SCHOOL of HUMANITIES Uttarakhand Open University

PROGRAMME CODE: MAEL 20 SEMESTER III AMERICAN LITERATURE- I (MAEL 605) SEMESTER IV AMERICAN LITERATURE-II (MAEL 610) SCHOOL OF HUMANITIES Uttarakhand Open University PROGRAMME CODE: MAEL 20 SEMESTER III AMERICAN LITERATURE- I (MAEL 605) SEMESTER IV AMERICAN LITERATURE-II (MAEL 610) SCHOOL OF HUMANITIES Uttarakhand Open University Phone nos. 05964-261122, 261123 Toll Free No. 18001804025 Fax No. 05946-264232, e-mail info @uou.ac.in http://uou.ac.in Board of Studies Prof. H.P.Shukla (Chairperson) Prof. S.A.Hamid (Retd.) Director Dept. of English School of Humanities Kumaun University Uttarakhand Open University Nainital Haldwani Prof. D.R.Purohit Prof. M.R.Verma Senior Fellow Dept. of English Indian institute of Advanced studies Gurukul Kangri University Shimla, Himachal Pradesh Haridwar Programme Developers & Editors Dr. H.P. Shukla Dr. Suchitra Awasthi(Coordinator) Professor,Dept. of English Assistant Professor Director,School of humanities Dept. of English Uttarakhand Open University Uttarakhand Open University Unit Writers Dr.SuchitraAwasthi Semester III Units- 1,2,3,4 Uttarakhand Open University, Haldwani SaurabhUpreti Semester III Units-5,6 Bipin Chandra Tripathi Kumaun Engineering Collgee Dwarahat Dr. SunainaRawat Semester III Units-7,8,9,10 Govt.Degree College, Lambgaon, TehriGarhwal Dr. Hemant K. Shukla Semester IV Units- 1,2,3,4 Govt. Degree College, Talwari (Chamoli) Dr. Mohit Mani Tripathi DAV College, Kanpur Semester IV Units- 5,6 Edition: 2020 ISBN: 978-93-84632-20-5 Copyright: Uttarakhand Open University, Haldwani e-mail: [email protected] Published by: Registrar, Uttarakhand Open University, Haldwani Printer: CONTENTS SEMESTER III MAEL 605 BLOCK 1 : POETRY Unit 1 Walt Whitman :An Introduction 02-12 Unit 2 Walt Whitman: Sections 1, 32 & 52 from “Song of Myself” 13-22 Unit 3 Emily Dickinson : An Introduction 23-29 Unit 4 “Much Madness is divinest Sense” “I heard a Fly buzz-when I died” “The Soul selects her own Society” “The Brain-is wider than the sky” 30-38 Unit 5 Robert Frost: An Introduction 39-49 Unit 6 Robert Frost: “Mending Walls” “After Apple Picking” “Death of a Hired Man” “Birches” 50-62 BLOCK 2 : NOVEL Unit 7 Ernest Hemingway:A Farewell to Arms (1) 63-72 Unit 8 Ernest Hemingway: A Farewell to Arms (2) 73-86 Unit 9 Tony Morrison: The Bluest Eye (1) 87-96 Unit 10 Tony Morrison: The Bluest Eye (2) 97-107 SEMESTER IV MAEL 610 BLOCK 1 : DRAMA Unit 1 Eugene O’Neill: The Emperor Jones (1) 109-122 Unit 2 Eugene O’ Neill: The Emperor Jones (2) 123-139 Unit 3 Arthur Miller: Death of a Salesman (1) 140-150 Unit 4 Arthur Miller: Death of a Salesman (2) 151-179 BLOCK 2 : NON FICTIONAL PROSE Unit 5 Ralph Waldo Emerson: “The Over soul” 180-190 Unit 6 Henry David Thoreau: “Civil Disobedience” 191-201 AMERICAN LITERATURE I / AMERICAN LITERATURE II MAEL-605/610 SEMESTER III Uttarakhand Open University 1 AMERICAN LITERATURE I / AMERICAN LITERATURE II MAEL-605/610 UNIT 1 WALT WHITMAN-I 1.1. Introduction 1.2. Objectives 1.3. Walt Whitman: A Biographical Account 1.4. Walt Whitman as a Poet 1.4.1. ‘The Bard of Democracy’ 1.4.2. Whitman’s Mysticism 1.4.3. Whitman as the Worshipper of Human Body 1.4.4. Whitman’s Poetic Style 1.4.4.1. Whitman as the Father of Free Verse 1.4.4.2. Whitman’s Poetic Diction 1.4.4.3. Parallelism in Whitman’s Poetry 1.4.4.4. Cataloging 1.4.4.5. Anaphora 1.4.4.6. Symbols 1.4.5. Major Themes of Walt Whitman’s Poems 1.5. Leaves of Grass 1.6. Glossary 1.7. Answers to Self Assessment Questions 1.8. Summary 1.9. References 1.10. Terminal and Model Questions Uttarakhand Open University 2 AMERICAN LITERATURE I / AMERICAN LITERATURE II MAEL-605/610 1.1. INTRODUCTION Some writers are so representative of their age that it becomes essential for the reader to understand their times as well. Walt Whitman was one such writer who witnessed in one of the most turbulent times of American history, the American Civil War. The American Civil War was largely responsible for defining Whitman as a thinker and a writer. Thus, it becomes equally important for the reader to understand the America of Whitman’s times as well. Whitman is no doubt one of the giants of American literature, read and appreciated by generation of readers. However, he is chiefly associated with the issues of slavery and war. Slavery was the burning issue of Whitman’s times. However, it is worth noting that opposition to slavery did not begin in the 1850s, the decade of the Civil War. Sane voices against slavery could be heard as early as in 1776 when the first draft of the Declaration of Independence was written. The draft opposed slave trade as a “cruel war against human nature itself, violating its most sacred rights of life