Who were the initial romantics and how did their work reflect Romanticism?

Alanna Rudolph, Rachel Werner, Natalie ThompsonPeriod 4

What is Romanticism?Artistic and intellectual movementCharacteristics:

NatureIndividual expression or emotionRebellion against traditional social rules

Who were the Romantics?

Washington Irving

James Fennimore Cooper

William Cullen Bryant

Washington IrvingLived from 1783-1859New York writerAmerican author, short story writer, poet,

travel book writer, biographer, and columnistIrving’s career started in journals and

newspapers (1802-1803)Contributed to the Morning Chronicle

Edited by brother Peter

Washington Irving cont.Turned fiction writer under the advice of the

famed Scottish author, Walter ScottBegan writing collection of travel stories and

observations of English life through an American Point of view

Began gathering folk tales which he turned into short stories of an American character such as Rip Van Winkle and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

Washington Irving cont.1819- published the entire collection of

writings in The Sketch Book of Geoffrey CrayonVery popular, one of the first American authors

to gain international fameHe wrote other “sketch” books on the

western frontier as well as biographies History of the Life and Voyages of Christopher Columbus (1828) and The Life of George Washington (1855)Named after George Washington

Washington Irving cont.Many personal tragedies:

Fiancé Matilda Hoffman died of tuberculosis (1809)

Mother died (1815)After mother’s death moved to Europe 1815-

1832Had romantic relationship with Mary ShelleySettled in Spain

Washington Irving cont.Worked for the U.S. Embassy in Madrid for

financial reasons (1826-1829)Irving was secretary to the American

Legation under Martin Van Buren (1829-1832)

Returned to American in 1832 with international fame

Built Sunnyside Manor house along the Hudson River

From 1842-1945 was the U.S. Ambassador in Spain

Washington Irving cont.From 1848-1859 he was President of Astor

Library (New York Public Library)Later works included: Mahomet and His

Successors (1850) presentation of the life, beliefs, and character of Mohammed. Wolfert’s Roost (1855)

Died at Sunnyside in 1859

James Fennimore Cooper James Fennimore Cooper was born in Burlington, New Jersey, the son of

Quakers, Judge William Cooper and Elisabeth Fennimore Cooper He spent his youth on the family estate on the shores of Otsego Lake. He

roamed in the primeval forest and developed a love of nature which marked his books

Cooper was educated in the village school, and in 1800-1802 in the household of the rector of St. Peter's

In his junior year Cooper was expelled from Yale because of a series of pranks, which included training a donkey to sit in a professor's chair

Encouraged by his father, Cooper joined the Navy and served on the Sterling, 1806-1807. On his return to the United States, he received a warrant as a midshipman. In 1808 he served on the Vesuvius and on the Wasp in the Atlantic in 1809. These experiences later inspired his sea stories

Upon his father's death in 1809, Cooper became financially independent. He resigned his commission in 1811 and married Susan Augusta De Lancey, who was a descendent of the early governors of New York colony

From the early 1810s Cooper took up the comfortable life of a gentleman farmer (Liukkonen) 

James Fennimore Cooper cont.James Fenimore Cooper was an upper state New

York novelistBetween 1813 and 1819 all 4 of Cooper’s

brothers died along his mother2 of his children also died, both under 2 years of

ageHe turned to writing as a response to these

tragediesCooper’s literary career spanned form 1820 to

his death

James Fennimore Cooper cont.Cooper's first novel PRECAUTION (1820) was an imitation of Jane

Austen's novels and did not meet with great success. His second was THE SPY (1821). This book brought Cooper fame and wealth and he gave up farming

Author of The Leatherstocking Tale, Where he gained his greatest popular success

Best known for his stories of Native Americans and early frontier life

He produced roughly 32 novels, 2 biographies, 4 histories, a textbook, a memoir, and a series of European travel guides

Wrote The Pioneers in 1823 included:The Last of the Mohicans in 1826The Prairie in 1827The Pathfinder in 1840The Deerslayer in 1841 (Liukkonen).

