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Examples Of Dark Romanticism

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The American Romantic Era begins in 1830 and ends in 1865 (Scheidenhelm 1).”Romantic literature places an emphasis on the individual and on the expression of personal emotions”(1). Dark Romanticism revolves around the struggles of sin and elements of the supernatural. Famous authors of this era include: Nathaniel Hawthorne, Washington Irving, and Edgar Allan Poe. Short stories from each of these are exemplary examples of Dark Romanticism.
“The Minister’s Black Veil”, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, is a prime example of Dark Romanticism. Mr. Hooper gives his sermon about the reprehensible world. “The subject and reference to secret sin, and those sad mysteries which we hide from our nearest and dearest, and would fain conceal from our own consciousness” (Hawthorne 265). To enhance the homily, Mr. Hooper uses the black veil to show that people mask their wrongdoing and pretend to be honorable. After the funeral, parishioners claim “...the minister and the maren’s spirit were walking hand in hand”(267). Grim …show more content…

These three stories all include dark themes, strong emotion, and hints of insanity along with other important components. Nathaniel Hawthorne uses his story to convey the wickedness of sin. Washington Irving's main focus is on the eerie setting and harsh life lessons. Meanwhile, when one looks at what Edgar Allen Poe writes it is evident that the attention is on the madness and delirium that the charter goes through. These stories are meant to enlighten one on the harsh truths of reality. Tribulations and the use of strong emotions are often used and provide insight to the reader. Many of these stories involve psychological torment and the use of a gloomy ambience to set the mood and tone of the story. The themes of the stories are established by the use symbolism and are embellished by the beautiful dark writings of these

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