Essay Database

Romanticism and Realism in “The Luck of Roaring Camp” In Bret Harte’s story, “The Luck of Roaring Camp,” elements of romanticism and realism are used. When Harte wrote the story romanticism was on its way out, while realism was just starting to come into its own. Romanticism is used in many sections of the story, for instance, the setting of Roaring Camp is romantic. It is a place of adventure and tall tales, where …

…they are found, Kentuck is fatally wounded, and The Luck, the main character of the story, the one piece of good in the whole camp, is dead. As you can see, “The Luck of Roaring Camp,” is a transition piece, it contains many typical elements of the romantic, but also many of the realistic. The success of Hart’s work undoubtedly helped realism come to the forefront of the literature of the time. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ **Bibliography**