Exploration of Romanticism Ideals
Task 1 – What is Romanticism? Was it a reaction to something? What qualities must Romantic literature possess? Are there popular themes? (Don’t limit yourselves to these questions. Come up with some of your own too.)
Task 2 – What poets seem to represent the Romantic period best? (You will have to know some of the qualities of the period in order to determine this!)
Task 3 – What novelist wrote in a Romantic style? (You will have to know some of the qualities of the period in order to determine this!) What qualities of the Romantic period are found in the novel he/she wrote?
Task 2 – What poets seem to represent the Romantic period best? (You will have to know some of the qualities of the period in order to determine this!)
Task 3 – What novelist wrote in a Romantic style? (You will have to know some of the qualities of the period in order to determine this!) What qualities of the Romantic period are found in the novel he/she wrote?
Romantic Elements
- love of nature
- idealism
- individualism
- physical and emotional passions
- mystical and supernatural - beauty (unlike their American Counterparts who wrote of Supernatural horrors)
- opposite of rationality
- visionary
Romantic Poetry and Explication - Due February 25
She Walks in Beauty - Lord Byron
The Tyger - William Blake
Stars - Emily Bronte
When I Have Fears - John Keats
It is a Beauteous Evening, Calm and Free - William Wordsworth
Kubla Kohn - James Coleridge
Prometheus Unbound - Percy Shelley
The Tyger - William Blake
Stars - Emily Bronte
When I Have Fears - John Keats
It is a Beauteous Evening, Calm and Free - William Wordsworth
Kubla Kohn - James Coleridge
Prometheus Unbound - Percy Shelley
Frankenstein
Begin a google document for Frankenstein, as the assignments continue to flow, add them to the bottom of the page with the date.
March 4
Our big question is - when does science start being against nature? Throughout the course of the text I will be asking you to try parallels between frankenstein and medical testing, experimentation and advancements.
Today we want to begin the book by taking a brief look into the life of Mary Wollstonecraft, and her relationship with Percy Bysshe Shelley. How was the idea for the story introduced. What did Wollstonecraft's mom do? What were the relationships between women and men during this time period? How did men view their own children? What were religious contexts during this time? In the early 1800s we were just on the cusp of discovering all the power of electricity, other scientific studies all impacted Frankenstein as well. What other scientific discoveries were being made at this time?
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March 9
Shelley uses frequent allusions to other literary pieces throughout Frankenstein. The first example is Walton being impacted by Rime of the Ancient Mariner. Read this poem, written by another pillar of the romantic poets; what impact does this poem have on Walton. Why would Wollstonecraft's have included this poem so early on in the piece. What influence does this have on the reader, and our understanding of Walton?
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March 15 spend some time reading on the 2009 Executive Order passed by President Obama on embryonic testing, also check out the recent gains in 3D printing organs, and DNA cloning. You may also be interested in looking up the Human Genome Project and the Visible Human Project. What is society's definition of life? How has this definition changed? How do you think it will change? What is your opinion on Medical testing? Do you feel like Frankenstein made an ethical decision by creating and then abandoning his monster? What parallels do you see to our society?
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March 18 - For each cartoon, answer the following questions independently before sharing with a partner and the class.
1. What is the dominant image in the cartoon? Why? 2. What is significant about the secondary images and text in the cartoon? 3. What is the cartoonist’s point of view about his subject matter? 4. What is your opinion about the subject matter introduced by the cartoon? 5. After considering both cartoons and your opinion, write a thesis statement that supports, opposes, or argues a point about genetic engineering.
http://www.cartoonistgroup.com/store/add.php?iid=30882
http://www.cartoonistgroup.com/store/add.php?iid=4841
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March 22 - Frankenstein is one of the few dark romantics/gothic from British literature. brush up on gothic motifs. http://www.bl.uk/romantics-and-victorians/articles/gothic-motifs. Where do you see these exemplified in the text?
Shelley emphasizes the importance of family and suggests that the monster would have turned out differently if he'd had people around him who loved and understood him. But the rest of the world would still have hated and feared him. Would a loving family really have prevented tragedy?
What's the point of the frame narrative? Why do we begin and end with Robert Walton? Does he learn a lesson from his encounter with Frankenstein? If so, what is it?
Jane Eyre
Begin a google document for Jane Eyre, as the assignments continue to flow, add them to the bottom of the page with the date.
March 4
A big question to be thinking about while reading Jane Eyre is about the idea of a Victorian lady. Do some preliminary research on what being a Victorian lady included. Look for behavior, education, marriage, clothing, money etc.
Victorian Woman's Rights Game
Magazine designed for woman 1850
Laws Governing Women
Think about Victorian Woman in the same realm as the Miss America Pageant.
