American Literature in Transition, 1851–1877

This book provides a fresh, revisionary account of American literature before, during, and after the Civil War.

Cody Marrs (Edited by)

9781108474542, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 23 June 2022

350 pages
23.5 x 15.8 x 2.6 cm, 0.68 kg

Between 1851 and 1877, the U.S. underwent a whirlwind of change. This volume offers a fresh account of this important era, assessing the many developments - both major and minor - that transformed American literature. In a wide range of chapters, scholars re-examine literary history before, during, and after the Civil War, revealing significant changes not only in how literature is written but also in how it is conceived, distributed, and consumed. Cutting across literary periods that are typically considered separate and distinct, and incorporating an array of methods and approaches, this volume discloses the Long Civil War to be an era of ongoing struggle and cultural contestation. It thus captures the dynamism of this period in American literary history as well as its ever-evolving field of study.

Introduction Cody Marrs
I. Careers: 1. Emily Dickinson Cristanne Miller
2. Frederick Douglass Gregory Laski
3. Augusta Jane Evans Melissa Homestead
4. Herman Melville Brian Yothers
5. John Rollin Ridge Alanna Hickey
6. Walt Whitman Peter Riley
7. Anonymous Michael Cohen
II. Networks: 8. Newspapers and Periodicals Ryan Cordell
9. Transamerican Literature Alberto Varon
10. Oceanic Literature Edward Sugden
11. Romanticism Jennifer Baker
12. Realism Todd Carmody
III. Exchanges: 13. Literature and/as Philosophy Michael Jonik
14. Literature and/as Science Mark Noble
15. Literature and/as Ecology Juliana Chow
16. Literature and/as Economics Andrew Kopec
IV. The Long Civil War: 17. The War before the War Maurice Lee
18. Union Literature Ian Finseth
19. Confederate Literature Christopher Hanlon
20. Reconstruction Literature Elizabeth Renker
21. The Global Civil War Elizabeth Duquette.

Subject Areas: Literary reference works [DSR], Literary studies: c 1800 to c 1900 [DSBF]