Historical and Cultural Connections - What is Romantic Literature?

When you see the word Romantic, what do you think of? Do you think of lighted candles and a quaint dinner for two? Do you think of flowers and candy for a loved one? Do you think of Valentine's Day?

For many people, those are the first images that are conjured, but in fact, Romanticism is quite different from what you might expect. It was a literary movement that swept first Europe and then America, but it has nothing to do with what you may think of as modern romance.

In this topic, you will be learning about the origins of Romanticism and its impact on American literature. You will also be exploring how it was represented from a literary perspective.

Essential Questions

• What are the main characteristics of literature from the Romantic era?
  
• How has Romanticism shaped literature?