美国文学简史笔记常耀信

AConciseHistoryofAmericanLiterature

Whatisliterature?

Literatureislanguageartisticallyusedtoachieveidentifiableliteraryqualitiesandtoconveymeaningfulmessages.

Chapter1ColonialPeriod

Background:Puritanism

featuresofPuritanism

Predestination:Goddecidedeverythingbeforethingsoccurred.

Originalsin:Humanbeingswereborntobeevil,andthisoriginalsincanbepasseddownfromgenerationtogeneration.

Totaldepravity

Limitedatonement:Onlythe“elect”canbesaved.

Influence

Agroupofgoodqualities–hardwork,thrift,piety,sobriety(seriousandthoughtful)influencedAmericanliterature.

Itledtotheeverlastingmyth.Allliteratureisbasedonamyth–gardenofEden.

Symbolism:theAmericanpuritan’smetaphoricalmodeofperceptionwaschieflyinstrumentalincallingintobeingaliterarysymbolismwhichisdistinctlyAmerican.

Withregardtotheirwriting,thestyleisfresh,simpleanddirect;therhetoricisplainandhonest,notwithoutatouchofnobilityoftentraceabletothedirectinfluenceoftheBible.

Overviewoftheliterature

typesofwriting

diaries,histories,journals,letters,travelbooks,autobiographies/biographies,sermons

writersofcolonialperiod

AnneBradstreet

EdwardTaylor

RogerWilliams

JohnWoolman

ThomasPaine

PhilipFreneau

JonathanEdwards

life

works

TheFreedomoftheWill

TheGreatDoctrineofOriginalSinDefended

TheNatureofTrueVirtue

ideas–pioneeroftranscendentalism

Thespiritofrevivalism

Regenerationofman

God’spresence

Puritanidealism

BenjaminFranklin

life

works

PoorRichard’sAlmanac

Autobiography

contribution

HehelpedfoundthePennsylvaniaHospitalandtheAmericanPhilosophicalSociety.

Hewascalled“thenewPrometheuswhohadstolenfire(electricityinthiscase)fromheaven”.

Everythingseemstomeetinthisoneman–“Jackofalltrades”.HermanMelvillethusdescribedhim“masterofeachandmasteredbynone”.

Chapter2AmericanRomanticism

Section1EarlyRomanticPeriod

WhatisRomanticism?

AnapproachfromancientGreek:Plato

Aliterarytrend:18cinBritain(1798~1832)

SchlegelBros.

Preview:Characteristicsofromanticism

subjectivity

feelingandemotions,findingtruth

emphasisonimagination

emphasisonindividualism–personalfreedom,noheroworship,naturalgoodnessofhumanbeings

backtomedieval,espmedievalfolkliterature

unrestrainedbyclassicalrules

fullofimagination

colloquiallanguage

freedomofimagination

genuineinfeelings:answertheircallforclassics

backtonature

natureis“breathinglivingthing”(Rousseau)

AmericanRomanticism

Background

Politicalbackgroundandeconomicdevelopment

RomanticmovementinEuropeancountries

Derivative–foreigninfluence

features

Americanromanticismwasinessencetheexpressionof“arealnewexperienceandcontained“analienquality”forthesimplereasonthat“thespiritoftheplace”wasradicallynewandalien.

ThereisAmericanPuritanismasaculturalheritagetoconsider.Americanromanticauthorstendedmoretomoralize.ManyAmericanromanticwritingsintendedtoedifymorethantheyentertained.

The“newness”ofAmericansasanationisinconnectionwithAmericanRomanticism.

Asalogicalresultoftheforeignandnativefactorsatwork,Americanromanticismwasbothimitativeandindependent.

WashingtonIrving

severalnamesattachedtoIrving

firstAmericanwriter

themessengersentfromthenewworldtotheoldworld

fatherofAmericanliterature

life

works

AHistoryofNewYorkfromtheBeginningoftheWorldtotheEndoftheDutchDynasty

TheSketchBookofGeoffreyCrayon,Gent.(Hewonameasureofinternationalrecognitionwiththepublicationofthis.)

