Contents
FREE AMERICAN LITERATURE B.A ENGLISH (HONS.) Best Notes
- The rise of Transcendentalism, a philosophical movement that emphasized intuition and individualism.
- The growth of American nationalism.
- The Industrial Revolution, which transformed the American economy and society.
- The expansion of the United States westward.
- The increasing tensions between the North and the South that would eventually lead to the Civil War
AMERICAN LITERATURE B.A ENGLISH (HONS.) Best Notes- Studying American Literature as part of a Bachelor of Arts in English (Honors) is a fascinating journey into the rich tapestry of American literary tradition. Throughout your degree, you’ll explore a diverse array of texts spanning different historical periods, genres, and cultural contexts. From the works of early American writers like Edgar Allan Poe and Nathaniel Hawthorne to modern voices like Toni Morrison and Jhumpa Lahiri, you’ll delve into the complexities of the American experience through literature.
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FREE AMERICAN LITERATURE B.A ENGLISH (HONS.) Best Notes- Your studies might cover seminal movements such as Transcendentalism, Realism, Modernism, and Postmodernism, examining how these literary movements both reflected and shaped American society. You’ll likely engage with critical theories and approaches that deepen your understanding of texts, such as feminist, postcolonial, and psychoanalytic perspectives.
Writing essays, conducting research, and participating in discussions will be integral to your learning experience, honing your analytical and critical thinking skills. Additionally, you may have the opportunity to explore elective courses or concentrations that align with your interests, such as African American literature, Native American literature, or literature of the American South.
Introduction to American Literature
Define American Literature and its scope, including its historical, cultural, and thematic diversity. Briefly discuss major literary movements such as Puritanism, Romanticism, Realism, Modernism, Harlem Renaissance, Postmodernism, and Contemporary Literature.
Colonial and Early American Literature
Explore the religious and moral themes in works like Anne Bradstreet’s poetry and the captivity narratives of Mary Rowlandson. Discuss the influence of Enlightenment ideas on American thought, as seen in the works of Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Paine.
19th Century American Literature
- Romanticism: Examine the themes of individualism, nature, and the supernatural in works by Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and Edgar Allan Poe.
- Transcendentalism: Explore the transcendentalist movement through the works of Emerson, Thoreau, and Margaret Fuller.
- Realism and Regionalism: Discuss the emergence of realism in the works of Mark Twain, William Dean Howells, and regionalist writers like Sarah Orne Jewett.
- Naturalism: Examine how naturalistic writers like Stephen Crane and Frank Norris depict the deterministic nature of human existence.
- Slave Narratives: Explore the narratives of former slaves like Frederick Douglass and Harriet Jacobs, examining themes of freedom, identity, and oppression.
20th Century American Literature
- Discuss the experimentation with form and style in the works of writers like T.S. Eliot, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Ernest Hemingway.
- Explore the cultural and artistic explosion of the Harlem Renaissance through the works of Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, and Claude McKay.
- Examine the emergence of Southern literature in the works of William Faulkner, Flannery O’Connor, and Eudora Welty.
- Discuss the countercultural movement of the Beat Generation and its impact on American literature through writers like Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, and William S. Burroughs.
- Explore the fragmentation of narrative and reality in postmodern works by authors such as Thomas Pynchon, Don DeLillo, and Toni Morrison
- Discuss the diversity of contemporary American literature, including the works of writers from various cultural backgrounds, genders, and identities.
Romantic Period (1820-1860)
FREE AMERICAN LITERATURE B.A ENGLISH (HONS.) Best Notes- The Romantic period in American literature (1820-1860) was a time of great creativity and innovation. American Romantic writers explored a wide range of themes, including individualism, nature, the sublime, dark Romanticism, and the American Dream.
Major Authors
William Cullen Bryant (1783-1878): Bryant was a poet who is best known for his nature poems, such as “Thanatopsis” and “To a Waterfowl.”
Washington Irving(1783-1859): Irving was a writer who is best known for his short stories, such as “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” and “Rip Van Winkle.” He also wrote biographies and histories.
James Fenimore Cooper (1789-1851): Cooper was a novelist who is best known for his Leatherstocking Tales series, which includes the novels The Pioneers and The Last of the Mohicans.
Edgar Allan Poe(1809-1849): Poe was a poet, short story writer, and literary critic. He is best known for his dark and suspenseful stories, such as “The Tell-Tale Heart” and “The Raven.”
Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-1864): Hawthorne was a novelist and short story writer who is best known for his dark and symbolic works, such as The Scarlet Letter and The House of the Seven Gables.
Walt Whitman (1819-1892): Whitman was a poet who is best known for his free verse poems, such as Leaves of Grass. Whitman’s poems celebrate democracy, individuality, and the beauty of nature. FREE AMERICAN LITERATURE B.A ENGLISH (HONS.) Best Notes
Herman Melville (1819-1891): Melville was a novelist who is best known for his epic novel Moby Dick. Melville’s novels explore themes of good and evil, man versus nature, and the nature of reality.
Emily Dickinson(1830-1886): Dickinson was a poet who is best known for her short, intense poems that often deal with themes of death, love, and religion. Dickinson’s poems were not published until after her death.
Themes and Movements
FREE AMERICAN LITERATURE B.A ENGLISH (HONS.) Best Notes- American Literature encompasses a wide range of themes and movements, reflecting the diversity of American society. From the transcendentalism of Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau to the realism of Mark Twain and Edith Wharton, each era brings its own unique perspective to the literary landscape. Themes such as freedom, identity, and the American Dream are central to many works of American Literature, providing readers with a deeper understanding of the values and ideals that shape the nation.
Impact on Society and Culture
FREE AMERICAN LITERATURE B.A ENGLISH (HONS.) Best Notes- American Literature has had a profound impact on society and culture, shaping our understanding of the world and ourselves. From Harriet Beecher Stowe’s “Uncle Tom’s Cabin,” which galvanized support for the abolitionist movement, to Arthur Miller’s “Death of a Salesman,” which critiques the American Dream, literature has the power to provoke thought, inspire change, and foster empathy. By studying American Literature, students gain insight into the ways in which literature reflects and influences the world around us, preparing them to engage critically with contemporary issues and debates.