Understanding Whitman’s ‘Song of Myself’ and Williams’ ‘Cat on a Hot Tin Roof’
Song of Myself
Whitman’s grand poem is, in its way, an American epic. Beginning in medias res—in the middle of the poet’s life—it loosely follows a quest pattern. “Missing me one place, search another,” he tells his reader, “I stop somewhere waiting for you.” In its catalogues of American life and its constant search for the boundaries of the self, “Song of Myself” has much in common with classical epic.
While “Song of Myself” is crammed with significant detail, there are three key episodes that
Spanish Experimental Novel: 1960s-1970s Literary Innovations
The Experimental Novel of the 1960s and 1970s
The experimental novel, prominent in the 1960s and 1970s, emphasized how things are said rather than simply what is said. Self-referential writing is one of its main themes. This novel reacted against the social realism of the 1950s and broke with the earlier linear narrative. In linear narrative, events follow a normal chronological order (past, present, and future).
In contrast, the experimental novel frequently features structural breaks, moving forwards
Read MoreAmerican Literary Periods: Key Authors and Characteristics
The Colonial Period
- Characteristics: Consisted of journals, travel logs, letters, and elegies about human experience. Prominent themes included witchcraft and religion. Puritan writing was often of low quality and discussed mundane events.
- Authors:
- Cotton Mather: Magnalia Christi Americana
- William Bradford
- Anne Bradstreet
Consolidation of American Literature
- Characteristics: Marked the consolidation of the USA as an independent country. The novel became popular. Writing from this period reflected attempts
Geographic Origins of Everyday Words and Concepts
Discover the fascinating places that gave their names to common objects, foods, concepts, and more.
Nankeen
- A sturdy yellow or buff cotton cloth.
- A Chinese porcelain with a blue-and-white pattern.
Origin: Nanjing (Nankeen), China
Nantua Sauce
A cream sauce flavored with shellfish.
Origin: Nantua, France
Nashville
The country music industry.
Origin: Nashville, the capital of Tennessee
Neanderthal
Crude or boorish.
Origin: Neanderthal, Germany
New England Clam Chowder
A thick soup made with clams, onions, salt pork,
Read MoreSpanish Modernism & Generation of ’98 Literary Movements
Modernism and the Generation of ’98 in Spanish Literature
In the early twentieth century, as realism fell into disrepute, aligning with the crisis of positivism and reason, many young writers confronted nineteenth-century literature. They shared common features with Romanticism and expressed dissatisfaction with their contemporary world.
Modernist writers, who sought refuge in aesthetics as a rejection of the world, and those like Unamuno, Baroja, and Azorín, who adopted a critical stance toward
Read MoreCatalan Literary and Artistic Heritage: Forms and Eras
Popular Literature Characteristics
- Anonymous: Authorship is often unknown.
- Traditional: Follows established guidelines and forms.
- Oral Transmission: Passed down from generation to generation.
- Unstable: Content may vary with each transmission.
- Inaccurate Dating: Precise origin is unclear, but vocabulary helps chronological placement.
- International: Themes and forms often transcend borders.
Traditional Songs: Forms and Themes
Religious songs feature simple melodies, often praising Jesus, the Virgin Mary,
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