During the 19th century, American artists and authors defined the American man as unrefined, rather than the urbane sophistication that existed in their European counterparts by emphasizing the role of unadulterated nature that was not present in Europe; however, at the same time, the Industrial Revolution resulted in a society that became more interested in urbanization, like Europe, who they were initially trying to avoid becoming. The importance of nature is first introduced in America with the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. Overnight, Americans are exposed to a vast amount of nature that was not present to them before. The acquisition of this new territory created a national fervor that was obsessed with conquering the frontier. Coupled
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Irving called Rip “ one of those happy mortals…[and] if left to himself, he [sic] would have whistled life away in perfect contentment” (Irving 311). Instead of being like the European, who works his life away in search of monetary comfort, Rip posed as the ideal American, who enjoyed the simple pleasures in life, and was willing to do without the riches that European men cannot live without. This created a new lifestyle that is mostly focused around being in nature, rather than bustling cities. Consequently, Thomas Cole, a 19th century Hudson River School painter, tried to illustrate preference of nature over civilization in his painting, The Falls of the Kaaterskills in 1826. The main element of the painting is the pure and unspoiled nature and there is a man in the center of the painting, but he is small in comparison to everything else. Romantic dogma illustrated urban life as corrupting, and being in nature is the way a man could truly come into his masculinity. Specifically, this trait was highlighted in James Fenimore Cooper’s 1841 book, The Deerslayer. Natty Bumppo, the protagonist, lives his life on the frontier, becoming acquainted with skills that he would not possess if he lived in the …show more content…
In this instance, Natty is portrayed as “wood-smart” because of the skills he has acquired in nature, such as the one mentioned above, and that urban men would have not learned these skills because of their place in the cities. Here, Cooper described the ideal American man as strong and powerful, whereas the European man is weak. This ideology stems from the tensions that were created after the Revolutionary War. Because America had to fight for their freedom, the American public regarded Britain and the rest of Europe as disingenuous, therefore, if an American man had traits similar to a European, such as being book-smart or sophisticated, they were considered weak. In contrast, the Industrial Revolution drove many American men out of nature and into urban cities, which were originally considered corrupting. Ralph Waldo Emerson, a 19th century American Romantic author, expressed his skepticism of the developing world in his essay Self-Reliance, published in 1841. In his essay, Emerson stated, “society acquires new arts, and loses old instincts” (Emerson
Irving called Rip “ one of those happy mortals…[and] if left to himself, he [sic] would have whistled life away in perfect contentment” (Irving 311). Instead of being like the European, who works his life away in search of monetary comfort, Rip posed as the ideal American, who enjoyed the simple pleasures in life, and was willing to do without the riches that European men cannot live without. This created a new lifestyle that is mostly focused around being in nature, rather than bustling cities. Consequently, Thomas Cole, a 19th century Hudson River School painter, tried to illustrate preference of nature over civilization in his painting, The Falls of the Kaaterskills in 1826. The main element of the painting is the pure and unspoiled nature and there is a man in the center of the painting, but he is small in comparison to everything else. Romantic dogma illustrated urban life as corrupting, and being in nature is the way a man could truly come into his masculinity. Specifically, this trait was highlighted in James Fenimore Cooper’s 1841 book, The Deerslayer. Natty Bumppo, the protagonist, lives his life on the frontier, becoming acquainted with skills that he would not possess if he lived in the …show more content…
In this instance, Natty is portrayed as “wood-smart” because of the skills he has acquired in nature, such as the one mentioned above, and that urban men would have not learned these skills because of their place in the cities. Here, Cooper described the ideal American man as strong and powerful, whereas the European man is weak. This ideology stems from the tensions that were created after the Revolutionary War. Because America had to fight for their freedom, the American public regarded Britain and the rest of Europe as disingenuous, therefore, if an American man had traits similar to a European, such as being book-smart or sophisticated, they were considered weak. In contrast, the Industrial Revolution drove many American men out of nature and into urban cities, which were originally considered corrupting. Ralph Waldo Emerson, a 19th century American Romantic author, expressed his skepticism of the developing world in his essay Self-Reliance, published in 1841. In his essay, Emerson stated, “society acquires new arts, and loses old instincts” (Emerson