American Literature

Romantic literature is such that an author writes in an attempt to convey his feelings on what the world should be like. It is unrealistic, unreasoning, and imaginative writing. William Cullen Bryant and Edgar Allen Poe are two examples of romantic writers. Though Poe fits the mold of a romantic writer it is obvious that his writings do not mirror those of Bryant or many other known romantic authors. His works share a uniqueness that is not found amongst the other writers, it is this uniqueness that separates Poe's works from the rest. Bryant's poem "Thanatopsis" is a good example of romantic literature. This work compared to Poe's "The Tell-Tale Heart" will show that characteristics of Poe's work that, both, make him a romantic writer and separate him from other romantic writers.

"Thanatopsis", by William Cullen Bryant, is a very romantic poem about the relationship between man and nature. Bryant's purpose for this poem is to spread his belief that at the last hours of life man is joined with the Earth and when that last hour is over man will join all those who have passed before him. From the first two lines of the poem it is obvious that this poem is romantic in nature. "To him who in the love of Nature holds - Communion with her visible forms," (470). Bryant personifies nature in this poem by referring to it as a "she". He does this to establish a common thread between the reader and Earth. It is easier for someone, reading Bryant's work, to begin believing his ideas about nature if "Nature" is referred to as a human being. Along with Bryant's approach to the reader his description of the connection between man and nature is also very romantic. "Go forth under the open sky, and list - To Nature's teachings, while from all around - Earth and her waters, and the depths of air, - Comes a still voice-"(470). In this quote Bryant begins to speak about how Nature offers comfort, "When thoughts - Of the last bitter hour come like a blight - over they spirit.."(470), through a "still voice"(470), implying that Nature speaks. As the poem continues Bryant brings out more of his romantic ideas. "Earth, that nourished thee, shall claim - Thy growth, to be rolv'd to earth again.."(471) In this quote Bryant expresses his feelings that when life is over man will return to earth and become part of it once again. "To be brother to the' insensible rock"(471) Again Bryant uses personification to maintain that connection previously established with the reader. He is trying to make his ideas very believable, by comparing earth with the idea of a brother Bryant's message is sent, and received, with much more strength. It is obvious that Bryant's views, alone, are very romantic, this idea of oneness with the earth is a very unique approach to both life and death, however throughout the poem it is maintained that this connection is one that should change man's outlook on death. Rather than fear death, Bryant makes a strong case that, man should embrace it and be glad in it due to this apparent relationship that man has with nature. This, above all, is the most romantic aspect of this poem, Bryant's effort to make death a positive thing rather than a negative thing. "Thou go not , like the quarry-slave at night, - Scourged to his dungeon, but sustain'd and sooth'd - By an unfaltering trust, approach thy grave, - Like one who wraps the drapery of his couch - About him, and lies down to pleasant dreams."(471)

In the story by Edgar Allan Poe, "The Tell-Tale Heart" Poe uses the characters to convey a very different message about death then Bryant. The two writers are similar in that it is consistent in their ideas that death is not the absolute end. Though Poe shares this similarity there is uniqueness about his ideas that separate him from Bryant and other romantics who chose to write about death. In the case of Bryant and others death is looked upon as something to look forward to; almost like a new beginning, for these writers this is the way that death "lives" on. Poe does not share this same positive view on death. Through "The Tell-Tale Heart" Poe makes it evident that death "lives" on in a very negative way. In the "Tell-Tale Heart" the man in the story is said to be haunted by the eye of another. "I loved the old man...' 'I think it was his eye!-yes, it was this! He had the eye of a vulture-a pale blue eye, with a film over it! Whenever it fell upon me, my blood ran cold; and so, by degrees- very gradually- I made up my mind to take the life of the old man, and thus rid myself of the eye forever."(727) In this quote Poe establishes the romantic nature of this story. Though very unusual, the relationship between the main character of this story and the old man is romantic. It is very unrealistic to think that one could love someone but hate a physical characteristic of that person enough to want to kill them. However, Poe makes it clear that that is the case in this story. Another very romantic aspect of this story is the way in which Poe shows the main character going about killing the old man. The care and