pag of the ot iti Cle Bet nh Cast Mains Chapler Three The Rise of a National Literature In the carly years ofthe nw eepublc, thee was dinagreement about Iw American Hterature should grow. There were thee diferent prin al view. One group wae worried thst American Iieratate st Ecko national fling, ‘They wanted books which expressed the spevial character of the mation, not books which were bassd on uropen enlture, Anoter group fel that American iterate wae tou young to declare ie independence from the Brith Iiterary tradition. ‘They believed the Unied States ould sc isl 8 2 new branch of English eltue. The hil group als fl that he ell fora rational erature was a make, To them, good Hlerature was Univeal alwaysrsing above he tinea place mereit war write, The argument continued fr alata hundred years without any dear decison, Aa America iterator grew and were the greatest nites found a way to combine the bes qualities of the Terture of the Ole and New Works, They aio gave thei works the universality of great Ieratuee Novels were the first popular literature of de newly independent United States This wa sstnishing® because almost no American syelswere writen beloe the Revoliton, Likedeama, the novel bad Thc cored a "dangerous form of Kteratare by the American Partans Novelspt “immoral” ideainto the heads young peopl In England, bowtver, the Pitan writer John Bunya had published reat novel-ice work, The Prin’: Popes (parte, 1678). The teenth century became period of greatnessfor the English novel tvth writes lke Duel Defoe (Rabi Cru), Samuel Rickardvon(lars) and Henry Fielding (Tom Jon Ththecaly days ofindepenence, American novels served a weil purpose. Unlike por, the language of tse novela spate dred to ‘rdinary American They used vealnc deals go deseribe the reality ‘ot American li. They heljd Americans se theneeves a4 single tation At the sme ime, the eatest American nonelintehad to be ‘ery eae. Many Anmericans sil ipproved ofthe novel Tn fay, the fst American novel, wtliaa MILL axons’ Poe af Smad (158), was suppressed as “morally dangerous” som after i was Published, As a ret, novelists tie ard to make thet books ftceptable, They Elle therm with morale advice and religions sentiments sosanna xowson (1 7fe tha alle her Charo Temple (i791) a “tle of wth” and made readers cry over the sa fate of | young gil “Ted inc si ‘Madre Chialy (1790-1815) by com MENHY mRACKENRIDOE 748-1816) was the Best importa nove, Like sauna Rowson, Brackenridge wanted achieve "reform n moral nd mates {he people™ The hook i a series of adventuse in which the author Taughs at America’s “backwoode™ cult, His target include religious and national groups (ae Quakers, the Ii, the Indian), aston avery, sword or gunfight), and occupations aw, religion, medicine). The weaknees of American detnucracy are alo de scsi Asin Dot Qua, by the Spanish writer Cervantes, the ero travels around the enunty with islow-las servant, He experiences problemseverystepafthe way. Although thas been called ene a the ‘reat frgoten books of American literature, the avekwatd structure snd logue” of Modem Chay make i rader bard to reat today Another novelist who described the nation’s western frontier ovuntry was ous IMLAY 17541820). His Emgrnt (1798) farly example of Jong line of American novels which showed American cUltare wo be more natural an simple dan theo ultre ‘Europe. An English family moves to America t vein frontier seulement Weseehow some members oft family are able to change Che Bratt ‘heir way offen find happiness. Others hold om ko the “fae ol ‘ales of English society and ate vuined ar more interesing and important is the work of enakies snoceoes sac (1771-180) His interest in the pychology of Toeror® greatly inluenced sch writers as Hawthorne and Poe may sear later. Like thee eo writer, Brown had the ability to deeb Enmplcated (and often crac} ids, Wild (1958), Browns best iowa work, was a psychological "Gothic noveP” in the European style The hero lives in a wor of horror: murders are commited, people speak with he voices often or suddenly explode nto Mates, Acinallofhis works, Brown storied with emotional power "Me rineteentorcntury eit, “tling you of with hs Bie ated.” Seduction’ isthe central theme of kis Ormond (1709) in which the ‘silwelcerisfinallilled bythe heroine. The theme Ard Mera 799) nthe inerdcion ofa youn man w the world sev. The hem le, lung aeiminal genius, but tey al etay"OUTLINE OF AMERICAN LITERATURE 9 him, Towards the ead, the novel becomes moriie when the her decides to spend he resto hie ding god. Egor Huy 179) like many of Brown other works, has elements ofthe horror story the murder of lange umber of people by the Indian sleepwalking: and the insanity ofthe hero and nattator, Hy Inthe mascexctingseene, Hundy wakes wpin the otal ackneso | fave eas bensleepwaling) wherehe ust fight a mountain lon Line by litle Brown's heroes discover that they can neither tnderstand nor direct ther own lve Life is “eisestons"™ and Hhuminting” Tis kee shat way by the moral blindness of humanity. With this philosophy, i noe surpesing that Brown spent his las years writing pla pamphlet against te optimistic plilesopy oF Thomas Jefferson. OVAL TVL4R, whom we have already mentioned a the author of the play The Ganras alo wrote one of tebe realistic nove this petod. The heros Algerie Cape (1749) works om ashipcary ing lack slaves to America. Then hn ship sinks adhe ie sade slaveby pirates The themecf the novel nan attack on the American sovernment fori support of slavery. Tntheeany parcot the nineteenth century, New York City