The Imaginative Psyche – Dark Romantics

Born from the same school of thought as the Transcendentalists, the Dark Romantics wrote fantastical fiction stories that explored the dark, sinister side of humanity. While Dark Romantics believed that truth and spirituality lie beyond the physical appearances of humans and nature, they disagreed with Emerson's belief that those truths were always good and harmless.

In this topic, you will read selections from two Dark Romantics: Edgar Allan Poe and Nathaniel Hawthorne. You will learn how their probing of good and evil and exploring of madness in the human psyche have greatly shaped and influenced American literature.

Essential Questions

• What is characteristic of the Dark Romantic writers, and how have they inspired modern writers?
  
• How do the Dark Romantics provide valid insight into the human psyche?