American Literature (Old - up to 20th century)
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AN OUTLINE OF AMERICAN LITERATURE – From the beginning to 20th century
COLONIAL LITERATURE (1600 – 1776)
o The beginnings of American literature can be traced back to the 17th century. The first educated writers were explorers who
described Native Americans and strange plants and animals of the new continent.
o The first permanent settlers, the Puritans, wrote mainly religious text and educational texts.
AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY WAR (1776 – 1800)
o In the second half of the 18th century, when America was fighting for its independence, political texts were typical. Some of the
famous writers included Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson (“The Founding Fathers of the USA”)
19th CENTURY LITERATURE
o American literature developed in the area of FICTION after the American Revolution (at the end of 18th century).
o Romanticism brought American literature among the important literatures of the world.
JAMES FENIMORE COOPER (1789 – 1851)
- a prolific writer of the 1st half of the 19th century
- wrote historical fiction, was influenced by Romanticism (can be compared to Walter Scott)
- In his most famous books he describes American wilderness. -
His characters are idealized, he often gives contrasting views of Native Americans, divides them into “bad ones” (e.g.
the Hurons)
and “good ones” (Chingachgook, the last chief of the Mohicans, is portrayed as noble, courageous, and heroic figure.
Leather-Stocking Tales is a series of 5 novels (published 1820´s-1840´s, stories set among 1740 – 1804).
The central character is a young, white hunter, Natty Bumppo, called 'Leather-Stocking', a brave, honest and kind man.
He grew up among the Indians and he is the close friend of the Mohican chief Chingachgook.
In the best book of the series, The Last of the Mohicans, Natty (known as Hawkeye), travels with Chingachgook and his son Uncas,
the only survivors of their tribe. They rescue Cora and Alice Munro, the Commander’s daughters, from French and the Hurons (Native
American tribe allied with the French). Later, when the girls are again seized by the Hurons, Cora and Uncas are killed. Hawkeye reaffirms
his friendship with Chingachgook.
EDGAR ALLAN POE (1809 – 1849)
He was a poet, short-story writer, editor,critic, and essayist. He was influenced by romantic tradition. His parents were touring
actors. He became an orphan at the age of two and was taken to home of John Allan, a rich businessman. Poe received an
excellent education. Poe was one of the first American writers to try making a career out of writing alone. Sometimes he had
trouble finding and keeping a job and coped withstress by drinking. In 1836 he married his 13-year-old cousin Virginia, who
became his life-long inspiration. The character of a beautiful girl reappears in his poetry and short stories. Her sudden death
from tuberculosis at the age of 24 reinforcedPoe’s drinking habit. In 1849 he was found unconscious on a street and died soon
in hospital.
HIS POETRY: The aim of his poems was to find beauty and harmony. According to Poe, the death of a young beautiful woman is 'the most
poetic subject'. His best poems is The Raven (1845). One stormy midnight a raven visits a student who has lost his love (she died).
The student asks if he can ever meet her again. But the raven, the symbol of death in the poem, can only say one word –
nevermore. Formally, the poem stands out because of its rhyme.
HIS SHORT STORIES: Poe also ranks among the best writers of the short story. His stories are all admirably constructed. (published 19830´s, 1840´s)
➢ He wrote horror stories The Fall of the House Usher, The Pit and the Pendulum, The Black Cat and Other Stories (1843).➢ and he established the technique for modern detective story in The Murders in the Rue Morgue.