AMERICAN ROMANTICISM

1. I read the story of Rip Van Winkle and to me it was a very interesting story. I really enjoyed it I didn't think I would like it at first but I did. Rip Van Winkle was known in the neighborhood as a very simple, good-natured man. He was a kind neighbor and did things for the people in the neighborhood. He would help women in the neighborhood by running errands for them and things like that. The only thing I really didn't like and really didn't understand was he would do for people in the neighborhood but not for his own family.






Dame Van Winkle to me was a very controlling woman from what I read. She was always fussing and screaming at him like he was some type of child. I know he wasn't right for doing for others and helping them take care of their homes and not their own. Maybe if she didn't act like this towards him and respected him a little more he would've did right by his home and his family. I don't blame him for leaving home but I kind of feel sad for his kids because I know it affected them.






The ending was surprising to me, he shouldn't have drunk the flagon that night because he basically slept his whole life away. I was thinking when he went back to the neighborhood his wife would've have remarried and became rich or something but she didn't she passed away. It seemed like he was kind of happy when his daughter told him his wife had passed. I was glad that people didn't attack and kill him instantly I'm glad they gave him a chance to explain to them what had happened. Its probably a good thing thought that he went away and drunk the flagon because I think if he would've stayed at home with his wife any longer they would've did harm to each other. I really enjoyed this story and I'm glad I picked it.













2. The first example of romanticism that caught my eye was when Rip Van Winkle drunk the flagon and slept for 20 years and that is so impossible because no one can sleep that long the only way they can is if they are dead.











Also when he approached the elf's in the woods that gave him the flagon, they were bowling and the only way to believe that is to use your imagination because there are no such things as elf's and you wouldn't see them in the woods bowling.











3. The poem talks about ordinary people and nature which are two things that have something to do with romanticism. For example it talks about when you are feeling down and depressed about dying go deep into nature and listen to its teaching. It's trying to tell you that no matter who you are everybody is going to die one day. You could be a poor person or the king but you both are going to die and become part of the earth's growing because that's what you were in the beginning . It talks about how you could become a river or a tree when you die because you are a part of nature. It's trying to make people who are down about death and other things understand that we all are ordinary people and it's going to happen to everyone and when you die its not bad actually its better than being alive. I might be wrong but that's what I thought the poem was trying to say and that's what I got out of reading it. A poem about death, a poem about nature and a poem that's trying to make you understand that ordinary people can accomplish just as much as anybody else. The poem is saying when you're scared of death you should talk to nature.

Thou shalt lie down , With patriarchs of the infant world--with kings The powerful of the earth--the wise, the good, Fair forms, and hoary seers of ages past, All in one mighty sepulchre ( Textual Evidence) It's talks about common people, it's saying that we all are going to be together in one big grave when we die and we all will become a big part of earth. No matter who you are.

4. Basically the poem was talking about a man who didn't enjoy his job and he used his imagination and thought to keep his mind off of the boredom and to keep from falling asleep. The images that stand out the most to me are the images of the two fair maidens swinging in the swing and the old man using the rope to pull the bell and the bell lifting him up in the air. The reason why "The Ropewalk" was a good example of Romanticism was because in the story the man was using his imagination and that it is one of the things that romanticism is all about.

5.How could a piece of visual art like this be considered Romanticism? When you look at it the

first thing that catches your eye is the beautiful sky. It deals with nature and it gives off a good vibe. It would put you into a deep thought if you just looked at it for such a long time.

The reason
I chose the picture I chose is because when I looked at it the first thing I did was try to imagine what was going on in the picture and that's what Romanticism is all about. Using your imagination. It's like the man is standing on the mountains looking at the world that he knows explode and he is the only one safe.