Survey American Literature
Week 1: The beginnings
American Literature
American Literature
American literature can be said to start with publication in 1809 of Washington Irving’s A History of
New York. Written by the fictional character of Diedrich Knickerbocker, the book gives a largely
accurate account New York history, albeit filled with satire. Irving’s history of New York can be seen
as the start of American literature.
Before this book, and the subsequent The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent American writing
existed largely of personal history, political writing and philosophy, the noted exception being Anne
Bradstreet (1612-1672). Anne Bradstreet produced the first sustained body of poetry in British North
America. This was highly polished, of the same level of John Donne (For more on Anne Bradstreet,
see Northon from page 112).
Legendary writing
Yet there was a model to base literature on. Washington Irving and James Fenimore Cooper both
followed the style of Benjamin Franklin. He wrote in a serious, but funny tone. He’s witty, not trying
to make you laugh, but smile (pompous). It’s sort of the same as Irving, but Irving writes as another
person. What Irving also did, is referencing to a lot of classics to make the epic history of New York,
even though he’s making fun of it.
They followed Franklin because of his wit. He was intelligent urbane, and erudite. His work was the
essence of the 18th century in English literature.
Nationbuilding
The New Nation
Irving and Cooper are creating history by writing about America. In 1776, the American revolution
ended the British Realm as the source of community in the 13 colonies. They were no more subjects
to the crown, and there was no more unity to the people. The revolution challenged the idea of the
monarchy, and natural adherence to his rule.
In its place, came the sovereign nation state. Political writing determined a part of the rules. This
nation was not yet a community.
Heroes
There already were heroes: George Washington (and the cherry tree), Andrew Jackson (and the
boots). Irving and Cooper are also creating heroes, by writing legends about people who did not
exist. Such as Natty ‘Hawkeye’ Bumpo and the Mohicans or Rip van Winkle.
Imagined community
Imagined communities means that there is merely an idea of a nation, but that’s constructed, it’s not
reality. People have an idea of the nation, through cultural expression. They have not met all their
countrymen, which is impossible. From this can be concluded that communities are constructed. The
imagined nature does not mean it is not strong or perceived as real.
Sir Walter Scott
,Irving and Fenimore Cooper were not alone in creating such nationalist mythology. In the UK, Sir
Walter Scott was creating a Scottish identity, in novels like Rob Roy (1817), which highlighted hitherto
unimportant aspects of Scottish culture, like tartans and kilts. Like Irving and Fennimore Cooper did
for America, Scott did for Scotland: create a national identity. The aspects highlighted by them
become short-hand for national identity. Scott turned these into a major national symbol. It’s
imagined, as Roy made them into a national symbol
Washington Irving
What is interesting about Washington Irving is that he is a funny writer, and that he’s writing fiction.
He made great effort to make it more believable to the reader. He made a frame narrative of ‘Rip
van Winkle’ for example. What was also funny or ironic is that he was writing an invented history of
Dutch New York.
His characters are classics of American Folklore. His stories have become central parts of American
folklore and ideas.
He builds on existing American legends.
So, ”Rip van Winkle”
What is remarkable about the story is what it’s doing. In this new nation, Irving writes a story about
its past. As Bill Faulkner wrote in Requiem for a Nun: “ The past is never dead. It's not even past.”
In the world that is radically changing, Rip van Winkle is a connection to the past. Remember, by the
time Irving is writing his tale, the American revolution is no longer the most important thing that
happened in the last 50 years, that’s the French Revolution, Napoleon and Waterloo.
Assignment
1: Read the introduction by Irving, of Knickerbocker (515-6), and the final note to the text (526-527)
What is this doing? Why is it here? How does this describe Knickerbocker? Why?
It all comes down to the question of credibility. A frame narrative is used so someone tells the story.
It makes the story more believable. Knickerbocker is a storyteller which gives a feel that you can trust
him.
Another thing to remember is the time frame. Rip goes from 1770 to 1790. The Declaration of
Independence was signed in 1776. The story was published in 1819. So between 1790 and 1819, a
meeting between Knickerbocker and Rip must have taken place. Which is a really short time for a
story to become folklore. In between 1790 and 1819, Knickerbocker is also writing the history of New
York.