TheHistoryoftheLifeandVoyagesofChristopherColumbus

AChronicleoftheConquestofGranada

TheAlhambra

Literarycareer:twoparts

1809~1832

SubjectsareeitherEnglishorEuropean

Conservativelovefortheantique

1832~1859:backtoUS

style–beautiful

gentility,urbanity,pleasantness

avoidingmoralizing–amusingandentertaining

envelopingstoriesinanatmosphere

vividandtruecharacters

humour–smilingwhilereading

musicallanguage

JamesFenimoreCooper

life

works

Precaution(1820,hisfirstnovel,imitatingAusten’sPrideandPrejudice)

TheSpy(hissecondnovelandgreatsuccess)

LeatherstockingTales(hismasterpiece,aseriesoffivenovels)

TheDeerslayer,TheLastoftheMohicans,ThePathfinder,ThePioneer,ThePrairie

pointofview

thethemeofwildernessvs.civilization,freedomvs.law,ordervs.change,aristocratvs.democrat,naturalrightsvs.legalrights

style

highlyimaginative

goodatinventingtales

goodatlandscapedescription

conservative

characterizationwoodenandlackinginprobability

languageanduseofdialectnotauthentic

literaryachievements

HecreatedamythabouttheformativeperiodoftheAmericannation.IfthehistoryoftheUnitedStatesis,inasense,theprocessoftheAmericansettlersexploringandpushingtheAmericanfrontierforeverwestward,thenCooper’sLeatherstockingTaleseffectivelyapproximatestheAmericannationalexperienceofadventureintotheWest.HeturnedthewestandfrontierasauseablepastandhehelpedtointroducewesterntraditiontoAmericanliterature.

Section2SummitofRomanticism–AmericanTranscendentalism

Background:foursources

Unitarianism

FatherhoodofGod

Brotherhoodofmen

LeadershipofJesus

Salvationbycharacter(perfectionofone’scharacter)

Continuedprogressofmankind

Divinityofmankind

Depravityofmankind

RomanticIdealism

Centeroftheworldisspirit,absolutespirit(Kant)

Orientalmysticism

Centeroftheworldis“oversoul”

Puritanism

Eloquentexpressionintranscendentalism

Appearance

1836,“Nature”byEmerson

Features

spirit/oversoul

importanceofindividualism

nature–symbolofspirit/God

garmentoftheoversoul

focusinintuition(irrationalismandsubconsciousness)

Influence

Itservedasanethicalguidetolifeforayoungnationandbroughtabouttheideathathumancanbeperfectedbynature.Itstressedreligioustolerance,calledtothrowoffshacklesofcustomsandtraditionsandgoforwardtothedevelopmentofanewanddistinctlyAmericanculture.

Itadvocatedidealismthatwasgreatneededinarapidlyexpandedeconomywhereopportunityoftenbecameopportunism,andthedesireto“geton”obscuredthemoralnecessityforrisingtospiritualheight.

IthelpedtocreatethefirstAmericanrenaissance–oneofthemostprolificperiodinAmericanliterature.

RalphWaldoEmerson

life

works

Nature

Twoessays:TheAmericanScholar,ThePoet

pointofview

Onemajorelementofhisphilosophyishisfirmbeliefinthetranscendenceofthe“oversoul”.

Heregardsnatureasthepurest,andthemostsanctifyingmoralinfluenceonman,andadvocatedadirectintuitionofaspiritualandimmanentGodinnature.

Ifmandependsuponhimself,cultivateshimselfandbringsoutthedivineinhimself,hecanhopetobecomebetterandevenperfect.ThisiswhatEmersonmeansby“theinfinitudeofman”.

Everyoneshouldunderstandthathemakeshimselfbymakinghisworld,andthathemakestheworldbymakinghimself.

aestheticideas

Heisacompleteman,aneternalman.

Truepoetryandtrueartshouldennoble.

Thepoetshouldexpresshisthoughtinsymbols.

Astotheme,EmersoncalleduponAmericanauthorstocelebrateAmericawhichwastohimalonepoeminitself.

hisinfluence

HenryDavidThoreau

life

works

AWeekontheConcordandMerrimackRiver

Walden

APleaforJohnBrown(anessay)

pointofview

HedidnotlikethewayamaterialisticAmericawasdevelopingandwasvehementlyoutspokenonthepoint.

Hehatedthehumaninjusticeasrepresentedbytheslaverysystem.

