The Dark Side of Romanticism

Romanticism has turned out to be my favorite genre that I have come across in my American Literature class. More specifically, I love the dark side of it. You know, the emotionally tragic and disturbing type of stories that make you want to hug your stuffed teddy bear afterwards because it deeply troubled your psychological health. All right, they may not be that mentally distraught, but you get the idea.

What I like most about this genre is how each story has a unique meaning to each individual reader. If you are looking for a story with a message at the end that brings it all together, these are not the type for you. In contrast, they are filled with intensely intriguing plots that pull you along line by line, only to leave you perplexed at the end. Each story’s meaning is up for interpretation, entitling the reader to fill in the blanks.

So, if you think you’re up for the challenge, listed below are a few of my reading suggestions from American writers that also loved the loosely defined Dark Romantic subgenre. (Warning: The following reading suggestions have been known to invoke obscure, mentally questionable thoughts. Read at your own risk.)

“The Raven” by Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe is the epitome of dark, gothic writing. You cannot even mention this style without his name coming up. “The Raven” is considered to be one of his most famous pieces of work, which is not hard to fathom. It centers on an unnamed narrator who is profound in his sorrow for the loss of a woman named Lenore (a common theme in Poe’s work). As insanity pursues the narrator, you follow along with the rhyming, almost musical, writing style while his dramatic hallucination and rollercoaster of emotions adds to the enticement. This story is an A+ in my book.

“The Minister’s Black Veil” y Nathaniel Hawthorne

More popularly known for “The Scarlet Letter”, Nathaniel Hawthorne’s work typically surrounds the ideas of guilt and sin. “The Minister’s Black Veil” follows directly along those lines. The story starts out depicting a calm, town scenery, when a Reverend arrives wearing a black veil. Curiosity ensues, shortly followed by disturbed thoughts as the town people try to figure out the Reverend’s motive for the newly adorned mask. Why is he wearing it? What is he hiding? I guess you will have to read it to find out.

“Bartleby the Scrivener” by Herman Melville

Best know for “Moby Dick”, Herman Melville can be described as an Anti-Transcendentalist who has delved a bit in the Dark Romanticism subgenre. In the beginning of the story, the character Bartleby can be seen as any other hire at the narrator Lawyer’s office. But soon enough, a response from Bartleby jumpstarts the questioning and digging into whom he actually is and what he represents. Although upfront this story may appear less “dark” than the others, the questionable nature and distraught main character that is a staple in Dark Romanticism still remains at the forefront.

What is your favorite genre and piece?