American Literature

• Many American literary figures developed a unique “American” literary style while others continued the British literary tradition.

• American literature of the 19th century (Romanticism)reflected nationalistic feelings and set the precedent for defining truly American literature in the future.

Noah Webster•Went to Yale but his family could not afford to go to law school after for money became a school teacher•Did not like the way American schools were run (to many kids, bad books etc.)•These books were from England and Webster thought the children should learn American English

A Grammatical Institute of the English Language:•divided into 3 parts: speller, reader, grammer•This textbook was used for over 100 years and over a million books were sold per year throughout America•Now future generations of Americans would speak Webster’s American English

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Webster’s Dictionary

• 1828 he published a dictionary• since free from Britain should be free from their

language (war 1812)• People would misunderstand and argue with each

other about the spelling or pronunciation of words• “Theatre” to “Theater”• Not taken seriously• Webster wanted to make all aspects of life

American • More anti-English than Nationalist• Help promote National Character

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William Cullen Bryant

the Poet• Poems Illustrate romantic

qualities (like England).• Was a major fan of the

Romantic Poetry that was coming out of Great Britain at the time.

• Once considered the greatest poet in America

• Audiences were shocked that William Cullen Bryant, an American, could write such beautiful poetry.

• Boosted American Pride

William Cullen Bryantthe Newspaper Editor

• Expressed human rights, free trade, and anti-slavery views in his Newspaper.

• Was EXTREMEMLY anti-slavery• Switched parties from Democrat to

Republican in the forties because the Democrats were too pro-slavery.

• Expressed liberal American ideology through his newspaper.

• Famous Works include:Famous Works include:• ““American Scholar” (Address)American Scholar” (Address)• Nature Nature (collection of essays)(collection of essays)• ““Divinity School Address”Divinity School Address”• Representative Men Representative Men (collection of (collection of

essays)essays)

• Themes mainly involved self-Themes mainly involved self-reliance and individualismreliance and individualism

• Best-known for his contributions to Best-known for his contributions to Transcendentalist movementTranscendentalist movement

Ralph WaldoRalph Waldo Emerson Emerson (1803 – 1882)(1803 – 1882)

Ralph Waldo EmersonRalph Waldo Emerson

•Lived during time of massive westward expansion and pre-civil war conflicts

•TranscendentalismTranscendentalism a social reform, religious, economic, and political movement revolving around American culture

John Greenleaf Whittier

• Was born on Dec 17, 1807 in Haverhill, Massachusetts

• Was the son of a Quaker • Was not formally educated to a high degree

(family was in farming), yet took a liking to literature

• Was the 2nd out of 4 children • At the age of 19, his work entitled The Exile's

Departure was accepted by William Lloyd Garrison

• From 1831 (From 1831 (Legends of New England in Prose Legends of New England in Prose and Verseand Verse) up until the civil war, almost all of ) up until the civil war, almost all of his works would focus on his abolitionist cause his works would focus on his abolitionist cause

• In 1833, Whittier attends the first Anti Slavery In 1833, Whittier attends the first Anti Slavery Convention in Pennsylvania Hall, PhiladelphiaConvention in Pennsylvania Hall, Philadelphia

• Founds the antislavery Liberty party in 1840 Founds the antislavery Liberty party in 1840 • After the Civil War (1866), Whittier publishes his After the Civil War (1866), Whittier publishes his

best selling work, best selling work, Snow-BoundSnow-Bound, which sells , which sells 20,000 copies20,000 copies

Main Works

Conclusion

Although literary trends fluctuated throughout time depending on the needs of the era, American literature helped to define American culture and reflected a sense of nationalism.

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Bibliography Continued8. Reynolds, David S. Beneath The American Renaissance. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1988.9. White, Morton. Science and Sentiment in America. New York: Oxford University Press, 1972. 10. The Walden Woods Project. Ralph Waldo Emerson. The Thoreau Institute at Walden Woods. 2007. 11. The American Spelling Book, by Noah Webster (Willmington: Bonsales & Niles 1800?). The

American Spelling Book, by Noah Webster (1800?). 4 Oct. 2007 12.<http://www.merrycoz.org/books/spelling/SPELLER.HTM>. Copright and Technology. 4 Oct. 2007 13. <http://www.edwardsamuels.com/illustratedstory/isc1.htm>. http://1828.mshaffer.com. 4 Oct.

2007 <http://1828.mshaffer.com/d/search/word,demephitize>. 14. "Poetry of William Cullen Bryant." Mega Essays.Com. 1 Oct. 2007

<http://www.megaessays.com/viewpaper/59722.html>. 15. "William Cullen Bryant (1794-1878)." American Literature on the Web. 7 Jan. 2002. 1 Oct. 2007

<http://www.nagasaki-gaigo.ac.jp/ishikawa/amlit/b/bryant19ro.htm>.16. "John Greenleaf Whittier." Amazon.Co.Uk. 30 Oct. 2007

<http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USASwhittier.htm>. 17. "John Greenleaf Whittier." John G. Whittier. 1 Oct. 2007 <http://www.johngreenleafwhittier.com/>.

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