Matthiessen's American Renaissance: Art and Expression in the Age of Emerson and Whitman, written in 1941. Matthiessen was influential in determining the canon of American writers from this period: Poe, Emerson, Thoreau, Hawthorne, Melville, and Whitman. ... In fact, there were a number of stories circulating which focused upon sexually transgressive clergymen, and this may have been an influence on Hawthorne's portrayal of Arthur Dimmesdale. ... The political influences on American romanticism include 18th century notions about human perfectability, the ideals of American democrac...

• Word Count: 917
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: Undergraduate