American literature is heavily influenced and molded by what has been happening in the American region for centuries.
What we see today as America came into being by the end of the 19th century after many conflicts, rebellions, and two major world wars. Throughout this period, people's thinking and perceptions changed, which is apparent from their literary writings.
To walk you through the major periods of American Literature, Superprof traces back to the seventeenth century and covers all events since then.
What's The Meaning Of American Literature And What Is Its Importance?
Europeans came to America in the 17th Century and observed and absorbed their surroundings and penned them down, creating exceptional masterpieces.
People like John Smith are held in high regard as he was the one who made several notable contributions to initiating literature in America. His books include A True Relation of…Virginia…(1608) and The Generall Historie of Virginia, New England, and the Summer Isles (1624).
Many people today are substantively interested in opting for American literature as their primary subject so that they can become published authors. As a result, they enroll in American literature courses or pursue a literature degree.
Superprof is an in-person and virtual tutoring expert, and our experts can teach you about American Literature from scratch to perfection.
See how you can discover the most effective english courses online here.
What Are The Five Major Periods In American Literature?
Since the 17th century, several authors have contributed to building, developing, and evolving American Literature.
American literature is divided into five periods. Let's have a look at them;
| Era | Time Frame | Period Name |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Era | 17th century to 1830 | The Colonial and Early National Period |
| 2nd Era | 1830 to 1870 | The Romantic Period |
| 3rd Era | 1870 to 1910 | Realism and Naturalism |
| 4th Era | 1910 to 1945 | The Modernist Period |
| 5th Era | 1945 to present | The Contemporary Period |
- The First Era Of American Literature
This period encompasses the works of European settlers who narrated real-life non-fiction stories of populating the colonies and settling in a new place. This is why you will find many instances of British literature in this phase.
Some prominent names who contributed at that time are John smith, Nathaniel Ward, John Winthrop, and Anne Bradstreet.
By 1776 – post-American Independence – more fictional writing started to flow in the country from Great Britain. For instance, The Federalist Papers (1787–88), by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay, is one of the many pieces that exhibited the country's political situation at that time.
Find out about the most effective english class near me here.
The works of notable writers at that time are as follows;
| Year | Author | Published Work |
|---|---|---|
| 1793 | Benjamin Franklin | Benjamin Franklin's Autobiography |
| 1773 | Phillis Wheatley | Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral |
| 1789 | William Hill Brown | The Power of Sympathy |
| 1789 | Olaudah Equiano | Autobiography — The Interesting Narrative |
| 1819 - 1820 | Washington Irving | The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent |
| 1823 - 1841 | Leatherstocking Tales | James Fenimore Cooper |
As the 18th century began, true Americans started to come forward. However, there was a certain British touch in their works.
- The Second Era Of American Literature
The next American literature period was a swift dive into romanticism, containing authors' authentic and unfiltered expressions. These works were different from the past era as they gave an edge to the subjective over the objective.
The period began in Western Europe towards the end of the 18th century, and American authors welcomed it in the 19th century.
Several new authors and writers started emerging in New England, writing down their perceptions of American society. In the 1850s, the civil war influenced much of the poetry. Some of the greatest works of reputable authors of that time include;
| Year | Author | Published Work |
|---|---|---|
| 1839 | Edgar Allan Poe | The Fall of the House of Usher |
| 1841 | Edgar Allan Poe | The Murders in the Rue Morgue |
| 1845 | Edgar Allan Poe | The Raven |
| 1846 | Edgar Allan Poe | The Cask of Amontillado |
| 1835 | Nathaniel Hawthorne | Young Goodman Brown |
| 1850 | Nathaniel Hawthorne | The Scarlet Letter |
| 1851 | Nathaniel Hawthorne | The House of the Seven Gables |
| 1854 | Henry David Thoreau | Walden |
| 1851 - 1852 | Harriet E. Wilson | Uncle Tom's Cabin |
| 1859 | Frances Ellen Watkins Harper | Two Offers |
| 1853 | William Wells Brown | Clotel |
- The Third Era Of American Literature
The next American literature period is known as 'realism' because of the severe circumstances faced by Americans during this time.
