Abstract
This thesis explores the distinctive features of post-independence American print culture and their influence on the emergence of American Romanticism. Advancements in printing technology, the establishment of paper mills, and the proliferation of newspapers, magazines, and pamphlets created a dispersed and unrestricted print environment. This accessibility allowed for a dynamic exchange of ideas, disseminated revolutionary concepts, and cultivated a unique American ethos characterized by individualism and intellectual freedom. Key works such as Washington Irving's The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent. and Charles Brockden Brown's Wieland and Edgar Huntly illustrate how early American Romanticism evolved to reflect the unique American experience. Themes of imagination, emotion, nature, and historical reflection are highlighted, showing how American writers adapted Romantic ideals to their distinct cultural and social context. The thesis argues that American Romanticism was shaped less by imported ideas and more by internal cultural developments, facilitated by distinct characteristics of American print culture.
Advisor
Justin Biel
Committee Member
Chad McCutchen
Committee Member
Edward Avila
Date of Degree
2025
Language
english
Document Type
Thesis
Degree
Master of Arts (MA)
Program of Study
History
Department
History and Gender Studies
College
Humanities and Social Sciences
Recommended Citation
Young, D. (2025). Pressing matters: American print culture and the development of Proto-Romanticism [Master’s thesis, Minnesota State University, Mankato]. Cornerstone: A Collection of Scholarly and Creative Works for Minnesota State University, Mankato. https://cornerstone.lib.mnsu.edu/etds/1510/
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