What romantic element is present in this excerpt from “Rip Van Winkle”? In a long ramble of the kind, on a fine autumnal day, Rip had unconsciously scrambled to one of the highest parts of the Kaatskill mountains. Panting and fatigued, he threw himself, late in the afternoon, on a green knoll, covered with mountain herbage, that crowned the brow of a precipice. From an opening between the trees, he could overlook all the lower country for many a mile of rich woodland. He saw at a distance the lordly Hudson, far, far below him, moving on its silent but majestic course, with the reflection of a purple cloud, or the sail of a lagging bark, here and there sleeping on its glassy bosom and at last losing itself in the blue highlands.

A. The emphasis on individual choice
B. The emphasis on human optimism
C. The emphasis on the beauty of Nature
D. The emphasis on the importance of society
E. The emphasis on scientific discovery

Romanticism is a genre of literary writing that emphasized the individual, nature, and emotions. The romantic element that is present in this excerpt is;

As explained above, romanticism stressed love for nature. This is reflected in Rip Van Winkle's admiration for nature.

He admired the Hudson River from the Catskills Mountain. The adjectives that were used to describe this river (lordly, majestic, etc) demonstrate love for nature.

Therefore, option C is correct.

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The romantic element present in this excerpt from "Rip Van Winkle" is B. The emphasis on the beauty of Nature.

Explanation:

From the excerpt, Rip is described to have climbed one of the highest parts of the Kaatskill mountains , thrown himself on the floor and sit down to observe the beauty of nature.

Right from the mountain, the green knoll is described, the rich woodland of the lower country, the purple cloud, and the blue highlands are all wonders of nature that Rip was admiring in the excerpt before he fell asleep there.