Romanticism was an artistic movement that impacted all of the arts -- visual art, music, and literature. Your job is to determine exactly what that means. What is Romanticism? What does it mean to call a piece of art Romantic?
Task
With a partner, you will explore resources available on the Internet. You will compile your findings into a "paperless" project -- "The Declaration of Romanticism."
Process
You need to familiarize yourself with artwork, music, and literature from the Romantic period. To make this easier, I have grouped web sites according medium (art, music, or literature). You will explore these web sites, taking notes and answering the questions. Next, you will compile the information you learn into a "Declaration of Romanticism."
Art
Visit Tyger of Wrath: William Blake at the National Gallery of Victoria. Click on the image. You will be taken to a site with frames. Click on "View Works of Art." Agree to the conditions for access. Explore several of William Blake's works of art. What are your feelings or responses to his art?
Read an article about Romantic music. Write down at least three things you learned from the article.
Listen to Romantic music selections from the radio blog to the right. Write down any emotions that come to mind as you listen. Close your eyes and concentrate on the images the song suggests as you listen. Write these down.
Follow at least one composer link from the article about Romantic music. Write down at least three things you learned about that composer.
Literature
You've read a good deal of literature from the American Romantics. Read through Thomas Hampson's profile of Emerson, especially the quotes. How does Ralph Waldo Emerson embody Romantic ideals?
Read Hampson's profile of Whitman. Describe the powerful influence Romantic music had over Walt Whitman's writing.
Review the Declaration of Independence from your textbook.
Brainstorm a list of characteristics that seem important to Romantics. You are going to write a document similar to the Declaration of Independence, only you are going to declare the right to be Romantic! For example, you might write something like this:
I declare the right to be idealistic. I hold this right dear to my heart as an integral part of my personal philosophy, because being idealistic gives me hope for the future. Being idealistic comforts me when I am feeling down about the problems in our world. Being idealistic compels me to do what I can to "repair the world" in the spirit of tikkun olam. My idealism makes the world a better place.
Now make a list of things that obstruct Romantic ideals. Using the example above to illustrate, you might write something like this:
Sometimes the problems of the world, the nightly news, make me lose hope. My mother tells me I have my head in the clouds. I want to feel free to be idealistic without fear of judgment from my Republican friends. I respect their right not to be idealistic, to be "grounded."
Turn these thoughts into a short paper - at least one page typed, 12-point, Times New Roman (or other normal) font. You can use "I" and "my," but "you" is off limits.
Here is the fun part! Transfer your Declaration of Romanticism onto something related to Romanticism, but NOT PAPER. In other words, to continue with my example using "Idealism," in the movie Citizen Kane, the main character's last word is Rosebud. Over the course of the movie, we learn about how Kane became a power-hungry media magnate. He is cold, and we wonder if he truly feels anything. However, we also learn that his childhood sled had the word "Rosebud" painted on it. The sled became a symbol for an idealistic childhood. I'm not suggesting you use anything as elaborate as a sled. Choose an object that in some way represents Romantic ideals to you. Thrift stores are great. Buying something there will enable you to write on it without destroying an object precious to you. Stretch your imagination. Recopy your Declaration (using a permanent marker) onto your object.
