4. In your own words, explain the concept of “Dark Romanticism” by discussing two works by different authors. Also, explain why this type of writing became popular in America and analyze its appeal and significance both in the past and present. The Dark Side of Romanticism involves emphasizing emotions in literary texts. During the Romantic period, authors incorporated the belief that individuals should be the primary focus in life. These authors concentrated on how individuals could determine their own happiness and destiny, while acknowledging the existence of evil outside of humanity.
The Dark Romantics held the belief that wickedness can be found not only in nature and others, but also resides within every individual. They argued that previous writers had disregarded the darker aspect of mankind. The objective of the Dark Romantics was to portray to readers the true essence of human nature. They depicted individuals as self-destructive, contrasting with past writers like the Puritans who emphasized mankind’s triumph over evil through God’s grace. In Dark Romantic literature, individuals are frequently depicted as faltering in their attempts to improve themselves.
Instead of centering their attention on the benevolence of humanity, Dark Romantics explored the sorrowful and disturbed aspects of human existence. This cynical and doubtful outlook allows for the emergence of obscure, dreadful, and inscrutable contemplations. However, it is these disturbed notions that render Dark Romantic literature exceptional and exhilarating in contrast to previous works. Dark Romanticism embodies a sense of darkness and gloom. Nature occupies a significant place in Dark Romanticism literature, but is portrayed in eerie and malevolent ways. Literary depictions of ghouls, ghosts, and other eerie entities manifest evil.
For Dark Romantics, the world is characterized by its coldness and mystery. Gothic fiction played a crucial role in inspiring many Dark Romantic works, as it can be seen as a subgenre of Dark Romanticism. Both Gothic fiction and Dark Romantic literature share similar themes of darkness and mystery. However, Gothic fiction’s primary aim was to recount tales of horror, whereas Dark Romanticism focuses on stories depicting humanity’s failure to bring about positive change. In his work, “Somnambulism,” Charles Brockden-Brown effectively conveys the unexplainable and horrifying qualities of Gothic and Dark Romantic literature through his unique features and writing style.
The works of William Godwin and the concept of feminism served as inspiration for Brockden-Brown. In “Somnambulism”, Constantia embodies this idea. She is not portrayed as a vulnerable and anxious character; rather, Brockden-Brown depicts her as a self-sufficient and resilient individual, as evident when she fearlessly accompanies her father through the dark and tiresome woods at night. The story is narrated from Althrope’s perspective, providing readers with an intimate understanding of his disturbed state of mind and a firsthand chronicle of the events.
This passage adds intensity and mystery to the story, making it easier for readers to understand Althrope’s thoughts. It questions Althrope’s irrational beliefs and lack of learning from past experiences. The text highlights the ignominy of being controlled by unpredictable impulses and irrational fears. Unlike idiots and children who can clearly describe and attribute existence to their fears, Althrope cannot. The fast pace of the sentences creates a feeling of paranoia, supporting the Dark Romantic’s idea that this genre of literature focuses on the dark and unfortunate aspects of human life and mankind’s inability to improve. Unlike the typical supernatural creatures found in Dark Romantic and Gothic literature, the main character here is an ordinary member of society who has a breakdown.
Althrope is accustomed to conforming to society’s constraints, but he struggles with it. As a sleepwalker, he unconsciously acts out the obsessive thoughts that consume his mind day after day. This serves as a vivid representation of mankind’s dark side. In his tale “The Tell-Tale Heart,” Edgar Allen Poe presents a horrifying narrative. The use of eerie visual descriptions and harsh language in this story clearly reflects the characteristics of the Dark Romantic period. Additionally, Poe’s choice of a first-person narrator adds an important element to the story. The incessant thoughts plaguing the narrator and his constant self-doubt are effectively depicted through word repetition and the narrator’s internal questioning: “I paced the floor to and fro with heavy strides, as if excited to fury by the observations of the men –but the noise steadily increased.”
The narrator experienced intense distress and went to extreme measures in an attempt to cope with their overwhelming emotions. They expressed their frustration by forcefully moving a chair, causing a loud noise that only added to their agitation. Despite the increasing volume, the other men around them continued to engage in pleasant conversation, seemingly unaware or unconcerned. The narrator became convinced that the others were intentionally mocking their state of terror. This perception of being ridiculed reflects the narrator’s untrustworthiness and unreliability. It also aligns with the tenets of Dark Romanticism, which questions the nature of humanity. Poe uses the protagonist’s instability and the destructive power of the unconscious mind to highlight the profound impact that fixation on the old man’s inexplicable eye had on the narrator’s mental state. This fixation ultimately resulted in extreme paranoia.
The reason behind the haunting of the creepy eyeball by the narrator remains unknown to the reader. The narrator admits that he is unsure why he feels such anger towards the old man, as the old man has never harmed him. However, the narrator harbors hostility towards the old man and his eerie eye, creating a sense of distress and uncertainty in the story. The narrator states, “And have I not told you that what you mistake for madness is but over acuteness of the senses? ” As time goes on, the haunting presence of the eyeball drives the narrator to the point where his disturbed thoughts lead him to commit murder against the old man.
In believing that it will provide an escape from the terror of the eyeball, he actually experiences the opposite effect. While the eyeball may no longer be staring at him, his guilty conscience now shines a bright spotlight on him. This illustrates the concept of Dark Romanticism, which suggests that every individual possesses a dark side. This dark side can compel individuals to engage in inexplicable actions. Dark Romanticism differed significantly from the literature of the Transcendentalist and Puritanism periods, as it frequently focused on the tragic aspects of life.
Instead of reading about characters that were in harmony with nature, God, and themselves, readers were now hearing stories of corrupted individuals battling their own thoughts. Dark Romantics emphasized the sinister aspects of humanity, highlighting our inherent flaws and the unpredictable nature of life. Through their literature, they illustrated the concept that evil is not only found in external forms but also resides within the human mind. In contrast to Puritans, Dark Romantics believed that wickedness is an innate part of human beings, rather than a divine trial for individuals to regain favor with God.
The concept of rejecting Transcendentalism’s optimistic perspective on life and exploring a different outlook on mankind and human nature was introduced by Dark Romantics. Unlike the confident and narcissistic beliefs of the Transcendentalists, the Dark Romantics did not perceive humans as constantly embodying perfection. Instead, they acknowledged the capacity for individuals to sin and emphasized the imperfections of mankind.
Many Dark Romantics recognized that evil and terror resided within the human psyche. Individuals such as Althrope and the delusional narrator in “The Tell-Tale Heart” exemplify how weakness and paranoia can infiltrate the minds of seemingly innocent people. Dark Romantics saw beyond surface beauty, using their literary works to depict the darkness lurking within the unconscious thoughts of individuals. In Dark Romantic poetry and prose, evil manifests in various shadowy and enigmatic forms. Therefore, the literature of this period undeniably carries a sinister reputation.
