Dark Romanticism
Nathaniel Hawthorne
-found it impossible to adopt an optimistic world view -believed that evil was a dominant force in the world -born in Salem, MA and descended from a prominent Puritan family -haunted by the intolerance and cruelty of his ancestors—one of his ancestors played a key role in the Salem Witch Trials, and another was a judge known for his persecution of the Quakers
Edgar Allan Poe
-shortly after his birth, his father deserted their family, and a year later, his mother died of tuberculosis -taken in (though never officially adopted) by the family of John Allan -Poe was forced to leave school bc Allan refused to pay his large gambling debts at the University of Virginia -joined the army under an assumed name -the reason for Poe's death remains unknown, but he died alone and unhappy
What are the 5 most common interpretations of The Fall of the House of Usher?
1. Isolation: The mind and body of the Ushers have been destroyed due to their isolation from the rest of the world. 2. Incest: Roderick and Madeline were guilty of incest. He buried her to try to escape his guilt, but his guilt destroys them both. 3. Conscious vs. Unconscious Mind: Roderick represents the conscious half of the mind; Madeline represents the unconscious half. Roderick (the conscious mind) tries to bury or deny the needs and desires of Madeline (the unconscious mind), but cannot. Ultimately the unconscious desires destroy the conscious. 4. Mind vs. Body: Roderick represents the mind; Madeline represents the body. Roderick tries to bury the body and the desires of the body, but cannot do this without also destroying himself—the mind. 5. Autobiographical: Poe's mind vs. Poe's body; Poe's conscious vs. Poe's unconscious. Poe tries to deny his body (Madeline) and its needs, but cannot. Or Poe tries to deny the needs of his unconscious mind (Madeline), but cannot.
What is dark romanticism?
1. Kind of a breakoff from romanticism 2. Reaction to romanticism 3. Sub-genre of romanticism 4. Considered a precursor to horror novels & gothic lit
What are some characteristics of dark romanticism?
1. Less optimistic 2. Humans were prone to sin 3. Nature is sinister 4. Trying and failing to make the world a better place 5. Examine the effects of guilt and sin
Setting of The Minister's Black Veil
A small Puritan town of Milford
Setting of The Fall of the House of Usher
Dusk on an autumn day at a forbidding mansion in a forlorn country
The Minister's Black Veil
Everyone wears a black veil, that everyone has a secret sin or sorrow that is hidden from all others
Symbolism of the veil
The veil distinguishes him from his fellow villagers, strikes fear in the hearts of all, and causes them to dread his approach and to withdraw their friendship and companionship from him.
