文档介绍：American Literature ——The Romantic Period (1790-1865)
The Romantic Period
The Romantic Period,one of the most important periods in the history of American literature, stretches from the end of the 18th century to the outbreak of the Civil War. It started with the publication of Washington Irving’s The Sketch Book and ended with Whitman’s Leaves of is a great flowering of American literature; It is also called “the American Renaissance”.
The Romantic Period
of American Romanticism
Characteristics of American Romanticism Writers of the period
influence
Backgrounds of American Romanticism
The development of the America society nurtured"the literature of a great nation." America was flourishing into a politically,economically and culturally independent country.
influences
influences
influences
In politics: Democracy and political equality became the ideals of the new nation. Radical changes came about in the political life of the country. Parties began to squabble and scramble for power, and new system was in the making.
In economics: The spread of industrialism, the sudden influx of immigration, and the pioneers pushing the frontier further west, all these produced something of an economic boom and with it, a tremendous sense of optimism and hope among the people.
In culture: the publication of Webster’s Dictionary marked the beginning of the American English; the appearance of many magazines and newspapers.
influences
Romantic Movement in England and Europe proved to be a decisive influence;
Many English and European masters of poetry and prose made stimulating impact on American Romanticism.
General Characteristics of American Romanticism
American Romanticism
was a rebellion against the objectivity of rationalism. For romantics, the feelings, intuitions and emotions were more important than reason mon sense;
 put emphasis upon the imaginat