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This is a massive book, over 800 pages of text. I bought it because although I have read a fair amount of American literature there are a lot of gaps in my knowledge. In particular I had an interest in twentieth century poetry and also I was curious to know what a fresh look at literature could tell me about the development of the USA as a country over the last two hundred years. I am not an academic and have not studied literature in an academic setting since I left school. Gray it seems to me adopts a narrative approach. His reading is immense and when he approaches an author his primary objective seems to be, what did they have to say. One or two themes: literature in the nineteenth century often seems to be about the wilderness, the embrace of the wilderness, exploring it. In the twentieth century there's a certain loss of meaning, an experience of alienation. The taming of the wilderness, the arise of the cities and railroads leaves Americans searching their souls for meaning. Especially the poets of the early century like Eliot, William Carlos Williams, Wallace Stevens etc. I'm sure some readers will feel aggrieved that some authors have been skimped, but really I can't think of anyone he's left out. A major achievement. Very unstuffy, and more than readable.
E-Book Content
A HISTORY OF
americanliterature
To Sheona
A HISTORY OF
americanliterature RICHARD GRAY
Copyright © 2004 by Richard Gray 350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148-5020, USA 108 Cowley Road, Oxford OX4 1JF, UK 550 Swanston Street, Carlton, Victoria 3053, Australia The right of Richard Gray to be identified as the Author of this Work has been asserted in accordance with the UK Copyright, Designs, and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, except as permitted by the UK Copyright, Designs, and Patents Act 1988, without the prior permission of the publisher. First published 2004 by Blackwell Publishing Ltd Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Gray, Richard J. A history of American literature / Richard Gray. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-631-22134-4 (alk. paper) – ISBN 0-631-22135-2 (pbk.: alk. paper) 1. American literature–History and criticism. 2. United States–Literatures– History and criticism. I. Title. PS88.G73 2003 810.9–dc21 A catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library. Set in 10.5/13pt Minion by Graphicraft Limited, Hong Kong Printed and bound in the United Kingdom by TJ International Ltd, Padstow, Cornwall For further information on Blackwell Publishing, visit our website: http://www.blackwellpublishing.com
2003004958
contents
Preface and Acknowledgements
1
ix
The First Americans: American Literature Before and During the Colonial and Revolutionary Periods Imagining Eden Native American Oral Traditions Spanish and French Encounters with America Anglo-American Encounters Writing of the Colonial and Revolutionary Periods Puritan narratives Challenges to the Puritan oligarchy Some Colonial poetry Enemies within and without Trends towards the secular and resistance Towards the Revolution Alternative voices of Revolution Writing Revolution: Poetry, drama, fiction
2
Inventing Americas: The Making of American Literature, 1800–1865
1 1 4 18 25 32 32 36 41 49 55 68 79 86
100 100 105 105 107 118 124 130 130
Making a Nation The Making of American Myths Myths of an emerging nation The making of Western myth The making of Southern myth Legends of the Old Southwest
The Making of American Selves The Transcendentali