LikeEmerson,butmorethanhim,Thoreausawnatureasagenuinerestorative,healthyinfluenceonman’sspiritualwell-being.

Hehasfaithintheinnervirtueandinward,spiritualgraceofman.

Hewasverycriticalofmoderncivilization.

“Simplicity…simplify!”

Hewassorelydisgustedwith“theinundationsofthedirtyinstitutionsofmen’sodd-fellowsociety”.

Hehascalmtrustinthefutureandhisardentbeliefinanewgenerationofmen.

Section3LateRomanticism

NathanielHawthorne

life

works

Twocollectionsofshortstories:Twice-toldTales,MossesfromandOldManse

TheScarletLetter

TheHouseoftheSevenGables

TheMarbleFaun

pointofview

Evilisatthecoreofhumanlife,“thatblacknessinHawthorne”

Wheneverthereissin,thereispunishment.Sinorevilcanbepassedfromgenerationtogeneration(causality).

Heisoftheopinionthatevileducates.

Hehasdisgustinscience.

aestheticideas

Hetookagreatinterestinhistoryandantiquity.Tohimthesefurnishthesoilonwhichhismindgrowstofruition.

HewasconvincedthatromancewasthepredestinedformofAmericannarrative.Totellthetruthandsatirizeandyetnottooffend:ThatwaswhatHawthornehadinmindtoachieve.

style–typicalromanticwriter

theuseofsymbols

revelationofcharacters’psychology

theuseofsupernaturalmixedwiththeactual

hisstoriesareparable(parableinform)–toteachalesson

useofambiguitytokeepthereaderintheworldofuncertainty–multiplepointofview

HermanMelville

life

works

Typee

Omio

Mardi

Redburn

WhiteJacket

MobyDick

Pierre

BillyBudd

pointofview

Heneverseemsabletosayanaffirmativeyestolife:Hisistheattitudeof“EverlastingNay”(negativeattitudetowardslife).

Oneofthemajorthemesofhisisalienation(farawayfromeachother).

Otherthemes:loneliness,suicidalindividualism(individualismcausingdisasteranddeath),rejectionandquest,confrontationofinnocenceandevil,doubtsoverthecomforting19cideaofprogress

style

LikeHawthorne,Melvillemanagestoachievetheeffectofambiguitythroughemployingthetechniqueofmultipleviewofhisnarratives.

Hetendstowriteperiodicchapters.

Hisrichrhythmicalproseandhispoeticpowerhavebeenprofuselycommenteduponandpraised.

Hisworksaresymbolicandmetaphorical.

Heincludesmanynon-narrativechaptersoffactualbackgroundordescriptionofwhatgoesonboardtheshiporontheroute(MobyDick)

RomanticPoets

WaltWhitman

life

work:LeavesofGrass(9editions)

SongofMyself

ThereWasaChildWentForth

CrossingBrooklynFerry

DemocraticVistas

PassagetoIndia

OutoftheCradleEndlesslyRocking

themes–“CatalogueofAmericanandEuropeanthought”

HehadbeeninfluencedbymanyAmericanandEuropeanthoughts:enlightenment,idealism,transcendentalism,science,evolutionideas,westernfrontierspirits,Jefferson’sindividualism,CivilWarUnionism,Orientalism.

Majorthemesinhispoems(almosteverything):

equalityofthingsandbeings

divinityofeverything

immanenceofGod

democracy

evolutionofcosmos

multiplicityofnature

self-reliantspirit

death,beautyofdeath

expansionofAmerica

brotherhoodandsocialsolidarity(unityofnationsintheworld)

pursuitofloveandhappiness

style:“freeverse”

nofixedrhymeorscheme

parallelism,arhythmofthought

phoneticrecurrence

thehabitofusingsnapshots

theuseofacertainpronoun“I”

alooserandmoreopen-endedsyntacticstructure

useofconventionalimage

strongtendencytouseoralEnglish

vocabulary–powerful,colourful,rarelyusedwordsofforeignorigins,someevenwrong

sentences–cataloguetechnique:longlistofnames,longpoemlines

influence

HisbestworkhasbecomepartofthecommonpropertyofWesternculture.

HetookoverWhitman’svisionofthepoet-prophetandpoet-teacherandrecastitinamoresophisticatedandEuropeanizedmood.

