Romanticism significantly influenced American literature in the 19th century and led to what has sometimes been called the American Renaissance. The Romantic movement and the period roughly contemporaneous with the Civil War gave birth to some of the most creative and enduring poems, novels, short fiction, and essays. These works are among the most imaginative and challenging pieces of American literature. In addition to their value as literary works, they chronicle the enormous social, political, and historical changes taking place in America. Written expressly for school students, this book conveniently introduces the major works of American Romanticism. The volume begins with an introductory essay on the Romantic movement. This is followed by chapters on individual works or collections by major authors. Included are chapters on: Cooper's "The Last of the Mohicans"; Emerson's essays; Poe's "The Raven" and short fiction; Longfellow's "Evangeline"; Hawthorne's "The Scarlet Letter"; Melville's "Moby-Dick"; Stowe's "Uncle Tom's Cabin"; Thoreau's "Walden"; Whitman's "Song of Myself"; and Dickinson's poems. Each chapter provides biographical information, a review of the author's critical reception, and a discussion of plot, themes, characters, language, and other topics. The volume closes with a bibliography.