wasthe centerofAmerlean writing, Fries were called “Knickerbocker, and the period fom tea eo tgo is known the “Knickerbocker fra” of American literature The name comes fom 4 His 9f Nae rk by DiedickKikerboce (oq), by wasanxrOn RVING (138 185). Ivins book rated alot ofincrestin the local history of New York, butt wasa humorous ratherthan aserious history ofthe city. To the pele, he writes that his purpone “to clothe toni scenes and places and familiar asne with imaginative and whimsical” ascete ations” Irving actually vented many ofthe event and legends! hhe writes about inthe book. The sda wa o give the eon af New York Cityaspecil “ocala” But more importantly, the bookies tet pin yd Suh fa ew, acces Washington ting masterpiece of comedy which laughs at the Puritans and at New York's eaty Dutch governue. One auch governor i described asa san who had almost nothing tosay, and who worried more about his ‘own idigecon than the problems of his ety Testu he was a man shut up within hime ike an oyster, ind rately spoke. but heaitwar claimed that he seldom aid fobs thing. ‘Washington Irving's next important work, The Skch Bu (B10) ‘contains tw ofthe Bewtsoved tris fom American iterate: Rip Van Winkle nd The Land 9f Sey Holl. Te plots ofboth tries are based od Geran fl tle, But Irving fils them with the “eal color” of New Vork’s Hudion River Valles. Even toda, dhe real ples he mentions ate asociated with his stores, The Catal “Mountain ou the western side ofthe Histon Vale, arestl bought ‘of ar the place where Rip Van Winkle fll asleep fr twenty year. Serpy Hollow, jut northofthe ty, ist famous asthe place where, late one night, Ichabwat Grane war chased by he “Headle4 itt fom Eig Rip Van Winkle Horseman. [this lststory, asin many fhisers, Irving contrasts the personality ofthe New England "Vankecs” with that othe New Yorkers, Ichabod Crane, a New Englander made comie figure He i grey and superaious, The “Healew Hreman™ who Irightens him out ofthe valley x not real. He was isnt by local New Yorkers, n oder to fighten outsiders Thal, Te Sch Bok contin thirty-two stories, The majority are ‘on European subjects, mwtly English, Like many inportat ser tan writers afer hi, vig fou thatthe eh ler clr of the (O¥d Wort gave him alto material fr his tsi, Few of histories ate relly orginal. "We are-4 young people,” he explains in the preice!, “and must ake our examples and model fom the exiting ‘ations Europe.” Notsurpisinly. many of ving later works did jus tha, Beige Hall) is caletion of es abate ol Fashioned English countryside Thestoriesin Talrofa Tree (1824) sre etn Europe, T1826, Irving went ta Spin and lived there fo sine time, The Allama 1832) one of his bet works reels the Tegends ofa great Spanish palace, where he ved for many months Teal hisistren, The Life and Vayage of Cistphr Caos 108) sid The Congest of Grade (ag) were writen daring ths period. Trving wa theft American to eam bie iving through iterature, He jwasalmost as popularin Europeashe wasathome. But there were tnany who erie his work. He himself considered “feng” ad langage a more impartant clemeats in his art than stor or ‘haracter He egarded the story simply "asa (pice frame on which Teich my mates". Aer his death, his reputation Bogan to Aiecine. But ever tay, we conte to be charmed by Teving’s ‘worse and the pleasant sonality behind them. (OF the other Knickerbocker ries, ly aus ABMKE PAULING 1778) worth mentioning here, Hisbest nove, The Dasa’ Fire (183, eam amusing sate setin Colonial America. While be handles hie American characters well he expeeses pleasant socal opinions (hei antcIndian and prolavey ‘Neither Wathington Irving nor any of the other Kniekerboekes sealy ie wo speak fr the whole county. For them, the America ‘wort tend! to stop at the borders of New York State. aus Frsivons cooren (1789-1851), on the her hand, wanted to peak forall America, Along is books are not een ae grea erste, fey contain rch thought erticsen of American society In over thirty novel and several works of nonfiction, he pointed out the est prof American society and the American peramalty and severely Uricized the worse parts, In Earope, be became known ar he Amenean Walter ott. Like Set heweoteadventuestoviestiled ‘with historical etal.) But eis did not please Cooper becaune he Considered his works to be completely originalOUTLINE OF AMERICAN LITERATURE 3 tough many of Coopes’s bestow works are also set in New York State, thet characters ave “Americans”, not simply "New Yorker. He describes sick American character eypes as the pioneer the Indian and the Yankee slot. But the problems they Fearenotsiniply American problems. They are problems faced by proplecverywbere, They (18a his et sere nose, shout bam who moves back and forth between Arserican and Bids ‘ampe during the Revolution, sling things to both sides, He iva tragic character, since alment everyone knows he is ally spy. But ‘thich sd she spying for The Ameria are sre he working for {he British a he ale hi several times fut ek George Washington's mest oval agent Bt this secrete hep almost he ‘end. Up to his death, he sill isuerstoa ae istrusted by his fallow countrymen The Piers (1823) was the fit novel of Cooper's frnous "Leathersiocking” series, sc in the exciting pevied of America’ movement westward. Natty Bumppo. wt i ften called Leaherstockng) appears in all he novel inthe seis ad neo the bestknown characters in Amesican Beratre, He is typical American pioneer figure Me is master ofall hells needed olive And huntin theforet. Hehasanunsally deepovefornatare and is Suid of destroying