HehasbeencomparedtoamountaininAmericanliteraryhistory.

ContemporaryAmericanpoetry,whateverschoolorform,bearswitnesstohisgreatinfluence.

EmilyDickenson

life

works

MyLifeClosedTwicebeforeItsClose

BecauseICan’tStopforDeath

IHeardaFlyBuzz–WhenIdied

Mine–bytheRightoftheWhiteElection

WildNights–WildNights

themes:basedonherownexperiences/joys/sorrows

religion–doubtandbeliefaboutreligioussubjects

deathandimmortality

love–sufferingandfrustrationcausedbylove

physicalaspectofdesire

nature–kindandcruel

freewillandhumanresponsibility

style

poemswithouttitles

severeeconomyofexpression

directness,brevity

musicaldevicetocreatecadence(rhythm)

capitalletters–emphasis

shortpoems,mainlytwostanzas

rhetorictechniques:personification–makesomeofabstractideasvivid

Comparison:Whitmanvs.Dickinson

Similarities:

Thematically,theybothextolled,intheirdifferentways,anemergentAmerica,itsexpansion,itsindividualismanditsAmericanness,theirpoetrybeingpartof“AmericanRenaissance”.

Technically,theybothaddedtotheliteraryindependenceofthenewnationbybreakingfreeoftheconventionoftheiambicpentameterandexhibitingafreedominformunknownbefore:theywerepioneersinAmericanpoetry.

differences:

Whitmanseemstokeephiseyeonsocietyatlarge;Dickinsonexplorestheinnerlifeoftheindividual.

WhereasWhitmanis“national”inhisoutlook,Dickinsonis“regional”.

Dickinsonhasthe“cataloguetechnique”(direct,simplestyle)whichWhitmandoesn’thave.

EdgarAllenPoe

Life

Works

shortstories

ratiocinativestories

MsFoundinaBottle

TheMurdersintheRueMorgue

ThePurloinedLetter

Revenge,deathandrebirth

TheFalloftheHouseofUsher

Ligeia

TheMasqueoftheRedDeath

Literarytheory

ThePhilosophyofComposition

ThePoeticPrinciple

ReviewofHawthorne’sTwice-toldTales

Themes

death–predominantthemeinPoe’swriting

“Poeisnotinterestedinanythingalive.EverythinginPoe’swritingsisdead.”

disintegration(separation)oflife

horror

negativethoughtsofscience

Aestheticideas

Theshortstoriesshouldbeofbrevity,totality,singleeffect,compressionandfinality.

Thepoemsshouldbeshort,andtheaimshouldbebeauty,thetonemelancholy.Poemsshouldnotbeofmoralizing.Hecallsforpurepoetryandstressesrhythm.

Style–traditional,butnoteasytoread

Reputation:“thejingleman”(Emerson)

Hisinfluences

Chapter3TheAgeofRealism

Background:FromRomanticismtoRealism

thethreeconflictsthatreachedbreakingpointinthisperiod

industrialismvs.agrarian

culturely-measuredeastvs.newly-developedwest

plantationgentilityvs.commercialgentility

1880’surbanization:fromfreecompetitiontomonopolycapitalism

theclosingofAmericanfrontier

Characteristics

truthfuldescriptionoflife

typicalcharacterundertypicalcircumstance

objectiveratherthanidealized,closeobservationandinvestigationoflife

“Realisticwritersarelikescientists.”

open-ending:

Lifeiscomplexandcannotbefullyunderstood.Itleavesmuchroomforreaderstothinkbythemselves.

concernedwithsocialandpsychologicalproblems,revealingthefrustrationsofcharactersinanenvironmentofsordidnessanddepravity

ThreeGiantsinRealisticPeriod

WilliamDeanHowells–“DeanofAmericanRealism”

Realisticprinciples

Realismis“fidelitytoexperienceandprobabilityofmotive”.

Theaimis“talkofsomeordinarytraitsofAmericanlife”.

ManinhisnaturalandunaffecteddullnesswastheobjectofHowells’sfictionalrepresentation.

Realismisbynomeansmerephotographicpicturesofexternalsbutincludesacentralconcernwith“motives”andpsychologicalconflicts.

