American Realists Response To The Ideas Behind The Romantic Movement

Beginning around 1860, American Realists developed a new approach to literature in response to the ideas behind the American Romantic movement. Writers of the Romantic movement wrote unrealistic stories with heroes and happy endings. They were immersed in the writer’s imagination and the metaphysical. People began to disagree with literature’s representation of an idealistic America. One person that openly criticized Romantic literature was William Dean Howells. He believed that Romantic fiction misleads people and caused them to have dangerously incorrect notions of what being an American meant. He believed in writing fiction that had authentic American characters that the readers could relate to. He found melodramatic fiction deceitful
The main character Editha deeply wishes for her fiancé George to enlist in the army. In her mind, her fiancé should be a brave soldier fighting for his country in the “glorious” war. She blindly believes the newspaper articles heroic romanticism of the war. She is naïve about the real consequences of her fiancé enlisting. Editha resembles the consequences Romanticism has on the people. Like others during this time, she chose to believe in her unrealistic interpretation of life. She supports the war and claims that she calls “any war glorious that is for the liberation of people who have been struggling”. This statement is an idea that she has read so much that she has begun to believe it. Editha demonstrates how words have a dangerous effect on how readers see the world. Editha remarks, “All through their courtship…she had been puzzled by his want of seriousness about [the war]”. When faced with a moral dilemma, Editha chose wrong. She never considered the fact that her fiancé could die in this war. She chose to see life through her idealistic perspective and not realistically. George and his mother understand the risk he would be taking. They are the