Dark Romantacism

Nathaniel Hawthorne was a figure of an anti-transcendentalist background. In Hawthorne’s case I believe that his falling into this perspective was because of his rational thought that provoked a strong reaction in him when a family member sentenced people to death during the Salem witch trials. His family member was convinced by the people that the accused were evil and I think this made Hawthorne see those that condemned them, to be no less evil then those on trial. I can only assume that he came to the conclusion of the people being accused of witchcraft did no deceive Hawthorne’s strong belief in rational thought. His being rational might have also provoked some dislike of the church and would explain his disagreeing with the witch trials.


Herman Melville I think was pulled into the anti-transcendentalist thought pool because of his raisings. He saw his family squander money, which some might think of a bad trait. He worked from an early age of twelve on boats. This was a good deal in the past and in an era where I would think being on your own from such a young age was probably much harder than it would be today in America. His youth probably showed him a much more down to earth side of life, which I think can example the similarities between transcendentalist and rationalist. The world was much different then as well, for instances if one were to go sailing around the world today they might not see cannibals at mealtime. Hawthorne witnessed this act and took it how ever he did, but I think seeing that at a young age for any person would be a terrible thing to see. I see a dark romantic sort of telling of this in Mobey Dick. Ahab is a picture perfect example of someone who doesn’t have God’s power for his mind to manage. His mind’s only obsession was to kill the whale that ate his leg, even if it cost many innocent lives.

Edgar Allen Poe was a very colossal figure in this era of literature. He was in my opinion the embodiment of a anti-transcendentalist and the only one of them worthy of being called a "Dark Transcendentalist." This I conclude is because of two major causes, dealing with a substantial amount of death of loved ones in his life. His mother died while Edgar was still very young and I think his father might not have treated him well if he disowned him for going to college. His other encounters with deceased loved ones was his three wives, all of whom died of the same disease, which must have seemed very ironic and terrible to Poe, something that would haunt me, but only maybe haunt Edgar Allen Poe. I think the other major cause for his literary style would be his dependence on alcohol and opium. I am sure that if he was using during his marriages, that they were the cause of the worsening habit. These two factors could easily create a human who would indulge in the romantic idea that maybe only view people had the voice of god in his head.


I think that I fall onto the transcendentalist side of the argument, with more of a rational background than a romantic one. My faith in the goodness of people can be blinding at times, but I keep it more to keep myself happily assuming that everyone in the world is content with finding their own happiness instead of pursuing money or other products of society that can tempt people to group themselves all into one pursuit of life. I continue my wide assumption that people would rather only merely entertain themselves with the pursuit of a new walk of life when one becomes dull to tread.

The story of "Hop Frog" is certainly well titled in the category of Dark Romanticism. It describes the life of two court dwarfs some ages ago in some mid evil land and they’re how they were treated. Hop-frog was never treated kindly and was brought into this life style by being kidnapped by the king’s army in some foreign land. Another dwarf had been kidnapped as well and the two became fast friends. Trippetta, the other dwarf was a female and helped Hop-Frog when he was being greatly picked on. The climax of the story begins when Trippetta has a cup of wine thrown in her face by the king her and Hop Frog are forced to serve.

The king made a fatal mistake by committing this act in front of Hop Frog. The dwarf was greatly angered. After the act was committed the king and his council of seven ministers stupidly asked the dwarf to help them get ready for a masquerade. The dwarf helped them to dress as savages or looked to have escaped from some sort of entrapment because they wore a singular chain that connected all of them. They also wore tar and flax at the advice of Hop Frog. They planned to come to the party let to start a ruckus among the party goers. Hop Frog took it to his liberty to re decorate the ball room before the king and his ministers were to make their surprise entrance. He set torches around the hall and removed a chandelier from its chain in the middle of the room. When the king and his ministers in their costumes Hop Frog used the chain the chandelier had been hung out to hang the king and ministers in mid air, where Hop Frog set flame to them.
This story is a great example of a Dark Romantic story because of the forced labor of the two dwarfs and their ability to find friendship in a place and time where they were treated poorly by people of the king’s court. The king is a character that I think embodies spite, greed, and ignorance. He persistently used Hop-Frog as a comic relief for his whole court and especially his ministers. His excessive drinking made him less sensible and crueler than anything. These characteristics reflect how a dark romantic might see people at times. "Dwarfs were as common at court, in those days, as fools; and many monarchs would have found it difficult to get through their days (days are rather longer at court than elsewhere) without both a jester to laugh with, and a dwarf to laugh at." This text from the story shows the view society had for dwarfs and fools. It shows that as a society a group of people can treat an individual badly if it is the normal behavior of a group of important people. The king and his ministers were very insensitive to the dwarfs and show a very terrible side of people. Hop-Frog’s actions are reflected by his reaction and show how people that are treated badly would see much evil in people’s hearts, a very dark romantic ideology.