Why Romantic Literature Should be Taught in School

Romanticism. Some of the most famous, most important, most memorable works of literature in America were written during this time period, from 1840-1865. This included my novel, The Scarlet Letter. I'm Nathaniel Hawthorne, and I feel the need to let 21st-century students know why it is so important to read and study Romantic literature.

The works of my period are absolutely beautiful. The words, dialect, and rhythmic flow run together to create stunning literature pieces. Students need to be open to novels, poems, and plays from the Romantic period so that they in turn may advance their writing skills. Only by being exposed to great works can we make our own writing better.

There are more things to be learned than writing techniques, however. One of the main themes of Romantic works is individualism, as characterized by Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson. These authors, along with others, needed to find themselves, their own unique person. Through writing about it, they discovered things about themselves, and by reading their works, such as the famous Walden, by Thoreau, we can learn something about ourselves as well.

It would be a shame to see students of the 21st century cease to study the works of this time period. Although my fellow writers' and my books are more than 100 years old, the themes and ideas that are contained in them are timeless, and can be applied to any generation, anywhere in the world. Students today need to discover for themselves their own individuality, and what better way to learn about that than to read the books that started it all? From the beautiful poems of Emily Dickinson to the horrific short stories of Edgar Allen Poe, to my very own The Scarlet Letter, everyone, not just students, needs to read and learn about the Romantic Period