In my personal reference, Romanticism is a kind of 18th century literature that emphasizes nature and imaginative ideals. The Romantic movement was a reaction to the Age of Enlightenment and the Industrial Revolution. This movement represented many changes in society during the 18th century and went against the ideals of urban environments that were arising during this time by focusing on nature. The romantic characteristics seen in the book The Scarlet Letter are the ideals of individualism and truth, and not falling into the ways and judgments of society. This book was written by Nathaniel Hawthorne in 1850. This book was about Hester Prynne, a woman living in Boston, who commits a sin in her Puritan community. Hester is an adulterer who sleeps with the town's Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale. Hester admits to this adultery and gives birth to her child Pearl, but Dimmesdale hides in the shadows to live a life full of guilt and suffering. He does not know that this suffering will be made worse by Roger Chillingworth, Hester's husband, who befriends him. Of all the characters in this book, Hester Prynne best reflects the ideals of Romanticism. Hester's defining characteristics are her true beauty and radiance. “The young woman was tall, with a figure of perfect elegance on a large scale.” (46) This shows the reader that Hester is not only perfectly beautiful, but she behaves very ladylike and in an elegant manner. It is surprising that Hester behaves so gracefully as she leaves the prison for her sin, when people expect her to be ashamed. "Those / who had known her before... were astonished, and even surprised, to perceive / ...... middle of paper ...... This whole book reflects the ideals of romanticism in the fact that the The main point of the book is the truth, and whether or not the characters are cast in the light of truth or in the shadow of lies. Romanticism is an American ideal strictly because it constitutes the set of views and beliefs that Americans hold and live by every day. Romanticism's ideals of individualism define who Americans are. The idea that Americans are free, independent, and had to fight to get to where we are today underlines this idea of ​​individualism and romanticism as a whole. Therefore, Americans should care about this book, as well as Romanticism, because the book itself represents Romanticism, which represents who the American people are. Works Cited Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The scarlet letter. Clayton, DE: Prestwick House Literary Touchstone Classics, 2005. Print.