole, Thomas Doughty, Asher Durand. Hoped to
express “wild nature” that existed in America but not Eur
b)Literature and the Quest for Liberation
i)Early 19th century American literature unpopular, British novelist Sir Walter
Scott was. But even during 1820s great American novelist James Fenimore
Cooper- evocation of wilderness, adventure, westward expansion- his
“Leatherstocking Tales were The Last of the Mohicans & The Deerslayer
ii)Cooper’s novels showed effort to produce truly American literature, ideal of
independent individual with natural inner goodness, fear of disorder
iii)Later American romantic works included: poet Walt Whitman’s Leaves of
Grass (1855)- celebration of democracy, individual liberty. Other works more
bleak- Herman Melville’sMoby Dick (1851) of individual will but tragedy of
pride and revenge, writer Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Raven” (1845) established
him as literary figure- humans exploring deeper world of spirit and emotions
c)Literature in the Antebellum South
i)Southern writers wanted to create American literary culture as well, but often
produced historical romances for eulogies of plantation system of Upper
South. Most famous William Gilmore Simms- believed duty of intellectual to
defend southern lifestyle + slavery, sectional
ii)Augustus Longstreet, Joseph Baldwin, Johnson Hooper focused not on
“cavaliers” but on ordinary ppl and poor whites
d)The Transcendentalists
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i)New England writers who focused on distinction btwn “reason” and inner
capacity to grasp beauty and emotional expression vs “understanding” and
repression of instinct and imposed learning- goal to cultivate “reason”
ii)Centered in Concord, MA. Leader Ralph Waldo Emerson- essays “Nature”
(1836) argued self-fulfillment thru communion w/ nature, “Self-Reliance”
(1841) called for individual fully explore inner capacity, unity w/ universe
iii)Emerson a nationalist, lecture “The American Scholar” (1837), argued
beauty from instant vs learning, therefore Americans can still have artistic
greatness
iv)Henry David Thoreau- ppl should seek self-realization by not conforming to
society’s expectations & responding to own instincts. His Walden (1845) of
him living simply in the woods, essay “Resistance to Civil Government”
(1849)- govt that required violation of personal mortality not legitimate
e)The Defense of Nature
i)Some uneasy w/ rapid economic development, feared impact on natural
world. Nature not just for economic activity (farmers, miners) or for study by
scientists- but vehicle for human inspiration, realize truth within the soul
f)Visions of Utopia
i)Transcendentalism spawned communal living experiments
ii)Brook Farm established by George Ripley 1841 in MA, create community
that would permit full opportunity for self-realization, equal labor, share leisure
iii)Conflict btwn individual freedom & communal society led to dissenters:
Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Blithedale Romance (1852) submission equals
oppression, The Scarlet Letter (1850)- price ind. pay for not being in society
iv)French philosopher Charles Fourier’s idea of socialist communities led
Robert Owen 1825 to create experiment New Harmony in Ind, economic
failure
g)Redefining Gender Roles
i)Transcendentalism + utopian communities led to some sense of feminism
ii)Margaret Fuller’s Women of the Nineteenth Century (1844)- feminist ideas
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find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Frederic church, thomas cole, thomas doughty, asher durand. Hoped to express wild nature that existed in america but not eur b)literature and the quest for liberation i)early 19th century american literature unpopular, british novelist sir walter. But even during 1820s great american novelist james fenimore. Cooper- evocation of wilderness, adventure, westward expansion- his. Most famous william gilmore simms- believed duty of intellectual to defend southern lifestyle + slavery, sectional ii)augustus longstreet, joseph baldwin, johnson hooper focused not on. Nathaniel hawthorne"s the blithedale romance (1852) submission equals oppression, the scarlet letter (1850)- price ind. pay for not being in society iv)french philosopher charles fourier"s idea of socialist communities led. Society committed to celibacy, equality of sexes, god neither male or female h)the mormons i)mormons effort to create new and more ordered society thru church of. Began upstate ny by joseph smith w/ his. Jerusalem ii)ideas of polygamy and secrecy led surrounding communities to fear them.