America was a new nation with a new national literature. Irving was creating a national history by
connecting it back to Hendrik Hudson, while all these other important things have already happened/
He’s making the Declaration of Independence seem really important (as if trying to show off how
happy America is after their divorce with the Brits).
2: Read the description of the Catskills and the Village (516 from “Whoever” to “Holland.” Find the
words that describe the landscape. Is there a pattern to these words? What does it mean? Do the
same for the description of the village.
,The mountains were described very positively. There are also magical elements in the descriptions
which foreshadows the magic elements later in the story.
The nature is also what links everyone. It’s what makes the nation.
What is remarkable, furthermore, is that the village was described as old, timeless (it does not seem
to have changed, according to Knickerbocker). This forms a contrast with what Rip experiences. In his
eyes, the village has changed.
Another thing that’s used, is the yellow bricks. The Golden Age of Holland was transported to British
colonies.
3: Read the description of Rip van Winkle (516-517, from ”In that Same Village” to ”Impossible”. Find
the words that define Rip. Is there a pattern? What does it mean?
There’s a pattern in the description of Rip: obedient, obliging, hard-working, except for anything
concerning his wife or home. A meaning for this is that this represents the resistance against the
crown (Dame van Dyne = crown/England). He does help the people (America). His wife causes this
attitude, so England causes the attitude of America towards them. All the things that describe Rip
positively (good-natured, kind, popular, perseverance) can also be used by the Americans to describe
themselves. This is used to emphasize how great America is and how much they dislike England.
This is quite a common reading of the story. What’s remarkable though, is that Rip does not change.
He does not become hardworking, his daughter and son in law are. The rest of the village, thus,
seems to be more prototypical American. What is certain is that Rip is not ruled by anything.
Dame van Winkle & Rip have their equals in popular culture. Dame van Winkle is emasculating Rip.
He tends to walk around with children as he, himself, is a child too. So when she’s dead, it doesn’t
matter as he was already a child. Christine is kind, nurturing, and prosperous, as she has a hard-
working man at her side.
The American Revolution
The conflict
In 1763, the British army won the the
French-Indian wars. It established
stronger control over the 13 colonies.
It raised new taxes on the colonies, to
pay for the maintaining of the
connection to the British Empire.This
was very unpopular
The British colonies in America were
ruled by laws enacted by the British
Parliament in Westminster. Yet the
colonies had no representation in
Parliament, no MP. This lead to the
Boston Tea Party.
“No taxation without representation.
The provincial congresses
The people within colonies rejected the rules of Parliament, and started their own congresses to rule
themselves. In 1774 the provincial congresses combined to form the first Continental Congress •The
British sent troops to dissolve local government. The congress appealed to King George III, to
intervene in its struggle with Parliament. The King declared the colonies ‘in rebellion’ > War
(Rational) ideology ( Enlightenment)
, The age of Enlightenment was an intellectual and philosophical movement. Famous philosophers
were Voltaire (French) and Locke (Scottish). Voltaire argued for the freedom of speech and Locke was
famous for ‘The Social Contract’. This entailed that the king has a contract with the people and it was
in their right to overthrow him if they wanted.
Another ideology is republicanism:
- Liberty and Unalienable Rights are
central
- The people (as whole) are sovereign
- Supports active government to promote
the common good
- Rejection of inherited political power
- Civic Duty
- Corruption is a fundamental problem
Cultural independence: Creating a mythology
American independence
After 1776, the US was an independent country in name, but culturally it felt itself to be a cultural
backwater. This was a deeply felt problem: in 1780 Noah Webster wrote: “America must be as
independent in literature as she is in politics”. Bradstreet’s poems fit in with this ideal, but the rest of
pre-revolutionary writing is written not as literature, but as propaganda, manifesto, testament,
history. In the early 19th century, an distinct American culture developed, especially in painting, but
also in writing.
John Trumbull
John Trumbull was an
American artist during the
period of the American
Revolutionary War and
was notable for his
historical paintings. His
paintings fitted in with
18th century fashion in
historical painting. He
showed the revolutionaries of
the American Revolution as Statesmen, comparable with the great
politicians of Europe.
Other paintings show the exotic aspects of America, like John James
Audubon’s Birds of America.
Thomas Cole
Thomas Cole (1801-1848)
was an English-born
American artist. Founder of
the Hudson River School,
an American art
