A History of American Literature - Book Report/Review Example

Book Review William Peter Trent A History of American literature, 1607-1865 Published in: 1920 Publisher: Appleton and company Place of publication: New York Scope of Book The book “A History of American Literature, 1607-1865describes the development of a literary sense in the American society in the early 17th century to the late 19th century. Inspired by the work of writers like Moses Colt Tyler, the writer decides to take “magnified scale” in describing the literary history of the American society from its beginning to the modern literature which includes novelists, poets and fictitious writers. The writer has tried to explain the developments in American literature in the same way as the former did and explained the rise and fall of different writers and writing traditions through time. According to the writer, American literature has not only affected the Americans but, it has a significant impact on all the societies of the world and is followed by them. Thesis The book is about the development of American literature through time. There is beautiful explanation of the introduction and evolution of different writing traditions in the American society from the start of the 17th century to the mid of 19th century. The book explains how the American literature was “hopeless” in the early colonial period and the difficulties faced by the writers of that time to make people read their books. The emergence of verse writers in the early period and a soft transition of time to the revolutionary period are the hall marks of the book. In the revolutionary period the book explains the development of a new sense of literature in the American society and its rapid progress. New traditions of writing emerged in the form of novelists, poets, fictitious writers, historians and humorists. There was a whole new way of writing and now the Americans were attracted towards their own literature and contributed a lot in its development and progress. Summary The Colonial period The early colonial period has been described as the darkest period in the history of American literature. The American literature in the early 17th century lacked the “karma” which could attract the citizens of American society towards itself. It lacked the sense of imagination and fancy that was supposed to be present in it and the writers at that time were doomed to face a society with a complete loss of sense of literature. In the early colonial period, Virginia and Massachusetts were considered as the two main influential centers. Their services are considered too valuable to be overlooked. Another important name in the early periods of American literature is Captain John smith (A British), who is considered to have significant contribution in the development of first English colony in America and the dissemination of English literature in the country. It was not only him but several other Englishmen are considered to have an influence on the American literature. It should not be wrong if said that Shakespeare was influenced by Strachey in writing the Tem Pest. Apart from the influences of Britain on the American society, the more affects of European adventurers in making America what it is now cannot be overlooked. However the earliest colonies almost totally represent English culture and traditions and the declaration of independence has freed us from explaining all those periods which are not actually to American literature. The counter argument that a country with its people cutting woods, plowing the land fighting Indian attacks cannot progress significantly when it comes to literature seems to be a strong reason against the lack of development in the early 17th century. However the truth is that the 17th and 18th century had taken many imaginative writers away from America. At that time the English writing, mainly the poetic writing consisted mainly of imaginative writings. But this imaginative writing did almost nothing for the English literature except a few writers like Milton and Baxter, of bunyan. The poetry of Virginia carried much less importance at that time as compared to the cavalier poetry which introduced poets like Suckling and Carew. America was unable to produce great poets at that time either due to lack of enthusiasm or the peoms were too heroic to be famous at that time. “…the writers were more or less clerkly men, not soldiers of fortune.” Only a few poets like William Bradford were able to produce something with a touch of description and showing the fines of one’s own character. With the publishment of first book in New England and its opponent some years later, the demand of elegies and memorial verses increased and the quality of writing improved. After these first books were published the rate of progress in the field of literature increased and new poets came some of which succeeded and some disappeared with time only after writing a few poems. Just like the poetics, the other literary aspects of American literature owe a lot to the Englishmen for their development and here comes again Captain John smith who found a lot to write on during his stay in the early colonies and came up with “The history of Virginia” in 1624. His works were full of life and could attract a reader of any sort, exactly what the American culture needed at that. Other writers like Winslow and Bradford also contributed a lot to the American literature. With time the American literature progressed. New and innovative writers emerged and an era of publishing started. New writers contributed a lot but some vanished due to the lack of quality in their work. However the American literature still seemed to be influenced largely by foreign cultures, most importantly the British. The revolutionary period The revolutionary period in the history of American literature has been considered as an era of development and progression. In this period new trends and traditions of writing was introduced. These new trends gave the American literature a complete new look. It included humorous, poetic, fictitious writing and publications. Every writer tried to give a new touch to his writing. Romantic writing was introduced. Poets tried to write something which could attract people and allow them to interpret its meaning according to their own mindsets. Irving and Cooper, two such writers of the revolutionary period are regarded as veterans and true representatives of the American literature. And their work has no mach in merit when it comes to romantic writing and poetics. While these two were contributing with their maximum possible efforts toward the American literature, more writers like Hawthorne and Poe emerged with their fictitious writings and a promise for the future progress of American literature. One of the greatest romances of the era is “The Scarlet Letter”, despite the great work of Cooper. Even though there was a lot of progress in the era but, it was not until 1840 when the first story regarding fiction was published. And this era has been named as the era of short stories. These short stories allowed the relatively inexperienced writers of America to cope with the work of Cooper and also the publishers to find a way to avoid copying English novels. “Ten days and nights, with sleepless eye, I watched that wretched man, And since I never dare to write As funny as I can,” Some line from Holmes, displaying the uniqueness and quality of the work by the American writers in the 19th century. Novelists were also an important addition to literary society of American culture in the 19th century, one of them was Taylor, whose work brought praises from all over the world, even from people like Longfellow who are rather notorious than famous in the history of American literature. The civil war and changes occurring in the aorld at that time were the most significant factors in development of novel, poetry and fictional writings. Another important aspect of American literature in the 19th century was the addition of humor. Humor gave a complete new look to the American literature. However the American society has not given much importance to it and “American Humor” has been regarded as “National Humor” by them. Conclusion The book written by William P. Trent is a beautiful illustration of the early developments in the field literature in the American society. The reader gets totally indulged in the book and considers himself as a part of the era/time he’s studying on. There is a soft transition of time starting from the early colonial period to the modern literature of the American society. The example well illustrated and completely described, gives the reader a complete overview of the history as well as keeps him/her attracted towards the book. The writer has provided the book with every single detail regarding the history of American literature. there is details about the early colonial period and the verse writers in it, with the development of English colonies and their continuous influence on the American literature. The book explains the developmental changes and the causes that lead to these changes e.g. the civil war. To conclude, the book is a very valuable source to study the history of American literature and a classic example of the American literature itself. References Trent, William P. A History of American Literature, 1607-1865. New York: D. Appleton and Co, 1903. Print. glance, with a mere, will deal chiefly, and if not entire. 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