3 Review(s)

Studies in Classic American Literature is valuable not only for the light it sheds on eighteenth and nineteenth century American consciousness, telling 'the truth of the day', but also as a prime example of Lawrence's learning, passion and integrity of judgement. To cite Herbert J. Seligmann, 'Studies in Classic American Literature alone is a foundation for a new American critical literature. Lawrence fertilizes with fire. No living American writing in a critical sense from now on will be able to ignore him.' Lawrence asserted that 'the proper function of a critic is to save the tale from the artist who created it' In these highly individual, penetrating essays he has exposed 'the American whole soul' within some of that continent's major works of literature. In seeking to establish the status of writings by such authors as Poe, Melville, Fenimore Cooper and Whitman, Lawrence himself has created a classic work. About the Author David Herbert Lawrence (1885-1930) was born at Eastwood, Nottinghamshire, fourth of the five children of a coal-miner and an ex-school teacher. He attended Nottingham High School and Nottingham University College. He grew up in considerable poverty. He ma¬triculated at the age of twenty-two and joined the staff of Davidson Road School in Croydon, an important move towards emotional and financial independence and the prelude to his literary career. His first novel, The White Peacock (l911) was followed by The Trespasser (1912). After the death of his mother to whom he had been abnormally close, he became seriously ill and gave up teaching. Sons and Lovers (1913) is a faithful autobiographical account of these early years. In 1912, he met Frieda Weekley, daugh¬ter of a German baron and wife of his old Professor at Nottingham. They fell in love and eloped to Germany. Their life was passionate and stormy; they married after Frieda's di¬vorce in 1914. During World War I the Lawrences at first lived in London, then moved to Cornwall. They developed close friendship with many of the literary figures of the period like David Garnett, Aldous Huxley, Betrand Russel, Lady Ottoline Morrell, Katherine Mansfield, John Middleton Murry and Richard Aldington. The Rainbow (1915), considered by many critics to be his best novel, was prosecuted by the au¬thorities and banned on grounds of obscenity. He completed another novel, Women in Love, but was notable to find a publisher. Lawrence's last novel, Lady Chatterley's Lover, was banned in 1928 and his paintings confiscated in 1929. He died in Vence in 1930 at age of fortyfour. During his life he had produced more than forty volumes of fiction, poetry, drama, criticism, philosophy and travel writ¬ing. Table of Contents 1. The Spirit of Place 2. Benjamin Franklin 3. Hector St John de Crèvecceur 4. Fenimore Cooper's White Novels 5. Fenimore Cooper's Leather stocking Novels 6. Edgar Allan Poe 7. Nathaniel Hawthorne and The Scarlet Letter 8. Hawthorne's Blithedale Romance 9. Dana's Two Years Before The Mast 10. Herman Melville's Typee and Omoo 11. Herman Melville's Moby Dick 12. Whitman