Anti-Transcendentalism
aka – The Dark Romantics
19th century (approx. 1840-1860) literary
movement that focused on the dark side of
humanity and the evilness and guilt of sin
Reasons / Causes
A reaction against the optimism and naïve
idealism of the transcendentalists (Emerson,
Thoreau, Romantic poets)
Dwelt on guilt and remorse over past sins
Discontented with current circumstances in
America – poverty, unjust and cruel treatment of
factory workers, poor educational system, lack of
women’s rights, slavery
Investigated moral dilemmas and society’s ills
Key ideas / Philosophies
Belief in the potential destructiveness of the
human spirit
Human nature is inherently sinful (original sin)
and evil is an active force in the universe
Focus on the man’s uncertainty and limitations
in the universe
View of Nature
Nature is vast and
incomprehensible, a
reflection of the
struggle between
good and evil
Nature is the creation
and possession of
God and it cannot be
understood by human
beings
Writing Style
Presents conflicts of man vs. Nature
Focuses on the demonic, the fantastic, and the
insane
Focuses on the protagonist’s inner struggles
Typical protagonists are haunted outsiders who
are alienated from society
Extensive use of symbolism
Nathaniel Hawthorne
wrote The Scarlet Letter
“As the moral gloom
of the world
overpowers all
systematic gaiety,
even so was their
home of wild mirth
made desolate amid
the sad forest.”
– “The Maypole of Merrymount
“(1836)
Herman Melville
wrote Moby Dick
“All men live enveloped
in whale-lines. All are
born with halters round
their necks; but it is only
when caught in the
swift, sudden turn of
death, that mortals
realize the silent, subtle,
ever-present perils of
life.” --Moby Dick
Melville harshly criticizes capitalism,
slavery, war and imperialism,
but he shows
passionate empathy
for “classes of men
who bear the same
relation to society at
large that the wheels
do to a coach.”
A final quote from Melville
“If, at my death, my
executors, or more properly
my creditors, find any
precious manuscripts in my
desk, then here I
prospectively ascribe all the
honor and glory to whaling;
for the whale ship was my
Yale College and my
Harvard.”
One Last Dark Soul…
We can’t forget Edgar Allan Poe!
His work falls into the Gothic category:
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Mysterious settings
Tortured protagonist
Omens, foreshadowing, dreams
Emotions such as terror and madness
Supernatural events
Gloom and doom surrounding loved ones