Nationalism among American Lit

The tracendentalist movement was one of the main factors that brought about the literary birth during the early nineteenth century. No longer were Americans or British questioning the validity of literary works, but they were now savoring the works in awe. This is exemplified through three major literates who belonged to The Knickerbocker Group in New York, a writer’s association. Furthermore, Irving valued American themes and therefore portrayed them through his writing, attempting to interpret America to Europe. The Hudson school held most of the credit for this type of art, creating galleries of paintings based on local sceneries, like the Hudson River. Many of these American works were generated by genuine American institutions and associations, such as The Hudson River school and The Knickerbocker Group, along with the tracendentalist movement.

In brief, the literary and artistic accomplishments stated earlier are clear demonstrations of the growing nationalism that developed during the early nineteenth century. These writers – Washington Irving, James Fenimore Cooper, and William Cullen – felt that if Americans felt pride in their landscapes and painted sceneries, they should also have reasons to feel delight for true American literature works, not plagiarized ones from England.

Genuine American literature received a strong stimulating force or “wave of nationalism” after the War of 1812. However, opposing artists did emerge, with a strong feeling of union in support to glorify the nation’s natural beauty and independence. Cooper, the first American novelist, accomplished Irving’s goal by actually making “New World” themes respectable and admired throughout Europe and other regions of the World.