A Panorama of American Literature - Edward Wagenknecht

A Panorama of American Literature by Edward Wagenknecht

Edward Wagenknecht's A Panorama of American Literature is a comprehensive and engaging survey of American literature from the colonial period to the mid-twentieth century. Wagenknecht's writing is clear, concise, and often witty, and he has a gift for bringing the works of American literature to life.

The Colonial Period

The colonial period of American literature is often seen as a time of imitation, as American writers looked to England for models of how to write. However, Wagenknecht argues that there was also a great deal of originality in colonial literature, and he points to the works of writers such as Anne Bradstreet, Edward Taylor, and Benjamin Franklin as evidence of this.

The Revolutionary Period

The Revolutionary period was a time of great upheaval in American society, and this is reflected in the literature of the period. Writers such as Thomas Paine, Thomas Jefferson, and Phillis Wheatley used their writing to argue for independence from England, and their works helped to inspire the American Revolution.

The Early National Period

The early national period of American literature was a time of great growth and expansion. The United States was a new nation, and its writers were eager to create a new literature that would reflect the country's unique identity. Writers such as Washington Irving, James Fenimore Cooper, and Edgar Allan Poe helped to establish American literature as a force to be reckoned with.

The Transcendentalist Movement

The Transcendentalist movement was a major force in American literature in the mid-nineteenth century. Transcendentalists believed that the individual was capable of transcending the limitations of the material world and achieving a higher spiritual plane. Writers such as Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and Margaret Fuller were all part of the Transcendentalist movement, and their works reflect their belief in the power of the individual.

The Realist Movement

The Realist movement was a reaction to the Transcendentalist movement. Realists believed that literature should accurately depict the real world, without idealizing it. Writers such as William Dean Howells, Mark Twain, and Henry James were all part of the Realist movement, and their works offer a gritty and often unflattering look at American society.

The Modernist Movement

The Modernist movement was a major force in American literature in the early twentieth century. Modernists believed that the traditional forms of literature were no longer adequate to express the complexities of the modern world. Writers such as T.S. Eliot, Ezra Pound, and William Faulkner were all part of the Modernist movement, and their works are characterized by their experimental style and their rejection of traditional narrative structures.

The Postmodernist Movement

The Postmodernist movement is a complex and multifaceted movement that emerged in the late twentieth century. Postmodernists reject the idea of a single, objective truth, and they believe that all knowledge is relative. Writers such as Thomas Pynchon, Don DeLillo, and Toni Morrison are all part of the Postmodernist movement, and their works reflect their rejection of traditional notions of truth and reality.

Conclusion

A Panorama of American Literature is a comprehensive and engaging survey of American literature from the colonial period to the mid-twentieth century. Wagenknecht's writing is clear, concise, and often witty, and he has a gift for bringing the works of American literature to life. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in American literature.