Dark RomanticsDark Romantics

Poe, Hawthorne, Melville, Poe, Hawthorne, Melville, Irving and a few living people Irving and a few living people

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CharacteristicsCharacteristics

1919thth century America century America (1800s)(1800s)

Intense period of Intense period of EMOTIONEMOTION

Very pessimisticVery pessimistic

Individuals prone to Individuals prone to SIN and SELF-SIN and SELF-DESTRUCTION!DESTRUCTION!

Inherently evilInherently evil

Frequent emotions/instancesFrequent emotions/instances

Death, sin, pain, the Death, sin, pain, the loss of a love one, loss of a love one, divorce, heart-ache, divorce, heart-ache, hardship, mystery, hardship, mystery, obsession, obsession, obscurity, tragedy, obscurity, tragedy, madness, guilt, evil, madness, guilt, evil, darkness, decay, darkness, decay, materialism, greedmaterialism, greed

Also includes “GOTHIC” Also includes “GOTHIC” characteristicscharacteristics

SettingSetting is in bleak or remote is in bleak or remote placesplaces

PlotPlot involves morbid or violent involves morbid or violent incidents incidents

CharactersCharacters are in psychological are in psychological and/or physical tormentand/or physical torment

A A supernaturalsupernatural or otherworldly or otherworldly elementelement is often present is often present

Nathaniel HawthorneNathaniel Hawthorne

Believed evil was Believed evil was a dominant force a dominant force in the worldin the world

Wrote Wrote The The Scarlet Letter Scarlet Letter and “The and “The Minister’s Black Minister’s Black Veil”Veil”

Herman MelvilleHerman Melville

Wrote Wrote Moby-DickMoby-Dick which is widely which is widely regarded as one of regarded as one of the finest novels in the finest novels in all of American all of American LiteratureLiterature

Bartleby the ScrivenerBartleby the Scrivener The Lightning Rod ManThe Lightning Rod Man The Confidence ManThe Confidence Man Billy BuddBilly Budd TypeeTypee

Edgar Allan PoeEdgar Allan Poe Wrote “The Raven” Wrote “The Raven” Widely accepted as the Widely accepted as the

inventor of the detective inventor of the detective storystory

Known as an eccentric Known as an eccentric writer – his dark and writer – his dark and dismal life probably had dismal life probably had something to do with itsomething to do with it

The Cask of AmontilladoThe Cask of Amontillado The Black CatThe Black Cat The Fall of the House of The Fall of the House of

UsherUsher The Tell-Tale HeartThe Tell-Tale Heart The Murders in the Rue The Murders in the Rue

MorgueMorgue

Dark Romanticism Today?Dark Romanticism Today?

Can you think of any Can you think of any television shows, websites, television shows, websites, movies, people that fall into movies, people that fall into the dark romanticism the dark romanticism category?category?

The Dark KnightThe Dark Knight Bruce Wayne: both Bruce Wayne: both

parents killedparents killed Believes that the world Believes that the world

is inherently evilis inherently evil

““Because he's the hero Because he's the hero Gotham deserves, but Gotham deserves, but not the one it needs not the one it needs right now. So we'll hunt right now. So we'll hunt him because he can him because he can take it. Because he's take it. Because he's not our hero. He's a not our hero. He's a silent guardian, a silent guardian, a watchful protector. A watchful protector. A dark knight.” dark knight.”

TwilightTwilight

Evil vs. goodEvil vs. good BetrayalBetrayal DarknessDarkness Forbidden loveForbidden love Omg Omg

The NewsThe News

Dark TourismDark Tourism

Visiting sites of Visiting sites of extreme death or extreme death or destructiondestruction

ExamplesExamples Ground ZeroGround Zero Prison campsPrison camps New Orleans ruinsNew Orleans ruins Genocide sitesGenocide sites War sitesWar sites

Society in GeneralSociety in General

Emphasis on wealth and materialismEmphasis on wealth and materialismCredit crisisCredit crisisNational debtNational debtForeclosuresForeclosuresFinancial chaosFinancial chaos