Hecondemnsnovelsofsentimentalityandmorbidself-sacrifice,andavoidssuchthemesasillicitlove.

Authorsshouldminimizeplotandtheartificialorderingofthesenseofsomething“desultory,unfinished,imperfect”.

Charactersshouldhavesolidityofspecificationandbereal.

Interpretingsympatheticallythe“commonfeelingsofcommonplacepeople”wasbestsuitedasatechniquetoexpressthespiritofAmerica.

Heurgedwriterstowinnowtraditionandwriteinkeepingwithcurrenthumanitarianideals.

Truthisthehighestbeauty,butitincludestheviewthatmoralitypenetratesallthings.

Withregardtoliterarycriticism,Howellsfeltthattheliterarycriticshouldnottrytoimposearbitraryorsubjectiveevaluationsonbooksbutshouldfollowthedetachedscientistinaccuratedescription,interpretation,andclassification.

Works

TheRiseofSilasLapham

AChanceAcquaintance

AModernInstance

FeaturesofHisWorks

Optimistictone

Moraldevelopment/ethics

Lackingofpsychologicaldepth

HenryJames

Life

Literarycareer:threestages

1865~1882:internationaltheme

TheAmerican

DaisyMiller

ThePortraitofaLady

1882~1895:inter-personalrelationshipsandsomeplays

DaisyMiller(play)

1895~1900:novellasandtalesdealingwithchildhoodandadolescence,thenbacktointernationaltheme

TheTurnoftheScrew

WhenMaisieKnew

TheAmbassadors

TheWingsoftheDove

TheGoldenBowl

Aestheticideas

Theaimofnovel:representlife

Common,evenuglysideoflife

Socialfunctionofart

Avoidingomniscientpointofview

Pointofview

Psychologicalanalysis,forefatherofstreamofconsciousness

Psychologicalrealism

Highly-refinedlanguage

Style–“stylist”

Language:highly-refined,polished,insightful,accurate

Vocabulary:large

Construction:complicated,intricate

MarkTwain(seenextsection)

LocalColorism

1860s,1870s~1890s

Appearance

unevendevelopmentineconomyinAmerica

culture:flourishingoffrontierliterature,humourists

magazinesappearedtoletwriterpublishtheirworks

Whatis“LocalColour”?

Tasksoflocalcolourists:towriteorpresentlocalcharactersoftheirregionsintruthfuldepictiondistinguishedfromothers,usuallyaverysmallpartoftheworld.

Regionalliterature(similar,butlargerinworld)

Garland,Harte–thewest

Eggleston–Indiana

MrsStowe

Jewett–Maine

Chopin–Louisiana

MarkTwain–Mississippi

life

works

TheGildedAge

“thetwoadvantages”

LifeontheMississippi

AConnecticutYankeeinKingArthur’sCourt

TheManThatCorruptedHardleybug

style

colloquiallanguage,vernacularlanguage,dialects

localcolour

syntacticfeature:sentencesaresimple,brief,sometimesungrammatical

humour

talltales(highlyexaggerated)

socialcriticism(satireonthedifferentuglythingsinsociety)

Comparisonofthethree“giants”ofAmericanRealism

Theme

Howells–middleclass

James–upperclass

Twain–lowerclass

Technique

Howells–smiling/genteelrealism

James–psychologicalrealism

Twain–localcolourismandcolloquialism

Chapter4AmericanNaturalism

Background

Darwin’stheory:“naturalselection”

Spenser’sidea:“socialDarwinism”

FrenchNaturalism:Zora

Features

environmentandheredity

scientificaccuracyandalotofdetails

generaltone:hopelessness,despair,gloom,uglysideofthesociety

significance

Itpreparesthewayforthewritingof1920s’“lostgeneration”andT.S.Eliot.

TheodoreDreiser

life

works

SisterCarrie

Thetrilogy:Financier,TheTitan,TheStoic

JennieGerhardt

AmericanTragedy

TheGenius

pointofview

HeembracedsocialDarwinism–survivalofthefittest.Helearnedtoregardmanasmerelyananimaldrivenbygreedandlustinastruggleforexistenceinwhichonlythe“fittest”,themostruthless,survive.

