History of American Literature
Produced by Tom Allen, Charles Franks
and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team.
The wide use of the author's History of English Literature , the favor with which it has been received in all parts of the United States, and the number of earnest requests for a History of American Literature on the same plan, have led to the writing of this book. It has not appeared sooner because the author has followed his rule of making a careful first-hand study, not only of all the matter discussed, but also of a far greater amount, which, although it must be omitted from a condensed textbook, is, nevertheless, necessary as a background for judgment and selection.
The following chapters describe the greatest achievements in American literature from the earliest times until the present. Many pupils fail to obtain a clear idea of great American authors and literary movements because textbook writers and teachers ignore the element of truth in the old adage, The half is greater than the whole, and dwell too much on minor authors and details, which could reasonably be expected to interest only a specialist. In the following pages especial attention has been paid, not only to the individual work of great authors, but also to literary movements, ideals, and animating principles, and to the relation of all these to English literature.
The author has further aimed to make this work both interesting and suggestive. He has endeavored to present the subject in a way that necessitates the comparison of authors and movements, and leads to stimulating thinking. He has tried to communicate enough of the spirit of our literature to make students eager for a first-hand acquaintance with it, to cause them to investigate for themselves this remarkable American record of spirituality, initiative, and democratic accomplishment. As a guide to such study, there have been placed at the end of each chapter Suggested Readings and still further hints, called Questions and Suggestions . In A Glance Backward , the author emphasizes in brief compass the most important truths that American literature teaches, truths that have resulted in raising the ideals of Americans and in arousing them to greater activity.
Reuben Post Halleck
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HISTORY OF AMERICAN LITERATURE
PREFACE
CONTENTS
CHAPTER I COLONIAL LITERATURE
SUPPLEMENTARY LIST OF AUTHORS AND THEIR CHIEF WORKS
HISTORY OF AMERICAN LITERATURE
CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH, 1579-1631
LITERARY ACTIVITY IN VIRGINIA COLONY
WILLIAM BRADFORD, 1590-1657
JOHN WINTHROP, 1588-1649
THE RELIGIOUS IDEAL
POETRY
NATHANIEL WARD, 1578?-1652
SAMUEL SEWALL, 1652-1730
COTTON MATHER, 1663-1728
JONATHAN EDWARDS, 1703-1758
ENGLISH LITERATURE OF THE PERIOD
LEADING HISTORICAL FACTS
SUMMARY
REFERENCES FOR FURTHER STUDY
SUGGESTED READINGS
QUESTIONS AND SUGGESTIONS
CHAPTER II
THE ESSAYISTS
THE ORATORS
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, 1706-1790
JOHN WOOLMAN, 1720-1772
EARLY AMERICAN FICTION
CHARLES BROCKDEN BROWN, 1771-1810
PHILIP FRENEAU, 1752-1832
ENGLISH LITERATURE OF THE PERIOD
LEADING HISTORICAL FACTS
SUMMARY
REFERENCES FOR FURTHER STUDY
SUGGESTED READINGS
QUESTIONS AND SUGGESTIONS
CHAPTER III
DRAKE AND HALLECK
WASHINGTON IRVING, 1783-1859
JAMES FENIMORE COOPER, 1789-1851
WILLIAM CULLEN BRYANT, 1794-1878
ENGLISH LITERATURE OF THE PERIOD
LEADING HISTORICAL FACTS, 1809-1849.
SUMMARY
REFERENCES FOR FURTHER STUDY
SUGGESTED READINGS
QUESTIONS AND SUGGESTIONS
CHAPTER IV
RALPH WALDO EMERSON, 1803-1882
HENRY DAVID THOREAU, 1817-1862
NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE, 1804-1864
HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW, 1807-1882
JOHN GREENLEAF WHITTIER, 1807-1892
JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL, 1819-1891
OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES, 1809-1894
THE HISTORIANS
ENGLISH LITERATURE OF THE PERIOD
LEADING HISTORICAL FACTS
SUMMARY
REFERENCES FOR FURTHER STUDY
SUGGESTED READINGS
QUESTIONS AND SUGGESTIONS
CHAPTER V
EDGAR ALLAN POE, 1809-1849
WILLIAM GILMORE SIMMS, 1806-1870
HENRY TIMROD, 1829-1867
PAUL HAMILTON HAYNE, 1830-1886
SIDNEY LANIER, 1842-1881
FATHER RYAN, 1839-1886
JOHN BANNISTER TABB, 1845-1909
JOEL CHANDLER HARRIS, 1848-1908
THOMAS NELSON PAGE, 1853-
GEORGE W. CABLE, 1844-
JAMES LANE ALLEN, 1849-
MARY N. MURFREE (CHARLES EGBERT CRADDOCK), 1850-
MADISON J. CAWEIN, 1865-1914
SUMMARY
REFERENCES
SUGGESTED READINGS
POETRY
QUESTIONS AND SUGGESTIONS
CHAPTER VI
ABRAHAM LINCOLN, 1809-1865
BRET HARTE, 1839-1902
EUGENE FIELD, 1850-1895
JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY, 1853-1916
SAMUEL L. CLEMENS, 1835-1910
SUMMARY
REFERENCES
SUGGESTED READINGS
QUESTIONS AND SUGGESTIONS
CHAPTER VII
WILLIAM DEAN HOWELLS, 1837-1920
HENRY JAMES, 1843-1916
MARY E. WILKINS FREEMAN, 1862-
WALT WHITMAN, 1819-1892
SUMMARY
REFERENCES
SUGGESTED READINGS
QUESTIONS AND SUGGESTIONS
A GLANCE BACKWARD
SUPPLEMENTARY LIST OF AUTHORS AND THEIR CHIEF WORKS
EASTERN AUTHORS
SOUTHERN AUTHORS
WESTERN AUTHORS