Nationalism Ascendant:
Romanticism
Alex
Reuben
Kevin
Edan
Meghan
What is Transcendentalism?

A movement started by American authors to
define themselves
– Had achieved political independence, but now
wanted literary independence


Believed in freedom and knowledge for all
Turning point: Civil war inspired many of
the authors
– Started theme of American nationalism

Writers started to focus on nature and
American scenes, rather than those of
Europe
Nathaniel Hawthorne

(Reuben)
1804 - 1864
Background Information

Born in 1804 in Salem, Massachusetts from
a long line of Puritans
 Experienced tragedy early in life
– Father died on an ocean voyage

Became one of the most
famous writers of his time
for his romantic novels that
explored human nature
(Soylent Communications)
The Scarlet Letter (1850)

Tells the story of a woman whose secret
lover is a minister of gospel in Puritan
Boston
 Any adulteress is made to wear the letter
“A” on her clothing for her sin
– Dealt with the exploration of sin and repentance
(Fantastic Fiction)
The Marble Faun (1860)

Tells the story of four artists who witness a
murder in Rome
 Takes place in a romantic setting, and deals
with concepts such as love
and misery
– Recognition of evil and
the idea of past vs. present
(Advameg, Inc.)
Nationalism
Hawthorne’s romantic writings helped form an
emerging era
 Works reflected the belief of transcendentalism

– Urged nonconformity and questioned the integrity
of humanity

Works contributed to the quest for
independence
– Advocated self reliance

Shaped the nation’s identity
– Promoted idealism and psychological thought
Oliver Wendell Holmes
1809-1894
(Wikipedia)
Background Information

Born in Massachusetts in 1809
 Was a physician and a professor at Harvard
University
 Well known for his poetry
– Wrote on many different topics
– Became well-known for patriotic
writing

During the Civil War:
– He changed from a conservative
poet to a radical patriot
(Cazalet)
Brother Jonathan’s Lament for
Sister Caroline (1861)

A patriotic writing
 Discusses the Civil War and the
splitting of South Carolina
 Holmes did not want the nation to
break apart
 Hoped the Carolinas would once
again join the nation
 Significance:
– Showed his support of the nation
– Expressed his faith and and hope that
the United States would soon reunite.
(Code Network
Media Group)
Old Ironsides (1830)

A poem about the decommission of the
U.S.S. Constitution
 U.S.S. Constitution was vital during the War
of 1812
 Used a simple object that everyone could
relate to
– Was a symbol of nationalism

Used reverse psychology to
show its importance
 Significance:
– Brought the nation together
– Put in a museum in 1930
(Roach)
Nationalism
Holmes’s writing style changed during
the Civil War
 Wrote many patriotic poems to
promote nationalism
 Holmes supported the nation as a
whole

– Known as an “American Patriot”

Themes of nationalism can be
seen in many of his poems
(Matheson)
Washington Irving
1783 - 1859
(Wikipedia)
Background Information





Born to a family of merchants in Manhattan in
1783
Served in the War of 1812
Moved to Europe in 1815 to salvage merchant
business
Returned to the United States
in 1832
Became a diplomat and a
writer
(Wikipedia)
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (1820)

Explores the story of Ichabod Crane as he is
pursued by a ghost of the American
Revolution
 Hints that the nation’s history still closely
follows its citizens
 Expresses a major theme in the battle
between civilization and
wilderness.
– Explains that there is almost
never a balance between
the two
(Holodook)
Rip Van Winkle (1819)

The main character goes from living as a
subject of King George III to becoming an
American
 Explores the changes that take
place after the American
Revolution
 Expresses the ideas that, though
continuity is necessary, drastic
changes are vital for a
society to grow
(Holodook)
Nationalism

Irving wrote many famous American works
– Contributed to America’s growing library

Discussed internal and external conflicts
– Internal: the growing nation
– External: the struggle of people vs.
environment

Influenced future American
writers, such as Edgar Allen Poe
(Washington Irving
Trail Museum)
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
1807 - 1882
(Rabe)
Background Information

Born in 1807 in present-day Maine
 Attended Bowdoin College
 Was a foreign languages professor
 Published books on grammar and
poetry
– Included some of his Puritan beliefs
in his work
– Set an example for how professors
should carry out the educational
system
(Drane)
A Psalm of Life (1825)

Written the same year Longfellow
graduated
 Was a religious poem
 Encourages one to leave
their mark on the world
 Persuades that one should
not live in the past
(Poet Seers)
Evangeline (1847)

Explores the life of two Acadians during
their move from Canada to the colonies
 Due to his teachings of French grammar,
Longfellow enjoyed writing about the lives
of the Acadians as they lived in
North America
 Was set to take place before the
American Revolution
(Doucette)
Nationalism
(Advameg, Inc.)