it. His sympathy for all peopl, including the Indians alo wna. Race cofice expecially between whites and Indians- was common in America wi the end ofthe nineteenth Ecotury. Cooper makes thisconit x constant theme throughont the series He filly his novele with battle scenes beween whites ad Indians. But both the author and his character, Natty, clearly Alsapprove uf those who are simply Indian haters, Suc people are lvays sea asthe wort sort of American, because they hil both Snimals and humane “for the spre oi (Cooper's ins even thebad” on, aealmost alvaysbrave In general heaven Teligne int two tyes. He "gow ons Tike Uneas and Chingachgook (Natys best fiend) are loyal and alectonate. Some eis complain that they are too goal al that CCoopersave them, wrongly, as “noble savages" The “bad” ones are fled with ei aed ean be trated Sel there i aways a sadness in Cooper's depiction ofthe Indians. They area dying rae, sce feed co the advance of whiteculture, Atthe ame time, Cooper seme te be warning all of humanity tht his cul he the feof oer In The Powers, we see Naty sold age He and Chingachyook, non’ drunkard, have lst the grace ad sky ofthe yout, But Chingactgook gets hack some af his nobity by seturiag tothe religion of his people bere dying. The novel as beautiful scenes Aeseribing the seasons and bie in a frontier village. The author combines history adventore and local esta into what he call "3 Aesritive tale" The La ofthe Mein (1826), oe of America’s ont famous novel, shows Natty at a much younger age Ii a ‘acting sory, ll afaction, Character fight and are taken prboner, thenescape o are eseued, Uneas, the Mohican sthelast ois ibe He replaces Natty a the hero in the lst Ralf of the novel. Unicast lille bythe ei Indian, Mage, lt The Pra (ha), Natty inno {nis ihe. Hee tooo for ero, But Cooper makes him seen like Moses the Bible as he quis group of eter other ew homeland, His beloved forests have all een eared and ae now nla. To escape “cization”, he mast now ive on te eles plain, In The Pathinder (1840), we again see Naty a6 young man, He almost marisa ie ealled Mabel Danan, but decides to tar to his ife in the wilderness. Cooper also changes his hero's manner speaking, making him » kind of backwonds philoopher. The idea thay havebeen to make hima more artuetive igure fr Mabel But it ‘wasnt very succesful ad thedalogue ofthis ove soften severely ‘icied, The Darl (ngs) shows Natty in his early wets, ‘tthough we see his Kl bi iat Tadian, his exental goodness ontrased wth the Fadia hates Hurry Harry and Thomas Hutter [A the eral ofthe novel vast the rene fs main event ileen ‘Sears they happened: Heads only tiny pee of ded ebbow Wehich had belonged wa gi who once Fved hi. The reader shaves aty’sfecing of radnes about the past pi pl et ipn Th Patio of hems in Jes Pine The viewry of ine and “civliation” over the wildness Seautlly described by Cooper, Hisweaknenesasa writer, homer, ave alot as well noe a his strengths, He fs mnt succes a ‘eenes of violent action or of nighttime terror and mystery. Bat his ‘haracter descriptions ate often unsatiscior. His deserptions of women characters whom le always calls ema”) ane expecially trek, Only few fee are interesting as individuals, We rarely etadeepkaokat hireharacters Inc, almost allo them have he Ste interns and need: housecleaning and love, Ocessinally there area problens with Coopers deserptons of acon scence, Mark Twain, in his famous eay Paxman Cop's Lilerary Often ferely attacks him for bad mistake he mas in a scene in The Dranaer group of Tins try to jump down onto a riverboat ma tre, Arcorng to Cooper’ description, homer, the boa longer under the ee. iil, none af Cape's lenses” sesiously ‘poi the reader's enjoyment of hi sores, ‘Cooper wns aio one of he fst writers of ea stores in America, Thwe novels have clement of bos romantic’ and reali The suthorisa romantic when hedesribesthesudden change weather the beauty ofthe oan, std the mysterious shied seamen. The realism comes from Cooper's pera anledge o the sag he ha thew sailor in his youth, The Pit (1824) ist in Revolutionary ties. Ti kindof Leathertocking tal et om these, with eee ttl narrow ecapessed awe ald sailor sina to Natty Buroppo imhiseld age. The Red Rew (1837) a tale of pirate adventutes, ako et in Revelutonary times. ‘From B26, Cooper spent yeven year in Europe. But he was angered by the wa Englishmnenspoke unfavorably about his county uv in defense he wrote Noto of the Amerie (188). Back in America, Cooper became a political conservative. His fuily had tpen pat of the farming arnocracy and he wrote the “Litlepage Tally” to support this group, In these three novel, The Cainer gs Sta (145) al The Red (18465) be depicts he ree tthe “common man” in a democracy. He regets the passing of| Americas landowning aristocracy and the rie of «new clas, the neyrabere The era of Irving and Cooper had hie important voice, that of he pote WILLIAM CULLEN Ra (1794-1878). Although his grandOUTLINE OF AMERICAN LITERATURE 5 | parents al been Puritans, Bryan's ow philosophy was democratic {nd liberal. Asa poet, he died th old neocasca sye- He agreed With the Romante poets of Europe such a+ Enlanc’s Wordsworth) thatthe new poetry shout nt simply copy ee forms and idea ofthe ansient clases Rather, it should break aay fom the old pater. ‘The new hind of poetry should help the reader to understand the wor! though histemotions. For Bryant, ke oder Romantics, “the fica spring of portry i emotion”, and its aim i tind new, “higher” kind of knowledge Hist reat poo, Tanaispis (187), shows the deep Romantic