Romanticism Vs Transcendentalism

Dark Romanticism and Transcendentalism

Romanticism is the school of thought that value school of thought over reason. Transcendentalism and Dark Romanticism are two major form of Romanticism that was prominent in America. Transcendentalism is a positive form of thought that emphasizes the beauty of nature and human nature. On the other hand, Dark Romanticism accentuates the darkness of the world and of humans. Although the ideals of both schools of thought seem different, they share similar beliefs.

Transcendentalism and Dark Romanticism are similar in a multitude of ways. They both describe nature in vivid imagery. Ralph Waldo Emerson, a transcendentalist, describes the beauty in The Rhodora; Nathaniel Hawthorne goes into detail about describing Rappaccini’s garden Rappaccini’s Daughter. Since Transcendentalism and Dark Romanticism both brand from Romanticism, they both reference a higher power through nature. Both are
Duality is the idea that there are two opposing forces in us - good and evil- and we are capable of both. Transcendentalism believes in the good of man, while Dark Romanticism believes in the bad. The ideal of Transcendentalism is that man can find the divine in everyday interactions, usually with the natural world. The Rhodora is a paradigm of Transcendentalism; Emerson found the divine in his interaction of nature with the flower, “The self-same power that brought me there, brought you.”. Dark Romanticism differs greatly; it accentuates that human nature can be evil, and often is. Rappaccini’s Daughter showcases what jealousy does and what happens when humans try to alter nature in their favor, the result is death. There is much gloominess and darkness in Dark Romanticism, this is evident in most of the characters. In The Fall of the House of Usher Edgar Allan Poe emphasizes the creepiness in Roderick Usher and then later reveals he buried his sister