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Mariah King
Mr. Mauchley
English III
24 November 2014
Romanticism
Throughout history, many time periods have been given a label in accordance to what was valuable. For example, in the 1920s, loosening the tight social structure through means of rebellion were important to American citizens, and was inevitably given the label “The Roaring
Twenties”. During that time, American citizens values ideals such as rebellion and revolution.
However, ideals in that time period were not solely valued strictly in that time period, but in current times as well. This can be seen in many different aspects in like, such as
Romanticism—which remains as one of the most influential time periods yet. Romanticism took place between 1785 and 1850. This literary period is characterized by ideals which encompass principles such as loving nature, prioritizing emotion over rationalization, sentimental value, and other concepts of the like. A notable example of the Romantic time period is Edgar Allen Poe’s,
The Masque of the Red Death. Written in 1842—during the Romanticism period—it embodies all of the fundamental elements for that time era; It includes an exotic setting and features an emotional theme of life and death. However, not all of the Romantic arts are limited prior to
1850. Many prime examples of Romanticism can be seen in current times. One of the many great examples of Romantically­influenced works is Suzanne Collins’ series The Hunger Games.
Created in 2012, The Hunger Games is comprised of and influenced by many elements known

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to Romanticism. Because these two works share the same literary qualities, they can be viewed as prime examples of Romanticism.
The Masque of the Red Death is an example of Romanticism. It focuses on individualism and introspective characters in a haunted and mysterious setting. In the exposition, the Red
Death is introduced to the reader first and foremost, and the description of the disease is highlighted with death. Poe writes, “No pestilence had ever been so fatal, or so hideous. Blood was its Avatar and its seal—the redness and the horror of blood.” Immediately, Poe creates a dark Romantic feel by emphasizing aspects of death and decay, a characteristic of the Romantic period. Describing how detrimental the Red Death is—especially in such vivid and horrid detail—is a key aspect in Romantic writing. Because of this reason, The Masque of the Read
Death can be viewed as a Romantically­influenced work.
The Hunger Games is another example of Romanticism, only it’s more current with today’s time. The protagonist, Katniss Everdeen can easily be seen as a character heavily influenced by Romanticism due to