spirit o Bryant in is youth, In this aos blank vere asterpice, ature and death are devi sith a gentle sadness, The ttle i Gree oe “vew ofeath Bryans ew that death ithe abaoluce nd ofthe iva ‘And, lost cack human race, surrendering up ‘Thine individual beng, tha shale go ‘To mix forever withthe clement “To bea brother tothe insenible rock pg ea se ing ih th lime ang A fist, dis might seem a cold and tsiing ought. But 3x he explains in later poem, the life of man spat the wonder Me of ‘nnture asa whole. The individual oa snot alone but, an he sayin Fovet Hy 1825), par "the sof hs wide universe” lt all otis poetry exprenes his excitement atthe idea of being part uf something so vast Te Pairs (1832) a emotional desertion of the huge fatland of the American Mid Wes: Lat they setch, In sry undulations Car any, AS the ocean, in his gente sell Stood stil, with all hie rounded Pillows Be, And motions forever. Tn such poems as The Fla of Yes ane The Laie of Tine Bryant responds the hagenes of ine with similar emotions, Sena Bryant was alo a writer with a deep social comeience, As a sesspper eit, he Fught hard fr the right of he laborer and of ‘lacks, In sh poems as Te Fin Gi Lame ad The Arian Ch, pines the qualities that unite al people. But its is nature poetry sole ne eead with the greatest please today. Furthermore, this poetry prepared the way forthe Transeendemals™ writes who ‘vould son bring Armenian Kteraeure the atenton ofthe world "Athoughliterature developed far ore sloaly nthe South than in ‘he North ete were a fe important writers In Seale Bare (12), yous recy kasAeoy (17951870) remembers he ud Souther soclty af his youth mother novels, Kennedy wi greatly influenced by dheworkso irWalter Seo wnat ator snes (186-1890, the best ofthe “romancers ofthe old Sut was also an adie of Scott But in is ies novel, The Toma (1835) be erated a highly 1 work of iterate. His subject sa tribe of Indians which Slowly being destroyed by the advance of white society: Unlike Cooper, who was snore interest in inividual, Simms dseibes India society as whole, Ther castors and prychology are saced incall The hook stint iterate sod history: Sins bleed that itis the ans only whe i the true historian”iste fr The Ra, gr Alo P's mo os oon Chapter Four An American Renaissance In the tigor and jo, he font of American society was quichy moving toward ee west. Following inthe path of Brackenridge and Cooper writes were beginning wlaokat he western rons fo ens foe literature about American fe. But inthe eis along the ean ‘ast the older ideal ofthe nation aya Ani community wast ry much ave. The ling there was that the cultures Maeschy {est and Virgins Ought eo be the models of ational else At this time, Bento sed it neighboring towns and villages wete filed with intellectual excitement and activity, Harvard, in nearby Cambridge, was no longer the only place deeply intersted in duration, ‘The powerful fd ow rather conservative) Noh neice esc, unde by Harvard profesor Edward Channing in 18, was also busy spreading Has. And since 1826, eraveing Teecrers had been bringing Knowledge abut culture and sence to both the city andthe New England countryside. There was a Usefl Kovomlege Saciety, a Natural Mistry Society andthe Mereandile [Library Association, Thanks to then, many New Englanders became reglaelecture-goer Aang the younger people, there was much talk abou the “new spiritual era-The youngimtelcetualot Boston west diated with ‘held patriotism. America's power and wealth did notinteest them They wanted to explore the incr il They stuied the Grech German and Indian pileephere Many kept dares about hie ives and feng. Other became vegetariars or nui Tn the center of this activity were the Transcendentaias, TheyOUTLINY OF AMERICAN LITERATURE 4 formed! x movement of fings and bei rather th pilsopiny, They reed both the conservative Praia thee Tneetre td the newer, Koel faith of Untarianisn, They sae both religions a "neat, cold, Hem”. Althuugh they respected ‘Cvs for the wisdom a his teachings they thought of he works Shakespeare andthe grea philosophers at equalyimportan The Transcendental ed to nd dhe uth hengh lng ad inition? rather than tough lg. Orestes Brownson, an early 5 hecapacicy of knw rth nuts --an oder of knowledge transeening he senses" Henry David Thoreau put moe simply "Windom dees not iapect it whol The Transcendental Sea, cath ir, sound, sitence Pant, quadeuped, bird By one misc enchants ‘One deny sive Inmany ways, nature ital ws their “ile” Bie cols, ees and sw had special meaning for them. Natural images like these ‘created a hind of language. Hhroegh this language they discovered ideas already plate in the hua sl All dings in Nature are beau ypes tthe soul that wil ‘ead them ject hat speaks to the senses was mean ar the soul ni ath Wale Emr Hory Desi Tors Tn 18,6, natn watno socwso (1-18) founded the Tre seendental Club" 16 magazine, Te Da, wax often etc fries ‘aque’ or silly eas, Sil it was the tre ve of ther eons and Telings Fora time the ovement had a experimental community the Brook Farm Insite. But this came to an end when the Transendentalsts divide! int wo groupe: tone intent soa reform, and chore (ike Emerion and Thoreau) who were more intersted inthe individual. Th 13, Emerson published Nola, the clearest statement of Transcendental ideas, ithe stated that man shoul note nate rmetely as something to be weds that man's relationship with ature trade the wea of wsfunes, He saw an iniportant diference letween andsening (ing things only according to the Sense) and "Reso When the eye of Reason opens... tines