and liberty.” However, this concern for the slaves did not find its way into the final document and the issue of slavery remained unresolved for almost a century thereafter. If we trace the history of slavery, it was a legal institution that had existed in the United States since the early years of the colonial rule. Thereafter, it firmly established in 1776, the year United States gained independence from Great Britain. However, with efforts like the Missouri Compromise and the Compromise of 1850, slavery was gradually abolished in the states that lay above the Mason Dixon line. However, slavery existed in the South where slaves worked in large plantations especially cotton. The Southerners defended slavery as they believed that their life blood depended upon it. When all efforts made by the abolitionists to end slavery failed, war became inevitable. This war between the pro slavery and the anti slavery states came to be known as the American Civil War which lasted from 1861-1865. President Abraham Lincoln was one of the main proponents of the rights of the slaves and dreamed of a united, slavery free America. He once stated, “If slavery is not wrong, nothing is wrong.” President Lincoln made untiring endeavours to end slavery through efforts like the Emancipation Proclamation. Eventually his efforts bore fruit when the Thirteenth Amendment abolished slavery permanently from the United States. However, 15 April 1865, the eve before the final victory of the Unionists, was an ill-fated eve in the history of American literature as President Lincoln, the man behind abolition of slavery was assassinated. President Lincoln was every man’s hero. He was admired by the entire country and was often eulogized by writers as well. One such writer who was greatly influenced by Lincoln was Walt Whitman. Whitman is often identified with Lincoln. Like Lincoln, Whitman had always dreamed of a United and Democratic America. He saw in Lincoln a people’s leader and “the comprehensive, all-directing soul he had long been seeking.” Lincoln too was drawn towards Whitman in many ways and on one occasion Whitman shared that “…we exchange bows and very cordial ones” and also confirmed that once Lincoln gave him a long friendly stare. When Lincoln was assassinated, Whitman was devastated. He dubbed his death as “the tragic splendor…purging, illuminating all.” He paid rich tributes to Lincoln in two of Whitman’s best-known poems “O Captain! My Captain!” and “When Lilacs Last in Dooryard Bloomed”. In “When Lilacs Last in Dooryard Bloomed” Whitman draws a brilliant analogy when he compares himself to a solitary thrush which is singing a “Song of the bleeding throat”, lamenting the death of Lincoln and likens Abraham Lincoln to the great star that dropped early in the western sky. Uttarakhand Open University 3 AMERICAN LITERATURE I / AMERICAN LITERATURE II MAEL-605/610 Let us now read about Whitman who along with Lincoln is still remembered in America as the champion of American democracy. 1.2. OBJECTIVES In this very first Unit on American literature you will be introduced to one of the most influential of American writers -Walt Whitman. I am sure that most of you will be familiar with his name as his famous elegy “O Captain! My Captain!” is taught in most of the schools worldwide. This unit will introduce you to Whitman, whose experimental techniques and liberal attitude earned him the title of the first modern American poet. Whitman’s poetry, like Whitman himself is diverse and can be read through various lenses. It contains multitudes and is often associated with democracy, science, mysticism and at times even pornography. In this unit you will be given a background to Whitman’s age and life. It will also focus on Whitman’s writing style which will help you in understanding and appreciating his unique and distinct writing style. 1.3. WALT WHITMAN-A BIOGRAPHICAL ACCOUNT Walt Whitman was born as Walter Whitman Junior to Quaker Walter Whitman Senior and Louisa Van Velsor on May 31, 1819 on Long Island and raised in Brooklyn, New York. He was the second of nine children born to the couple. Whitman’s father was a farmer, a carpenter and an unsuccessful real estate speculator who could hardly support his large family. Thus, Whitman’s formal education came to a standstill at the age of eleven. At the age of twelve Whitman began to learn about printing press and typesetting and later worked for a Long Island weeklyPatriot which was edited by Samuel E. Clements. Whitman began his early career as a printer, editor, composer and teacher. Although Whitman was engaged in different trades, He kept the fire of knowledge burning inside him.

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