Gothic Gothic RomanticismRomanticism

Review Review

The Rationalistic view of urban life was The Rationalistic view of urban life was replaced by the Romantic view at the turn replaced by the Romantic view at the turn of the century (1800)of the century (1800)

Rationalists saw cities as a place to find Rationalists saw cities as a place to find success and self-realization success and self-realization (a la (a la Ben Ben Franklin)Franklin)

Romantics saw the city as a place of Romantics saw the city as a place of moral corruption, poverty, disease, crime, moral corruption, poverty, disease, crime, horror, and deathhorror, and death

The Romantic SensibilityThe Romantic Sensibility

Romanticism: valuing feeling and intuition Romanticism: valuing feeling and intuition over reasonover reason

Romanticism: viewing life as we would Romanticism: viewing life as we would like it to be (looking for beauty in like it to be (looking for beauty in everything) rather than how it really iseverything) rather than how it really is

Romanticism is a reaction against Romanticism is a reaction against RationalismRationalism

Characteristics of RomanticismCharacteristics of Romanticism

values feelings over intuitionvalues feelings over intuition values the power of the imaginationvalues the power of the imagination seeks the beauty of unspoiled natureseeks the beauty of unspoiled nature values youthful innocencevalues youthful innocence values individual freedomvalues individual freedom Romantics believed in Romantics believed in contemplatingcontemplating, or , or becoming onebecoming one with the natural world with the natural world finds beauty in exotic locales, the supernatural, finds beauty in exotic locales, the supernatural, and in the imaginationand in the imagination values poetry as the highest expression of the values poetry as the highest expression of the imaginationimagination values myth, legend, and folk culturevalues myth, legend, and folk culture

The Romantic journey is to escape to the countryside

The Romantics associated the country The Romantics associated the country with independence, moral clarity, and with independence, moral clarity, and purity (la pura vida)purity (la pura vida)Early Romantics, such as Washington Early Romantics, such as Washington Irving saw the country as idyllic and Irving saw the country as idyllic and mysteriousmysterious The Gothic Romantic, E.A. Poe, saw the The Gothic Romantic, E.A. Poe, saw the country as a place of country as a place of isolation isolation and and phantasm phantasm

Gothic RomanticismGothic Romanticism

The Gothic novel had wild, isolated, and The Gothic novel had wild, isolated, and often often haunted haunted settingssettings

Supernatural events drive the plotSupernatural events drive the plot

The human The human psychepsyche is of emerging is of emerging importance (Sigmund Freud)importance (Sigmund Freud)

Edgar Allan Poe is considered the father of Edgar Allan Poe is considered the father of American Gothic styleAmerican Gothic style

Poe’s work were immediately successful in Poe’s work were immediately successful in EuropeEurope

Edgar Allan PoeEdgar Allan Poe

For works such as "The Raven," which For works such as "The Raven," which has been called the best-known poem in has been called the best-known poem in the Western Hemisphere, Poe has the Western Hemisphere, Poe has assumed a place among the greatest assumed a place among the greatest masters of popular imaginationmasters of popular imagination,, alongside alongside William Shakespeare and Mark TwainWilliam Shakespeare and Mark Twain

Did you know…? Did you know…?

Perhaps Poe's most enduring contribution Perhaps Poe's most enduring contribution to popular culture has been his invention to popular culture has been his invention of the of the detective storydetective story. His chief detective, . His chief detective, C. Auguste Dupin, and stories such as C. Auguste Dupin, and stories such as "The Murders in the Rue Morgue" have "The Murders in the Rue Morgue" have inspired countless imitators, most notably inspired countless imitators, most notably Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of Sherlock Holmes.Sherlock Holmes.

What is Gothic about Poe’s work? What is Gothic about Poe’s work?

Poe tirelessly explored subjects such as Poe tirelessly explored subjects such as self-destructionself-destruction, , madnessmadness, and , and imaginationimagination in works such as "The Black in works such as "The Black Cat," “Fall of the House of Usher," and Cat," “Fall of the House of Usher," and “The Tell-tale Heart." “The Tell-tale Heart."

If the mind was Poe's favorite place, it If the mind was Poe's favorite place, it should come as no surprise that many of should come as no surprise that many of his tales are set there.his tales are set there.

What should you look for?What should you look for?

You will notice themes of You will notice themes of isolationisolation and and despairdespair

Watch out for the Watch out for the unreliable narratorunreliable narrator

Look for nature to have a significant and Look for nature to have a significant and sometimes sometimes malevolent malevolent role in Gothic role in Gothic literatureliterature

Facts about the Facts about the Raven (the bird)Raven (the bird)

1 meter wingspan1 meter wingspan

Skillful fliers, on par with eagles and falconsSkillful fliers, on par with eagles and falcons

Extremely intelligent, can mimic as well as Extremely intelligent, can mimic as well as parrots; have been taught to countparrots; have been taught to count

Playful (Rhys)Playful (Rhys)

Long lifespan (80 years) has Long lifespan (80 years) has

earned ravens mystical reputation: considered earned ravens mystical reputation: considered messengers from themessengers from the

“ “other side”other side”

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/ravens/video-raven-intelligence/1549/

““The Raven” AssignmentThe Raven” Assignment1. Listen to the audio recording of Basil Rathbone reading 1. Listen to the audio recording of Basil Rathbone reading

“The Raven:“The Raven:

2. Follow along in your textbook on page 2822. Follow along in your textbook on page 282

3. Make a mental note of Gothic elements3. Make a mental note of Gothic elements

4. When the reading is done, take 10 minutes to note 4. When the reading is done, take 10 minutes to note Gothic elements with your partner (see post-it for pair Gothic elements with your partner (see post-it for pair number)number)

The pair with the most accurate notes will receive 2 extra The pair with the most accurate notes will receive 2 extra credit points on the Gothiccredit points on the Gothic

Literature test Literature test

““The Raven” in pop cultureThe Raven” in pop culture

http://www.yourenglishclass.com/the-http://www.yourenglishclass.com/the-simpsons-raven/simpsons-raven/