The civil war in the US caused extensive bloodshed and the loss of lives. It has been reported that between 1861 to 1865, more than 2.3 million soldiers fought, and there were almost 851,000 deaths.
Faced with such devastating times, naturalism became American writers' primary mode of communication and expression. Some of their most significant works include;
| Date | Author | Published Work |
|---|---|---|
| 1877 | Henry James | The American |
| 1881 | Henry James | The Portrait of a Lady |
| 1893 | Maggie | A Girl of the Streets |
| 1895 | Stephen Crane | The Red Badge of Courage |
| 1897 | Henry James | What Maisie Knew |
| 1899 | Frank Norris | McTeague |
| 1900 | Theodore Dreiser | Sister Carrie |
| 1901 | Frank Norris | The Octopus |
| 1902 | Henry James | The Wings of the Dove |
| 1903 | Frank Norris | The Pit |
| 1904 | Henry James | The Golden Bowl |
- The Fourth Era Of American Literature
At the start of the 20th century, Americans welcomed change for a better, brighter future. There were significant developments in science, technology, and machinery which were much needed to pull the depressed nation from the aftermath of World War I. Therefore, this period is known as the 'Modernist Periods.'
There was also the introduction of drama in American literature, which was primarily extracted from European theatres. Some of the noteworthy events of that age include;
| # | Date | Event |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1912 | Harriet Monroe founded Poetry magazine in Chicago |
| 2 | 1920s | E.E. Cummings, Marianne Moore, and Edna St. Vincent Millay expressed a spirit of revolution and experimentation in their poetry |
| 3 | 1930s | Langston Hughes, Clifford Odets, and Lillian Hellman wrote plays that highlighted injustice in America. |
| 4 | 1938 | Thornton Wilder created a realistic (and enormously influential) vision of small-town America in Our Town |
- The Fifth Era Of American Literature
From the start of the contemporary period, American literature has been heavily influenced by proxy wars, conflicts with the Soviet Union, civil rights movements, gender rights movements, racial movements, sexuality debates, culture, and so on.
Today it is open to various nationalities and backgrounds, giving more freedom to authors to take a broad and bold approach. Nowadays, you will notice extensive creativity, freedom of speech, and room for far-reaching ideas.
The most remarkable works of the contemporary period are as follows;
| Year | Author | Published Work |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | Gwendolyn Brooks | Annie Allen - bagged a Pulitzer Prize |
| 1952 | Ralph Ellison | Invisible Man |
| 1955 | Vladimir Nabokov | Lolita |
| 1959 | Lorraine Hansberry | A Raisin in the Sun |
| 1960 | Alice Walker | Novel and short stories |
| 1965 | Malcolm X and Alex Haley | Autobiography of Malcolm X (As Told to Alex Haley) |
| 1969 | Ursula K. Le Guin | The Left Hand of Darkness |
| 1970 | Toni Morrison | The Bluest Eye |
| 1979 | Norman Mailer | The Executioner's Song |
How To Study American Literature With Superprof?
Long gone are the times when people used to bury themselves in books to study and explore different types of literary works. The modern world provides us with the excellent leverage of technology.
The novel innovation of online education makes it easy and practical to acquire an American literature online course. Moreover, the web has several literature classes and teachers which can help you understand this niche inside out.
Alternatively, you can hire an online private tutor from a reputable platform like Superprof.
Our teachers can help you learn this subject and become a published author in no time. Our top-tier experts come with verified reviews and are available at affordable per-hour rates.
Superprof is known for its excellence and a wide variety of subjects, such as arts, mathematics, science, sports, languages, dance, hobbies, career development, and literature.
Our students and their learning is our top priority. Therefore, feel free to hire an online private tutor from us.
Enjoyed this article? Leave a rating!
Loading...
