Dark Romanticism and the Gothic Literature movement

Dark Romanticism
Works in the dark romantic spirit were influenced by Transcendentalism, but did not entirely embrace the ideas of Transcendentalism.

Transcendentalism vs. Dark Romanticism
Dark Romantic works are notably less optimistic than Trans. texts about mankind, nature, and divinity

Transcendentalism vs. Dark Romanticism
While both groups believe nature is a deeply spiritual force, Dark Romanticism views it in a much more sinister light than does Transcendentalism, which sees nature as a divine and universal organic mediator

Characteristics of the Genre
The natural world is dark, decaying, and mysterious; when it does reveal truth to man, its revelations are evil and hellish.


Dark Romanticism frequently show individuals failing in their attempts to make changes for the better.

Themes of Dark Romanticism
A collection of works concentrating upon themes of horror, tragedy, the macabre and the supernatural.

Gothic Literary Movement
Gothic fiction is more about sheer terror than Dark Romanticism’s themes of dark mystery and skepticism regarding man

Emily Dickenson
19th century poet who lived in most of her adult life in isolation
She wrote and read widely but wasn’t published until after her death

Nathanial Hawthorne
Changed his name from Hathorne to Hawthorne to separate himself from the legacy of judge Hathorne (witch trials)
Friends with transcendentalists but was rather reclusive with his wife

Herman Melville
His adventures as a seaman inspired him to write
Herman Melville

Edgar Allen Poe
lived in New York, became a newspaper and magazine editor, and began publishing writing
Edgar Allen Poe

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Dark Romanticism and the Gothic Literature movement. (2018, Mar 19). Retrieved from https://paperap.com/paper-on-dark-romanticism-and-thegothic-literature-movement/

Dark Romanticism and theGothic Literature movement
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