Longfellow printed some of the first American
textbooks on foreign languages
 Set a precedent for future scholars
 His works reminded Americans why and how
their country was founded
– Paul Revere’s Ride (1860)
Conclusion

Writers of the 19th century greatly
contributed to America’s newfound
nationality
– Nathaniel Hawthorne
 Explored human nature
– Oliver Wendell Holmes
 Explored patriotism
– Washington Irving
 Explored innocence and adventure
– Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
 Explored the history of the country
and published American textbooks
Works
Cited
(Information)
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Gollin, Rita K. “Nathaniel Hawthorne.” 02 October 2007.
http://college.hmco.com/english/heath/syllabuild/iguide/hawthorn.html.
Hollander, John. American Poetry: The Nineteenth Century. Vol. 1. New York: Literary Classics of the United
States, Inc., 1993.
Holmes, Oliver W. Grandmother's Story and Other Poems. New York: Houghton, Mifflin and Company, 1883.
Holmes, Oliver W. "Old Ironsides." Legal Launguage Serivces. 2007. 6 Oct. 2007
http://www.legallanguage.com/poems/OldIronsides.htm.
Hoyt, Edwin P. The Improper Bostonian Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes. New York: William Morrow and
Company, 1979.
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Lewis, Jone J. "What is Transcendentalism?" Transcendentalists. 2007. 7 Oct. 2007.
http://www.transcendentalists.com/what.htm.
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Merriman, C.D. "Oliver Wendell Holmes." The Literature Network. 2006. Jalic Inc. 2 Oct. 2007
http://www.online-literature.com/oliver-holmes/.
Merriman, C.D. “Nathaniel Hawthorne.” The Literature Network. 02 October 2007.
http://www.online-literature.com/hawthorne/.
Hess, Gary R. "Oliver Wendell Holmes Biography - Poems." Poem of Quotes. 2004. Poem of Quotes. 2 Oct.
2007 http://www.poemofquotes.com
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Inc., 2000.
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http://eclecticesoterica.com/longfellow_bio.html.
Robinson, Dennis J. "The Poem That Saved Old Ironsides." SeacoastNH. 1998. 2 Oct. 2007.
http://seacoastnh.com/Maritime_History/Old_Ironsides/.
Wagenknecht, Edward. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow: His Poetry and Prose. New York: The Ungar
Publishing Company, 1986.
Williams, Stanley T. The Complete Works of Washington Irving. 1935. www.hudsonvalley.org.
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Works Cited
(Pictures)
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Advameg, Inc. Encyclopedia of World Biography: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Advameg,
Inc. 2007. http://www.notablebiographies.com/Lo-Ma/Longfellow-HenryWadsworth.html.
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Cazalet, Sylvain. Homeopathy and Its Kindred Delusions: Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes. 4 Oct. 2007.
http://homeoint.org/cazalet/holmes/index.htm.
Code Network Media Group. Map of South Carolina. 6 Oct. 2007. http://www.map-ofusa.co.uk/images/southcarolina.gif.
Doucette, John. Longfellow’s Evangeline. John Doucette. July 18, 2005.
http://www.john.doucette.com/acadian/longfellow-evangeline.html.
Drane, Andrew. Poets of Cambridge, U.S.A.: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Harvard Square Library. 2006.
http://www.celebrateboston.com/literature/brahminpoets/longfellow.htm.
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Fantastic Fiction. The Scarlet Letter. Fantastic Fiction. 2007. http://www.fantasticfiction.co.
uk/images/n0/n599.jpg.
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Holodook, Joseph. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.
http://www.porterfieldsfineart.com/josephholodook/theheadlesshorseman.htm.
Matheson, Allen. American Flag. 6 Oct. 2007. http://photohome.com/pictures/flag-pictures/american-flag2a.jpg.
Poet Seers. Poet Seers: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Poet Seers. www.poetseers.org/.../longfellow_poems.
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Reuben, Paul P. "Chapter 3: Nineteenth Century to 1865 - Nathaniel Hawthorne." PAL:
Perspectives in American Literature- A Research and Reference Guide. 2007.
http://web.csustan.edu/english/reuben/pal/chap3/hawthorne.html.
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Roach, John C. USS Constitution. 6 Oct. 2007.
http://www.polkcounty.org/timonier/images/3mast.jpg.
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Soylent Communications. Nathaniel Hawthorne. Soylent Communications. 2007.
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