The Romantic Era Research Paper

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Pages: 3

The Romantic period came after the United States gained their independence. From 1800 to 1860 the Romantic period greatly influenced literature and philosophy. Many things made the Romantic period what it was, for example, nature, writing styles and the exploration of self-awareness. Nature played a big role in the Romantic period, because philosophers and poets were starting to build the idea or theory that we are all connected to nature. William Cullen Bryant used nature to describe his view of death in his writing, Thanatopsis, “Thou shalt lie down, with patriarchs or the infant world-- with kings, the powerful earth… as hoary seers of ages past… The golden sun, The plants, all the infinite host of heaven” (lines 33 and 45). Ralph Waldo Emerson also used nature in a big way, he expressed that “The stars awaken a certain reverence, because though they are present, they are inaccessible; but all natural objects make a kindred impression, when the mind is open to their influence” (paragraph 2), meaning the stars bring out a deep respect because the are unreachable, but if the mind is open everything makes an impression. …show more content…
During the Romantic period, writing styles often involved more emotion and flow. For example, in Paul Revere’s Ride by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, many examples of rhyming and rhythm are present. “And the meeting-house windows, black and bare, Gaze at him with a spectral glare, As if they already stood aghast At the bloody work they would look upon...” (line 97). The rhythm makes you feel the emotion, as does the rhyming. Their writing also flowed more because writers often used more commas, which made their writing appear ‘softer’ or gentler. William Cullen Bryant also used many commas, “By an unfaltering trust, approach thy grave, like one who wraps the drapery of his couch about him, and lies down to pleasant dreams” (line