The Essence of Thanatopsis

The Essence of Thanatopsis The poem Thanatopsis is a wonderful poem that exhibits all the characteristics of both Romanticism, and Romance. For those who do not understand what romanticism is, it was an intellectual movement in the 1800’s that made literature more exquisite. Thanatopsis a poem that truly exhibits both of these qualities Thanatopsis clearly displays qualities of romance to show how he wants the reader to actually feel how he felt when he was writing this poem. In Thanatopsis, it reads: To him in the love of Nature holds Communion with her visible form, she speaks (Lines 1-2). This overwhelmingly shows his romance with Nature, by having William Cullen Bryant describe how he feels with the different forms of nature. Nature to him, is a girl that he has feelings for, and cares about. Another aspect of Thanatopsis showing the parts of Romance can be found in lines 17-20 which reads, “ Yet a few days, and thee The all- beholding sun shall see no more In all his course; nor yet in the cold ground, Where thy pale form was laid with many tears. William Cullen Bryant is truly describing the death of nature, and how sees it as. William Cullen Bryant is stating that the pale form of nature’s death can be found with many tears. Although this is what you would think would happen to a poem named after the Greek god of death. Nonetheless, those few lines were a real eye opener. However, the more times I read this poem, I realize that William Cullen Bryant was serious about nature. “ So live, that when thy summons comes to join the innumerable caravan, which moves To that mysterious realm, where each shall take his chamber in the silent halls of death, (lines 73-760. These lines basically summarize the death of nature, and how he compares her death to silent halls. Truly a remarkable work by Bryant! Thanatopsis is still unknowingly, without a doubt, one amazing poem that features many amazing features of romanticism writing and romance that will