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The Pattern of the Journey |
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Between Literary Milestones
Before you strike out in search of American Romanticism, survey the historical landscape of a young nation poised to begin a new century. Let Gonzaga University’s Brief Timeline of American Literature and Events lead you through the miles that stretch between literary milestones.
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A Closer Look: The City, Grim and Gray |
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“Abyss of Poverty and Destitution”
Commenting on the city’s filth, poverty, and crime, The New York Times reported, “New York furnishes the worst place of residence of any city in America.” For a peek into nineteenth-century Manhattan, step into this New York Public Library exhibit. Be careful, though—you don’t want to catch cholera or be caught by members of street gangs such as the Plug Uglies or the Roach Guards.
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Romantic Escapism: From Dull Realities to Higher Realms |
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The Gothic
Romantic writers who strayed into the realms of haunted landscapes and supernatural events became known as writers of the Gothic. Visit A Hypertext on American History to meet the famous American writer who explored the wilds of nature by trekking deep into the thicket of human psychology.
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The Wilderness Experience |
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Nature and the American Identity
The seeds of Romanticism may have taken root in Europe, but the optimism that grew from these ideas was nowhere more powerful than on American soil. Visit the University of Virginia to find out how geography may have determined the spiritual course of a new nation.
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A New Kind of Hero |
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Real-Life Heroes
If you think you have what it takes to be a hero, gather up your adventure gear and hike over to the Lewis and Clark trail. See if you can keep up as they travel from the Wood River across the Rocky Mountains to the shores of the Pacific Ocean and back again.
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Crossing the Curriculum: History |
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An Outsider’s Insights
In 1831, a young, aristocratic Frenchman began a seventeen-state tour that lasted nine months. The journals and letters of Alexis de Tocqueville reveal the unique insights of an outsider observing the people and the politics of the day. Let the University of Virginia complete the picture by noting what Tocqueville may not have known about everyday life in 1831.
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Crossing the Curriculum: Art |
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The Higher Realms of Landscapes
Some folks took inspiration from the vast American wilderness without leaving their favorite chairs. The painters of the Hudson River school made it all possible by bringing nature indoors on canvas. Plop down at the University of Virginia, and gaze at the soaring mountains, stately trees, and placid lakes that raised the nation’s homebodies to a higher realm.
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