Representing a powerful backlash against Puritanism, an English Protestant literary movement based on rigid, logical belief in a God ready and willing to punish his followers, Romanticism challenged virtually all major Puritan beliefs. The newfound faith in the human imagination, the brain's free will to use intellect and imagination, and the incredibly sinfulness and corruption of the human mind were all major ideas held by the Romantics. The Romantic focus on human nature is an excruciatingly complicated system that various authors throughout Romantic literature have drawn attention to, alluding to various sinful characteristics of man that describe the supreme horror behind the beautiful face. Not only is human nature emphasized within the Romantic literary movement, but the role of nature and the tedious details inserted into descriptions of this phenomenon are a crucial aspect of American Romanticism as well. The poem "A Winter Piece", written by William Cullen Bryant, addresses the romantic ideals of an accepting God, complex human nature, and the importance of unique personal experiences by blending these three systems together and using highly detailed description of nature to describe the rather unstable complexity of humankind. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Through Bryant's delicate descriptions of earthly nature, a loving, caring, and comforting God is found connected to all aspects of man. As the narrator dwells in the beauty of a forest, he finds himself relating to someone he has known since his childhood: As I stood in the solitude of nature, I was with someone with whom I quickly became familiar, one who has never been in a relationship. frowning at me, whose voice never reproached me for the hours I stole from cares I did not love, but than which the world thinks higher, to converse with her (Lines 16-22). This being has the ability to also speak with nature as well as the ability to be affectionate and passionate towards the narrator. This individual possesses divine powers that he refuses to abuse and instead uses his powers for tender love and compassion. Through nature, the narrator is allowed to become one with this individual, who we can refer to as God, describing the overall affection that God brings to the narrator's life. This is solely due to the romantic belief that God is not to be feared, that God will be loved and praised, and that God will be loving and passionate in return. God and Nature are connected rather than separate; they talk to each other, they interact with each other, and God has no complete and total power over the blissful perfection of Nature. This vision of God created by the Romantics is in direct opposition to the Puritan belief that God will be feared like no other. Puritans firmly believe in the “Great Chain of Being,” in which God is considered to be above nature, while nature is considered to be simply composed of rocks and earth. This poem completely disproves this strict and rigid idea by simply going into the pristine details of all aspects of a forest continuously throughout the entire poem, describing every single flawless element of nature as much more than just rocks and dirt. Overall, the romantic connection established between Nature and God within the poem alludes to the fact that God is a caring and loving being, contrary to the Puritan belief that God is simply waiting to send his followers straight to hell. Furthermore, Bryant uses impeccable description language of nature to explain natural tendenciescomplex and unreliable aspects of the human soul and mind. For example, about halfway through the poem, the narrator finds himself comparing the different seasons and how each affects the look and beauty of the forest: But winter has still brighter scenes: it boasts splendors beyond what the splendid summer knows; Or Autumn with its many fruits, and the woods All red in many shades (57-60). Continuing with the theme of the poem, these seasons represent the various layers that make up human nature, layers that all contribute to the extreme complexity of humanity as a whole. Bryant writes that each individual season is “full of many nuances” to further explain how confusing and complicated each individual component of human nature is, as each layer retains its own unique aspects. This imaginative idea demonstrates the Romantic belief that human nature cannot be explained in a rigid and rigorous way, but will instead flow freely through the individual's mind and function as they choose. This allows human nature to be stripped of all logic and coherence, as it is incapable of being understood or anticipated. Puritans despise any idea that hints at a lack of control over any aspect of the world, believing that everything must make complete sense, that everything can be understood, and that control is necessary to explain and understand all components of life. However, romantics instead harbor a lack of control and understanding, finding beauty in what cannot be understood. In addition to the complexity of humankind, Bryant also uses a close-up depiction of the earth's natural processes to reveal the many terribly evil and uncontrollable layers of human nature that ultimately crush defenseless individuals or ideas. The poem spends most of its time seeking the beauty of nature, which, in turn, hints at the beauty of human nature. However, the end of the poem takes a graphic turn, as the “little flower of the wind, which has just opened its eyes” (114) is destroyed by the “swift clouds” (120-121) that “shade the sky” (121) and send "Their stores in volleys, round as hail / And white as snow, and again the strong North / Will strike the vexed forest in its anger" (122-124). This horrible turn of events represents the evil and sinful element of human nature: a ruthless and destructive element, without a predetermined reason. This abrupt change from beauty to pure evil further demonstrates both the illogical and illogical concepts upon which Romanticism is built, and the inexplicably sinful characteristics of humanity. Puritanism fears these concepts and characteristics, as the concepts represented something Puritans cannot control. Therefore, through this idea, individuality becomes the main difference at hand. The Romantic view of individuality accepts the corruption and complexity of human beings, while the Puritans think the opposite, as everyone and everything is thought to be controlled by God. Overall, Bryant's use of nature to describing the complexity and evil of the human mind leads to huge differences between Puritan and Romantic beliefs. Finally, the personal experiences of both the author and the reader combine to give the poem a rather unique style and feel. Throughout his life, William Cullen Bryant loved the solitude and silence of the woods, as it helped him collect his thoughts and calm himself in difficult times. These qualities that define Bryant as an individual are explained throughout the poem, as when the narrator explains his love of the woods: The rolling hills, The quiet hollows that retreat far from each other, With a gentle invitation to,.