Answer these "Beauty Pageant Questions" for a Victorian Woman.
- What skills or qualities should your candidate emphasize in the speech?
- How has your candidate spent most of her life?
- What have been the guiding influences in your candidate's life?
- Why does your candidate feel qualified to serve as a role model for other Victorian women?
- On what merits would the ideal Victorian woman be judged?
Jane Eyre is considered the quintessential example of a Bildungsroman. Create a character chart for Jane Starting in chapter one. Make sure you write evidence next to your characteristics. What does she look like? How is she treated? How does she respond? What are her relationships like? How does this relate to Victorian Women?
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March 9
Charlotte Bronte is noted to have once said to her equally as literary siblings they were wrong—even morally wrong—in making their heroines beautiful as a matter of course. They replied that it was impossible to make a heroine interesting on any other terms. Her answer was, 'I will prove to you that you are wrong; I will show you a heroine as plain and as small as myself, who shall be as interesting as any of yours.'"
Why do you think Bronte believed it was MORALLY wrong to value a female character based solely on her looks? Why impact does Jane's plainness have on readers, and later the text (Note: this is where plain jane came from). What does this show about Bronte's motivation whilst writing?
One ideal of the romantic writing is the supernatural. This concept does not manifest itself in ghostly apparitions or vampires in Jane Eyre, but rather in some somewhat sketchy situations, like the red room. Take a look back on Jane's experience in the red room. How does this particular scene meet the romantic criteria of supernatural, and heavy emphasis on feelings.
Chapter 1-4 Review the following quotation: “I always took my doll; human beings must love something, and in the dearth of worthier objects of affection, I contrived to find a pleasure in loving and cherishing a faded graven image, shabby as a miniature scarecrow” (28). In your own words, what is Jane saying about the need for love?
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March 15 CHAPTERS 5-8 This is one f my favorite sections of the text! 1. Compare the religious attitudes of Helen Burns to those of Mr. Brocklehurst. With which views does Jane want her readers to agree or sympathize? Cite text to support your answer. 2. How do Miss Temple and Helen Burns affect Jane’s attitudes about life? Give examples to support your ideas. 3. Examine the harsh living conditions present at Lowood. What are some of the difficulties encountered by Jane and the other girls? What message does this send about the life of orphaned children? What statement does this make about those who are commissioned to run organizations that provide for the care of others? 4. How is the weather used again to establish mood? 5. Review the following passage: “If people were always kind and obedient to those who are cruel and unjust, the wicked people would have it all their own way: they would never feel afraid, and so they would never alter, but would grow worse and worse” (57). Do you agree with this philosophy? Why or why not? How might this be applicable in today’s society?
http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/bronte/cbronte/society.html - begin by reading about the school influence , reflect on your own thoughts in relationships with education and your classmates. What personality changes do we see Jane making in her relationship with Helen and her education?
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March 18
Who has the power in the relationship between Jane and Rochester? What causes this power? How much impact does wealth, physical appearance, station play into this power shift?
How has Bronte included supernatural elements in the bedroom fire and midnight moanings?
Why doesn't Jane Accept St John's (sin-jin) proposal?
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March 23
Jane Eyre is considered to be the dictionary definition of a bildungsroman. How does the ending show growth in her spiritual existence instead of stagnation. How has the power shifted at the end of the book? What purpose does wealth, and ability play into this?
Brontë populates the novel with many female characters roughly the same age as Jane—Georgiana and Eliza Reed, Helen Burns, Blanche Ingram, Mary and Diana Rivers, and Rosamund Oliver. How do comparisons with these characters shape the reader's understanding of Jane's character?
Romanticism in other places and modes
Romanticism in Music - Research what the romantic movement look liked for music. Who were some famous composers? What were some famous pieces? What was their focus? A good place to start is here. There are quite a few videos on youtube comparing classical music and romantic movements. Look up and listen to some of these.
Romanticism in Art - What did the romantic period in Art look like? How did artists work change along with this movement. Who are some famous artists? What are some famous paintings? The Met has a great diving off point for romanticism.
Romanticism outside of Britain- There was also a riveting romantic movement in America. This period created some of the most famous American stories and poems. The American movement featured dark romantics, transcendentalism, the fireside poets and romanticism. What are the differences between British Romantics and American Romantics? Find some pillars in American Romanticism.
Romanticism in Art - What did the romantic period in Art look like? How did artists work change along with this movement. Who are some famous artists? What are some famous paintings? The Met has a great diving off point for romanticism.
Romanticism outside of Britain- There was also a riveting romantic movement in America. This period created some of the most famous American stories and poems. The American movement featured dark romantics, transcendentalism, the fireside poets and romanticism. What are the differences between British Romantics and American Romantics? Find some pillars in American Romanticism.