Lifeispredatory,a“game”ofthelecherousandheartless,ajunglestruggleinwhichman,being“awaifandaninterloperinNature”,a“wispinthewindofsocialforces”,isamerepawninthegeneralschemeofthings,withnopowerwhatevertoasserthiswill.

Nooneisethicallyfree;everythingisdeterminedbyacomplexofinternalchemismsandbytheforcesofsocialpressure.

SisterCarrie

Plot

Analysis

Style

Withoutgoodstructure

Deficientcharacterization

Lackinimagination

Journalisticmethod

Techniquesinpainting

Chapter5TheModernPeriod

Section1The1920s

Introduction

The1920sisafloweringperiodofAmericanliterature.Itisconsidered“thesecondrenaissance”ofAmericanliterature.

Thenicknamesforthisperiod:

Roaring20s–comfort

DollarDecade–rich

JazzAge–Jazzmusic

Background

FirstWorldWar–“awartoendallwars”

Economically:becamerichfromWWI.Economicboom:newinventions.Highly-consumingsociety.

Spiritually:dislocation,fragmentation.

wide-spreadcontemptforlaw(lookingdownuponlaw)

Freud’stheory

Featuresoftheliterature

Writers:threegroups

Participants

Expatriates

Bohemian(unconventionalwayoflife)–on-lookers

Twoareas:

FailureofcommunicationofAmericans

FailureoftheAmericansociety

Imagism

I. Background

ImagismwasinfluencedbyFrenchsymbolism,ancientChinesepoetryandJapaneseliterature“haiku”

II. Development:threestages

1908~1909:London,Hulme

1912~1914:England->America,Pound

1914~1917:AmyLowell

III. Whatisan“image”?

AnimageisdefinedbyPoundasthatwhichpresentsanintellectualandemotionalcomplexinaninstantoftime,“avortexorclusteroffusedideas”“endowedwithenergy”.Theexactwordmustbringtheeffectoftheobjectbeforethereaderasithadpresenteditselftothepoet’smindatthetimeofwriting.

IV. Principles

Directtreatmentofthe“thing”,whethersubjectiveorobjective;

Touseabsolutelynowordthatdoesnotcontributetothepresentation;

Asregardingrhythm,tocomposeinthesequenceofthemusicalphrase,notinthesequenceofametronome.

V. Significance

Itwasarebellionagainstthetraditionalpoeticswhichfailedtoreflectthenewlifeofthenewcentury.

ItofferedanewwayofwritingwhichwasvalidnotonlyfortheImagistpoetsbutformodernpoetryasawhole.

Themovementwasatrainingschoolinwhichmanygreatpoetslearnedtheirfirstlessonsinthepoeticart.

ItisthismovementthathelpedtoopenthefirstpagesofmodernEnglishandAmericanpoetry.

VI. EzraPound

life

literarycareer

works

Cathay

Cantos

HughSelwynMauberley

pointofview

ConfidentinPound’sbeliefthattheartistwasmorallyandculturallythearbiterandthe“saviour”oftherace,hetookituponhimselftopurifytheartsandbecametheprimemoverofafewexperimentalmovements,theaimofwhichwastodumptheoldintothedustbinandbringforthsomethingnew.

Tohimlifewassordidpersonalcrushingoppression,andcultureproducednothingbut“intangiblebondage”.

PoundseesinChinesehistoryandthedoctrineofConfuciusasourceofstrengthandwisdomwithwhichtocounterpointWesterngloomandconfusion.

Hesawachaoticworldthatwantedsettingtorights,andahumanity,sufferingfromspiritualdeathandcosmicinjustice,thatneededsaving.HewasforthemostpartofhislifetryingtoofferConfucianphilosophyastheonefaithwhichcouldhelptosavetheWest.

style:verydifficulttoread

Pound’searlypoemsarefreshandlyrical.TheCantoscanbenotoriouslydifficultinsomesections,butdelightfullybeautifulinothers.Fewhavemadeseriousstudyofthelongpoem;fewer,ifanyoneatall,havehadthecouragetodeclarethattheyhaveconqueredPound;andmanyseemtoagreethattheCantosisamonumentalfailure.

Contribution

Hehashelped,throughtheoryandpractice,tochartoutthecourseofmodernpoetry.