James Fennimore Cooper cont.In the beginning of the 1820s Cooper lived in New York City

and participated in its intellectual life and politics. He wrote a series of sea adventures, starting from THE PILOT (1824), a genuine American sea tale about the exploits of John Paul Jones. It was followed by THE RED ROVER (1827), THE WING-AND-WING (1842), THE TWO ADMIRALS (1842), AFLOAT AND ASHORE (1844), MILES WALLINGFORD (1844), and THE SEA LIONS (1849)

From 1826 to 1833 Cooper lived in Europe, where he published romances and unsuccessful books about democracy, politics, and society. He served as the US consul at Lyons and travelled a great deal. In Europe he became friends with Sir Walter Scott and Marquis de Lafayette, who partly inspired his essay NOTIONS OF AMERICA (1828) (Liukkonen).

James Fennimore Cooper During the last decades of his life, Cooper was

earning less from his books but was forced to go on writing for income

Cooper died at Otsego Hall, on September 14, 1851. He was buried in the cemetery of Cooperstown. His wife followed him four months later

One of the few writers who received both popular and critical acclaim

His ability to synthesize American history and ideas of democracy with romantic fictional characters, plots, and settings made him the first great American novelist

William Cullen BryantBorn on November 3, 1794 in Cummington,

MassachusettsSon of Peter Bryant and Sarah Snell whose

families dated back to the settlement of New England

Aspired to go to Yale University, but family could not afford it

Wrote his most famous poem “Thanatopsis” at age 17, which he hid in his desk

5 years later, Bryant’s father found the manuscript and sent it to the North American Review

William Cullen Bryant cont.The Review published “Thanatopsis” in 1817,

jumpstarting Bryant’s literary careerEngland’s William Wordsworth (American

Wordsworth) greatly influenced his work because of Wordsworth’s devotion to nature

Became a lawyer (1815) and married Frances Fairchild in 1821

Went to New York and became coeditor of the New York Review and Athenaeum Magazine (1825)

William Cullen Bryant cont.1826 Bryant became assistant editor of the

New York Evening Post By 1833 he was editor, owned one-third

share, and had no financial worriesHe wrote little poetry during these yearsBryant backed free trade, supported Andrew

Jackson for presidency, and was an important spokesman for the Democratic Party

William Cullen Bryant cont.In the 1830’s Bryant broke away from the

Democratic party and became a Radical Republican

He spoke out against slavery and supported Abraham Lincoln

His editorials helped form a conscience against slavery in the U.S. and to build support for the Union cause in the Civil War

Only after the war did he turn away from the radical views and back to Andrew Johnson’s Reconstruction policy

William Cullen Bryant cont.After the death of his wife in 1865, Bryant

began translating all of Homer, finishing in 1871

Bryant slowly moved away from the Evening Post, but continued to speak for social causes

Died June 12, 1878His journalism, like his poetry, had purity,

accuracy, and meditative quality typical of the New England tradition that had formed him

Test Questions?!1. Name one characteristic of Romanticism.

Answers: Nature, rebellion against traditional social rules, or individual expressions or emotions

Test Questions?!2. Who were the Romantics?

Washington IrvingJames Fennimore CooperWilliam Cullen Bryant

Test Questions?!3. Who was Washington Irving named after?

George Washington

Test Questions?!4. What did James Fennimore Cooper turn to

when he was faced with tragedies?Writing

Test Questions?!5. Name one piece of writing from James

Fennimore Cooper.DeerslayerThe Last of the Mohicans The Prairie The Pathfinder

Test Questions?!6. What is William Cullen Bryant’s most famous

poem and at what age did he write it?“Thanatopsis”17

Test Questions?!7. Name one newspaper that William Cullen

Bryant wrote for.New York ReviewNew York Evening PostAthenaeum Magazine

Test Questions?!8. Where is Alanna?

Not here