A History of American Literature

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

45353

Title

A History of American Literature

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

Percy Holmes Boynton's comprehensive survey traces American intellectual history from the seventeenth-century colonial settlements through the late nineteenth century. Focusing on major movements and significant figures rather than minor authors, the text illuminates the evolution of American self-consciousness and patriotism. It serves as an essential guide to representative classics in fiction, drama, and poetry, offering students critical context for understanding the nation's literary heritage.

Summary up to 500 words

Percy Holmes Boynton's *A History of American Literature* distinguishes the American literary tradition from European origins, noting it emerged not from primitive folk conditions but as a transplanted English culture. The narrative establishes an enduring framework based on the divergent paths of aristocratic Virginia and democratic Puritan Massachusetts. Early chapters detail the seventeenth-century struggles between Royalists seeking fortune and Puritans seeking religious freedom, highlighting distinct literary outputs ranging from informational accounts to religious sermons and poetry like the *Bay Psalm Book*. The text progresses through the Revolutionary era, examining the works of Philip Freneau and early drama before focusing on the Romantic period. Boynton provides substantial coverage of key figures such as Washington Irving's Knickerbocker School, James Fenimore Cooper's frontier fiction, and William Cullen Bryant's nature poetry. A significant portion is dedicated to the Transcendentalists, analyzing Ralph Waldo Emerson's philosophy, Henry David Thoreau's *Walden*, Nathaniel Hawthorne's psychological depth, and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's popular verse. The narrative expands to include Walt Whitman's revolutionary free verse and his frank exploration of human experience, which initially faced Victorian prejudice. It also covers the contributions of Harriet Beecher Stowe, Oliver Wendell Holmes, and the poets of the South. The book concludes by addressing the rise of realism through William Dean Howells and the emergence of Mark Twain, who brought vernacular speech to literature. Throughout, Boynton utilizes chronological charts and periodical lists to contextualize the development of American thought, emphasizing how literature reflected the changing ideals of the nation. The work aims to eliminate negligible detail to stress the men and movements most significant in American intellectual history, illustrating the growth of American self-consciousness.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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Categories

• American Literature