TheCantos–“theintellectualdiarysince1915”

Features:

Language:intricateandobscure

Theme:complexsubjectmatters

Form:nofixedframework,nocentraltheme,noattentiontopoeticrules

VII. T.S.Eliot

life

works

poems

TheLoveSongofJ.AlfredPrufrock

TheWasteLand(epic)

HollowMan

AshWednesday

FourQuarters

Plays

MurderintheCathedral

SweeneyAgonistes

TheCocktailParty

TheConfidentialClerk

Criticalessays

TheSacredWood

EssaysonStyleandOrder

ElizabethanEssays

TheUseofPoetryandTheUseofCriticisms

AfterStrangeGods

pointofview

Themodernsocietyisfutileandchaotic.

Onlypoetscancreatesomeorderoutofchaos.

Themethodtouseistocomparethepastandthepresent.

Style

Freshvisualimagery,flexibletoneandhighlyexpressiverhythm

Difficultanddisconnectedimagesandsymbols,quotationsandallusions

Ellipticalstructures,strangejuxtapositions,anabsenceofbridges

TheWasteLand:fiveparts

TheBurialoftheDead

AGameofChess

TheFireSermon

DeathbyWater

WhattheThunderSaid

VIII. RobertFrost

life

pointofview

Allhislife,Frostwasconcernedwithconstructionsthroughpoetry.“amomentarystayagainstconfusion”.

Heunderstandstheterrorandtragedyinnature,butalsoitsbeauty.

UnliketheEnglishromanticpoetsof19thcentury,hedidn’tbelievethatmancouldfindharmonywithnature.Hebelievedthatserenitycamefromworking,usuallyamidnaturalforces,whichcouldn’tbeunderstood.Heregardedworkas“significanttoil”.

works–poems

thefirst:ABoy’sWill

collections:NorthofBoston,MountainInterval(mature),NewHampshire

style/featuresofhispoems

MostofhispoemstookNewEnglandassetting,andthesubjectswerechosenfromdailylifeofordinarypeople,suchas“mendingwall”,“pickingapples”.

Hewritesmostoftenaboutlandscapeandpeople–thelonelinessandpovertyofisolatedfarmers,beauty,terrorandtragedyinnature.Healsodescribessomeabnormalpeople,.“deceptivelysimple”,“philosophicalpoet”.

Althoughhewaspopularduring1920s,hedidn’texperimentlikeothermodernpoets.Heusedconventionalforms,plainlanguage,traditionalmetre,andwroteinapasturedtradition.

IX. e.e.cummings

“ajugglerwithsyntax,grammaranddiction”–individualism,“painterpoet”

Novelsinthe1920s

F.ScottFitzgerald

life–participantin1920s

works

ThisSideofParadise

FlappersandPhilosophers

TheBeautifulandtheDamned

TheGreatGatsby

TenderistheNight

AlltheSadYoungMan

TheLastTycoon

pointofview

Heexpressedwhattheyoungpeoplebelievedinthe1920s,theso-called“AmericanDream”isfalseinnature.

Hehadalwaysbeencriticaloftherichandtriedtoshowtheintegratingeffectsofmoneyontheemotionalmake-upofhischaracter.Hefoundthatwealthalteredpeople’scharacters,makingthemmeananddistrusted.Hethinksmoneybroughtonlytragedyandremorse.

Hisnovelsfollowapattern:dream–lackofattraction–failureanddespair.

Hisideasof“AmericanDream”

Itisfalsetomostyoungpeople.Onlythosewhoweredishonestcouldbecomerich.

Style

FitzgeraldwasoneofthegreatstylistsinAmericanliterature.Hisproseissmooth,sensitive,andcompletelyoriginalinitsdictionandmetaphors.Itssimplicityandgracefulness,itsskillinmanipulatingtherelationbetweenthegeneralandthespecificrevealhisconsummateartistry.

TheGreatGatsby

Narrativepointofview–Nick

Heisrelatedtoeveryoneinthenovelandiscalmanddetectedobserverwhoisneverquicktomakejudgements.

Selectedomniscientpointofview

ErnestHemingway

life

pointofview(influencedbyexperienceinwar)

HefeltthatWWIhadbrokenAmerica’scultureandtraditions,andseparatedfromitsroots.Hewroteaboutmenandwomenwhowereisolatedfromtrad