and sunfies Iecame transparent and are no longer see cases al eit are seen through them, The brat moments o ie ae these“The sow sale of the book showed ose small in numbers the “Transcendental really were, In 1837 Emenon gave a famous specs Harvard Univesity: The American Scolar Me atacked the Influence of eadion and the past, and ealed for a new burst of American creativity. "Ta him, the word scholar dno refer tothe than of "book learsing”, but to the original thinker, Such man novshimeef trough ntution andthe sty of mature, otf tks ‘al, handsome man, Emerson began his earers se Unitarian minister, Even affer he lett the minstry and turned away from Christianity, he remained a kind of “preaches he was an enor= ‘mous popula letarer Fis he wuld "deposit ieasin i jour (hich he alld "my bank account”) and tien he developed his lectures fom the notes in his joural. Next, he rewrote them nto sesay,SoRetian (11) sone of dhe mest mous ofthese lecture) ‘say and is widely edn American high stool tay Thee is fille with memoeable ins, uns go most Americans ‘Tobeievein your own thought, tobetieve that what issue for yon in your private ert is true for all men, ~ tha i ena To be great st be misunderstood A fol comsinteney i the hoby bin of ee minds Equally importa is Emerson's essay The OvrSn! (as). The “OverSoul” h"that unity. within which every man's particular beings contained and mud ane witha things lowing ot of that unity, "Manistee whone sources iden.” From the Over Soa ome aides and intelligence: "We donot determine what we think, We only open our senses and safer the net to se 1a his exay The Pot (tig), Emerson desribes the pct asthe “complete man”. The poet resus tan ud Uanaghts. A good poet Ielprus “mount to paradise By the stasay opie + ne i ii Fee thae the font ofa poet should grow owe ofits thought. "This Iecamte each poem “has an architecture ofits own “Avec as Wal Whitman, Emerson helpedopen American portry to new posites His poetry ie offen errze as beng asked fin! uel. But fr hen pote’ dd no always have to produce ess sounds, Har sounds could be wed to surprie theca. He {hointrduced the nation tently new pox material such asthe Hingis that we arealwaysreborninto this world each die wedi This the theme of his Bat: the eed slayer think he ays (Or i he slain’ think he sain, They knoe not wel these! way W keep ad pas, ad ca agai, ut perhaps hes est own athe author of the Cond hm, which Celebrates the Butte of Concord during the American Revolution, The lat line of the st stanza” i aniar to most Americans iy the rude? bridge that ated dhe Hoos “Th Hag to Aprils ineeze unl, Here once dhe embattled? farmer stood "And fied the sho heard sound the world Another tterary gant who lived in Emerson's hometown of Concord hits miles west of Boson) was mnsky navi tuowEAD [ney Bhs). Ava young man at Harvard, Thoreau hd been deply teflon by zeading Nt and remained a pare Transendentale [Realise He an Emer hel many sii pisos: hey eve Tooke alike and for two years Thoreau lve in Emerson's home Emerson often remarked thatthe Younger mats eas seemed like continuations of is own, Over the years, however the relationship ‘ica ineresinly iia. Tn 1, Thoreau wrote ofa meeting brewer the te i whi: Emerson "ld ine what already knew” ‘Thoreau fle that he had wasted his timehe Emerson, Thoreancreated his lectures and books rom notin scarey kept orn: "My journal sth forme which would else spillover andruntoxeante.” But whathe wrote there and ins books "sas writen in afar morelivelystylethan Emerson's Emerson wre shout nature in the aburact"™. Thoren, however, was a exper enced woodsa and his works ate filled with details about plans, fives and wii In uy, Thoreau was aeested and pt in ji fr one night because Ine had reused to pay is taxes. Ht was a protest gaat the US goverument’ aceptaner of slavery in the South snd is wa with Mexico. He wrote about his experince in jl in hit say Ce Pisobeioe (1846) ‘As Isto considering the walls of said stone nd the iron rating” whieh strained thei, leoul nthe being sre withthe oishnes the insttion which cated nea i were lesh and bones wo be locked up As dey could not Feach me, they had rely to pani my bay. ‘The theme of his work “that we should be mien Hirst and subjects aferward” ~ made ita great inflame om Tolstoy, Gandhi and Martin Luther King. I iprbably the es-known American eay outside he United Seats rom 145 o 1847, Thoreau ved alnein hut he bil or inset ‘nthe north shore Walden Pon few niles rm Concord Wile thre he wrote A Wek on he Curd and Merial ir The bak is loosely nani around the tory ve rip which he had once takew with hs brother. Most of the material 3 actually fon his oumal. One ert has called ts heap of goa ings athe than bok” various icusionsinclade a etalog offhon te Concord River the poeuy of Homer fights with Indian snd the Transeetalen- talist meaning of sounds Late, in 854, Thoteau wrote bis wor-fmous Halden, about his stay inthe pondhide hat. Initsownstrange ay, itisone ofthe rests works af American iertute. On the surface speaks only of thr se ing a ie practical side ofving alouein the woos, ofthe plants, aienals and -nsetsone finds there, and ofthe changing seasons But in fat ei completly Transcendent work. The autho isto “ive through ‘he ssble wo theinisble through the temporal othe etrnal™ He ejects the things ordinary people desire in if, such as money and prsewions Instead, he eanphasives” the search for trie wisdom ‘While civilization has been imposing ou hom thas ot equally improved those who vein them,” Tre enjoyment comes only when ‘one