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American Romanticism was a literary, artistic and intellectual movement that began in Europe in eighteenth century. It was at a peak between 1800 to 1840 and declined towards the rise of realism. Some great writers who wrote during the American romantic period include Nathaniel Hawthorne, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Emily Dickinson, Henry David Thoreau, and Walt Whitman. American Romantic literature was characterized by imagination, individuality, supernatural element, nature as a source of wisdom, spirituality viewing man as a hero, emotions, among other attributes. Writers during this period acknowledged that good literature should have a heart but not rules. “The Devil and Tom Walker” and “Thanatopsis” contain some of the elements mentioned above.

Imagination has used in “The Devil and Tom Walker”. The industrial revolution brought much progress, but it negatively affected people, and they wanted to escape. The writers, therefore, used escapism as a tool of bringing forth imagination. Escapism is where the mind allows an individual to move from a harsh environment to a better one. The writers develop imagery for these places for readers to experience like a real situation. “He proposed therefore, that Tom should employ it in the black traffic; that is to say, that he should fit out a slave-ship” (Irving 2). The devil

offers Toms and his wife solutions that entertain their imagination and desires

that are unrealistic. The devil’s offer was irresistible and was a rare opportunity to fulfil their human imaginations.

Individualism, which is an inner feeling, was entirely used during the American romantic literature period. In the Devil and Tom Walker, Tom always sorts to be self-reliant and independent. Individualism which manifested through the desire for money and personal gains led Tom to sell his soul to the devil which caused the death of his wife. Tom’s wife dreamt and imagined of achieving more for herself. “At length, she was determined to drive the bargain on her account, and, if she succeeded, to keep all the gain to herself” (Irving 3). All her avarice was ignited once the hidden gold was brought to her attention, and she encouraged Tom to comply with the terms and get it to enrich themselves.

Emotions run high in The Devil and Tom Walker literature. Tom’s wife wanted to own everything she lacked and would do anything to quench the thirst. Tom was reluctant to agree to the offer by the black man. “This, however, Tom resolutely refused; he was bad enough in all conscience, but the devil himself could not tempt him to turn slave-trader” (Irving 3). Additionally, Tom puts the desires of material gain above everything repeatedly and considers his wife’s death a favor. “Tom consoled himself for losing his property with the loss of his wife, for he was a man of fortitude. He even felt something like gratitude towards the black man and considered him to have done a favor” (Irving 5). This act contravenes readers’ rational expectations about Tom as they anticipate him to be emotionally sad, but he is not.

“Meditation on Death” or “Thanatopsis” by William Cullen is a romantic poem that adapts contemplative tone. The poetry exhibits imagination in various ways which allow a person to use his or her mind to escape from a bad situation to a good one. For instance,

Yet not to thine eternal resting-place

Shalt thou retire alone, nor couldst thou wish

Couch more magnificent. 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 sepulcher (Bryant 1)

Imagination in this excerpt gives readers elaborate imagery of the most exceptional comfort and deaths feeling on the earth to a beautiful place.

According to Thanatopsis, nature speaks to each individual in different ways, as illustrated by this quote. “To him, who in the love of nature holds / Communion with her visible forms, she speaks” (Bryant 1) .Additionally “And, lost each human trace, surrendering up /Thine individual being, shalt thou go” (Bryant 1)  elaborate the element of individualism, but they lose it when one dies and mixes with the ‘elements’.

Human beings react differently to various stimuli, such as being happy or sad. In the Thanatopsis, “She has a voice of gladness, and a smile / And eloquence of beauty and she glides” (Bryant 1) displays human emotion. The earth denoted by ‘she’ is given human emotions and qualities for readers to connect with efficiently and to understand clearly.

In conclusion, the story “The Devil and Tom Walker” and “Thanatopsis” by Washington Irving and William Cullen Bryant portray romanticism characteristics. In both pieces of literature, characters have individual imaginations and fantasies about the world. Readers can connect to the characters’ emotions and inner feelings through individualism, imaginations and imagery and emotion. American romanticism was historic in literature as most modern readers began to see and reflect their desires and own conflicts