throw off all unnecesary things. Deering hi te home, fe Sys, "My best room always ready fr ompany was the pine woud behind my howe.” Walden i a hopeful book, encouraging Propet eadincere,joyouslives, The autho sees the world smote ‘wonder han i convenient; more beaut tha is weil” Thoreau’ poetry ia ess important than Emerson's, Heseemsto apologize fortis fact when he wets "My he hs ben the poem 1 ‘would have wie / But Feu ot bat ive and ater" it” Many of ‘Thoreau’ powe'” sentences, however, sud Uke poetry. Somne ae ow famous sayings in our literature ‘The mass of men lead lve of quiet desperation? Avi you cou Kil time without injuring eternity Throughout the Hom his interest sence increased But he always fa bate difference between himself and the cientie naturalist 19185, hewrote,"Mancannotaffordtobea naturalist, Took t Natiredivertly- Turns the man ofsciene to stone” Alo ‘round this tie, Thoreau became deeply intersted inthe Abii ist" movement. His home Became a meeting place for antiaavery| vous He was an active member ofa group stich helped slaves ‘ape to freedom:There were other, less important Tramscendentalist poets and writer One of these wat aoe BRONIOS ALOT (179-8) an important pioneerin American education ad the au of Cnc ‘ins wth Chileno he Gel (1896) His method atta the lilignce of chitren in cleat them, His greatest succes was with his own daughter, Loti May atcorr (182-1880), Late Louisa wrote Lite Wen (1968-16), an extremely fas and ‘harming novel about a lily js like her on aca rena 1810-1850) ,edtorol the Transcendental magne Te Dial fom "yo" 182, was abo an important female voice in nineeenth-entury American literature Her Women te inte entay 49) powerful al fr equal igh for women, witstaa ERY CANNING 1818 1got) i best membered a the else fend of Thoreau, His Thorny, The Pot-Natralt (1873) x 3 masterpiece of American iggy. Gtooe, mrtay (Boe 18) xd THRODORE. PARAL 1810-18) were Teamcenlentait writers who tied to lead the movement toward sca efor, The Tramcenentalins had ther enemies, too. Olver W. Holmes whom we wll ook at in the next chapter) made a cucl attack on ‘hem in his Afric Pam (1843) eluded infants! Will they never know Some doubts must darken o'r he world below? NaTHAELawrnionse 804-1854) ao attacked the Trancenden- tats for ignoring those doubts which "darken o'r the world Mis elit Rta (1843) 6 a nie short story abot Chan, the hero Jolin Bunyas'»Plrin’s Pag. bn Bunyan story, Christian sms rave the dealt oad of ifeon fot. Along the way, he meets Such problems of life as pa, sn and daub. In Hayatorne’ tale, however, Christan’ journey go the Celestial City heaven) far simplerthe aiload thes him straight here, The aoa symbolizes A pat of ‘pind ‘he Transcendental’ alae o deal with sch difelies ns doubt andsinin uma ie, Chita rip ends wth him being thrown nto lake cold water ("Realty") Aste can sein The Clete Raloat Hawthoraes stores ually have a strong allegorical” quality. (One neem ee complained that, “Hal of him entered the world af logy a could never get out Hawthorne alWvays write aban ma in soiety rater than simply abut an in ature Hischartter ually have some ere gui ot ple which keeps them at distance rom other people. They are {eoubled by prieseney yor tedesireforevenge-Thissntetestin the thark pact ofthe human rind ease Hasdameto creat tale sia to thse ofthe Gothic nove. Tlawthorne caeflly desis the paychology of his characters Lonelines and waste aethe themes oft noel, Fausto (128) Wins abouta young genius wha dis before he can crate a work of sreatnes, The novel te a copy the Gothic tion stl popular at the tne, and Hawthorne hel considered ita failure, With the publication of Ti-Told Toler 8), he showed his mastery othe Shor story, The Minste' Blah Fes one af he sores, contains cheOUTLINE OF AMERICAN LITERATURE. 4 themes of alonenes and evil which run though his whole work. A. New England minister pats om a black vil ea symbol of the ei ‘ain every human heart He wearsit fr thereof hii, butt separates him fom the rt of wit and lm woman's love, The suthor repeats this theme of alonenes or ton, inthe sores Wabi 183) and fady Eeare’s Monte 1058 Mors fom an Olt Manse (1846) in eich The Coli Raioad appears, contains some of Havethore’s best and best-known tales “he Bionark (143) and Rappccin’s Daaghe (bys) are eay xamplesofthe”mad seat story in Ameren ton, Both ello Intllectual men who ate runed when they interfere with the sacred ‘mysteries In Fong Gasdman Bou (1835) ther levee thet allshe people in is village are Devi-worshippers. Actually hes nly Hing from his own sites, by creaming fsa in oer. tn The ‘Sone mage (1851), another collection of thor storie, the roof han ‘Brand (1851) klshinselby throwing Mawelfintoa fie had been searching forthe“ npardomablesin aud had odin hisomn soul His “vase inellectual development” had destroyed the balance luetween hismind and heart. Although ec aot personally share the Puritan vew of lie, the problem of sin common ia this author's work lawthorne's best work ually his stg feng forthe Part past of sevemteenth-centary New England, Thies the sting of Te Suerte (1830) considered his masterpiee, Hs the study the effets the adultery of Hester Payne al Arthur Dime, Puritan minster. Hester istorced oseeararedletter“A" on her dress sbowing the world that she iam alters, Hester uusand esto ‘et revenge by destroying Dimmesdae’s mind an! sol, Dimes, the fther of Hester's cl, tres to hides guilt. Tn the end, he ‘confess and diesitmmediatey aera, praising Gad, The theme of {he noel isthaitisnees thie quilin order to avoid punishment ‘Thenovel aks the question ofwhether the actol Hester ad er lover ‘eas really sinful, The author gives noeear answer Bat by the nd of thenovel, Hester "A seems tosymbole the sifu eal people Hawtharne' House te Sen Gales (85 2a in all American highachols Inthe secentcnt cota, the fonder te Pyeeon my hod ie ne The ee ane tal aly dsoysche tail inthe nineteenth cer. The nove {Rally an allegory. Each character eps difleen quality ad Calreode™ ktsed show thewequaites Theeiet of he novel ture ctor than dramatic Scenes remain the reader ning ike Saedarened photograph The MiedleRonse (8) 6 crc ofthe ‘Tramendentse ise! Brook Fars community. While The Howe of te Seo Gales Sucks ihetailretoconeet paste hsbackartack the mites ol Inoternrelormers Mary crits pra the bok’ techni exer then such athe way te narator lars an the tory proese Tiawornes Mss Fn) atin Tay was werten when the tutor retwned fran svenyeur stayin Batope The plot Inches Hawthorns favorite theme: theless murder ath {xe When Dontelltrowsamcetaeningstranger offal cach hinccharacten esr involved Some cide suaget that “indo Gan Eden story an that Donatella ea Kn of Aa Teisaboan increting example of the “ternational” novel which TenyJamestoer made rou sting ehanyoftiwors in aro Hawthorne contents Puritan New Bgl ceproentl by he American an sen Hida) with Catholic Kaly (Mam, the imperious woman with gully pat). “Jak mous reiew of Hawthorn’ Mss fm a Old Mans saan weeva (ecg 1091 ted that depite the aight on thetitersie of Hawthorne soa, there fshroude in bhctnes, ten fines Mack” This statement Is ceew ome rue a ‘ati hinset In ison, ran ves na work dived int 40 sartng pars: qe against ei, God agaist Sata te “head Sout the "hes" There no way t0oveeome these opposites Notes veteran is working agaist bums happiness aed pace of Mehils mut Sportant experiences ine started when heDecames sailorat age twenty. On board ship, he was op shocked by the ie of the lowes sailor The peronal morality was cmplecely diferent font anything bis family bad taught him. But when he began to write, ie at sea became the most important material for his ook id short stoi, Later, he called this fxperence “my Harvard and my Yale ‘Melville's stoies are always more than simple sea avenues, Ena sense the voyages of his heres are alway searches free ruth is Fst novel, Ze 186), wan quite popular becauwe of ewes devil. The heeo escapes fom his ship and lives among ee of ‘anmibals (the Type. He finds them happy, morally pre and “etter than European”. But they ilo kill and eat other human brings: The book res he question of whether happiness always uted wih ort. Typical, Mebule leaes the question at sere Ono (1847) continues the adventure of Tom, the hero of Type. Both novels contrast civlieation with primitive ie, Om deeper level they show the elashbeteeen the vals of Cray and thee of the tial egos Mar (18) was oo abstract al ficult wo be popular la this novel, the sea voyage wo longer eal, bt allegorical The hrf ‘sits imaginary South Sea las, which represent various counties ‘ofthe world. The seton on the island of "Venza atl an important critica United States, Viventa tjet the past too culls, and thnks tha its civ elation wil lst forever. Bat Vivenza willaiodecine, ike allother tation athe past, The voyage next moves emote alneract level, where places represent hilesop ics, Next Meville wrote bam (1849), about & young man's ist experiencesasa sailor Tus theme—how peoplearedrawnintoesl iva Inajor theme in American trator, Tea deeply humanitarian’ novel emphasising tha people da nocbekong just ne nation, but 0 all of humanity. Tn Wheat (1850), Mebille makes inprtant Drogess a 2 writer, He moves frum llegory to symbolism Can Important development in American literature), The centralsymbol isthe hers whit jacket. tbs that heifer from his llow tals. Ahough le wes to get ri of i, he eam, Because ta Tecome the symbol of hs ow entity Writing thewenovels helped prepare Mehl for Mobs-Dic (1851), pethapsthe greatest mine of Ameriean terature, Equally important trar dhe encouragement Hawthorne gave Metslle while he was tring i, rom the begining, i elear dha che voyage of the Sthalng ship Peon wil bea syinboic voyage, Ie ic also clea tha Moby-Dick, the great white whale, represents God rf, although [ve gives the reader 3 great deal uf factual information abou shale-tunting in oeder ta sake the world of Moly-Dick seem rel (Captain Aa dhe central character, isa grand, ungodly, Gk ‘nan, Heis orn hecween his humanity and hs desire wo estoy thewhite whale. Thee twos thelight andthe dark—fight each other Im Alab. The dack side wins. To Abab, Moby-Dick is part of a ‘universal mystery" which eats because he cantot uidertant When Ahab finds the whale al aeack hin, ship s destroyed Ahab himself palled down nto these ois death, Mewes to say hat perma idetiy ony a illson here isnolifein thee now. Except that rocking ie mparte* bya gente rolling sip: by her, orsomed fom he se hy the sea fom the instutable® ties of Goa, Unfortunately, de pubic did’ ike Maby-Dik Has may years Iefre the genius ofits author was recognized, Melville's next book, Pare 852), wa abo not popular. The sub of de book is The Anbgutie adi the tal of 3 man caught in the “angie Iie Whenever he think he ding good find his tre mene are really evil The Coyne Man (1857) has a simlar theme he ‘eosin between the apparent confidence ned ehant*ofsosey and Tu darker bal” (suspicion and i) Altes the flue of Pr, Mell’ themes became less ambitions Hissiyle became more humorous andconversational Bu as wesc his short story, Barby the Serer (+858) his philosophy ever ‘hanged. The young hero, ite Abb, els that fille work sad spoils everything, But instead of actively hating iu he evomes. fompleely pase. Histhesad story fa young man who's unable cn the end, he even refuse Io eat a dis, The heo of Beate ena) sequally ehappy with elty Thetheme athatevery ‘comfortable view of life eetines Yo se the datker half, which wi estoy itn the end. ily Budd, Melle’ last important work, was published gag, overshiny years after ident. hist sory othe young sailor Billy (who represent the godine of human naar and hisevilenemy, Chagyart. In theend they destoy eachother Melle seems to be saying chat the work has place Yr pure ges pore evil r | | | | | } Aloe Po Another novelist who wrote about dhe sea was RICHARD sexy aa (e518) His Pu Tar Bei th Mest |g) wax writen Show the public the hardship” of the common sor. Tt a a inant poplar succes and quikly becamean American casi read by young Americans fr aver a century, Filled with tumor, factual Aeeiland strong, sh descriptions, twas bginluencr on Mell when he wrote his Redbus. Dana later ceame «layer and his Soman’ Fred 184 ecame the tandard workon the othe se, He was alo an active Ablitonist, ocaKanax ro og, yo) was yet another writer interested in ppychology and the darker sdeofluman nature His tion belongs theSouthern rather than the New England, writing tradition Tin oretomantiin language and imagery Boch Poe's parents had ben ators a hl! by he tie he was thee. His bad relationship rico many unhappiness his brie i with he ter father was is MS Found nw Bate (183), which he wrote at the age of twenty for shows how quickly Poe had master the ato dhe shor sor. The theme ofthisstangesea story was ned in many later Poe store: «a Tonely adventurer mets with physical a prychlogial horrors oe suse important contributions American iteraturein tee sre the short story, trary ert, and poetry. Many of Poe's Tule oftloror are known throughout he word, His methed was Pot bis characters uo unas situations, Next, he woul caetllyOUTLINE OF AMERICAS EITERATURE 4 Asie tein felings of ero or guilt The greatest examples of his kin ofstory are Te Pande Pedal (1844), The Tl Tale Hert (1843) ard Thr Blak Cat (x43) The author here rarely sows the acu objeto horror. Rather, the reader must ut is imagination, ‘Th Palo te Hoses User 839s hebest known Pe tales. Ht Ja sucentil example of is theory that in short storey, unity of tflectis everything” The storys setting andi pmb reveal ie ‘haracterof tele. eeack nthe howsesymbolizethe relationship between the adule tiny, Redrick and’ Madeline Usher, When Reserick buries his twin ser before she rally dea, abe returns to the honse fom the grave. When Redrick des the hose inksnto the black Take surrounding it, Poe's heroines elten “return fom the rave" by various means. In Lig (1098) the ghost fe er ie Wife returns 10 lie by stealing the badly hi second wie Poe war abo one of the erator of the male detective story Instead of examining characters ad felings thew stories examine mysteries or problems Examples ince Th Marden th Rae Morgue (ig), The Moar af Mave Roget 1842), Th Pind Late (1845) and The Gol Bug (1843) Except or thelist of these cach ofthe stores has the same hero, the bilan French detective Moxie Dupin, This characteris one of Pos finest ereatons, The author shows iy how Dupin’s rites mind works, Then vetyinlligent narrator seems to be as conse by the complrated plot asthe reader. This makes Dupia’s genie sem even eater. In many ways, sac narrator teminds one of Doctor Watson, Sherlock Hl end, who narrates the tales about that great dective, Port detective Stores ate writen in simple, ells style, Pesta hiss why they ‘were more popular dering his etme than his tales of hose: The interest of Poe's poet iin is sound athe than its conten. ‘He constantly experimented with ways to make it musical and setined poetya8"the eythmic creation ofheay”. Even the names hheuses havea musical sound: Eula, Lenore, Ulam, tn Te Bl (180, he chooweshis words for the qualtyoftiron Try reading the poem aloud to youll. Try to ear the leigh” belle nd the rly af the horse's forse ithe sw nies itieoaasatconaienidia How they tnkle, inl, inkl, in the ey air of might! While the sar, tha osersprinkles Alle heavens, seem to twinkle! With a erysalive delight. Similarly, nis ost famous poem, The Rave (1845), the sythen allows 0 hear the B's beak hitting the doo While 1 node, neatly napping suddenly there came tapping. Acofsomenne gently rapping rapping atiny chamber door ‘The unhappy young an asks he will agin meethisdendlovedons, more." Nevermore! athe repeated, machine ke answernt the big lack ind Poe flat the real goa of poetry is “pleasure, noc rch”. But or him, "plane did not mean happiness Rather a god pormereates inthe reader fling of gentlesadns. In Clune 1847 another al Nsmany poems about beutfl women who arenow dead, Poe mises saciese with oreo, Again the sound x more Imiportant than the theme (conflict tween pyc and spiritual love Poe's Titrary cates is abo important. His reviews forthe Souther Literary Mevsnger were read everywhere in America. He ‘wanted to help develop 2 vatinalUternure forthe young county sd felt tha itligent critism was the key. He hate bad boks and ta writing. His criticisms were wally accurate. But, ae James Reel Lowell complsined, they alo had “decades of mathenat ical demonstration”. This nade hie many enemies, Even after his Aath, oer wtters continued to attack him al eles about his penonalife. Por vunhappy hfeende in 840, when ewartoundin Balko see, dunk ad dying.