White Fire: The Influence of Emerson on MelvilleWhite Fire challenges the critical tradition that for nearly half a century has celebrated the power of blackness in American literature. This tradition presents Herman Melville as investigating, then rejecting the optimistic vision of Ralph Waldo Emerson because he lacked a viable sense of evil. Williams digs beneath the obvious contrasts between these two great contemporaries, asking three questions about their relationship: What was Emerson actually saying at the time Melville was serving his literary apprenticeship? How much did Melville know of Emerson's provocative thought? What use did Melville make of ideas and images that Emerson, more than any other contemporary, espoused? In his findings, Williams views Melville as far less the independent critic of Emerson that modern critics have described and far more the responsive artist and opportunist, absorbing images and ideas from the most readily available sources and transforming them into art. |
Contents
Creativity as a Social Phenomenon | 3 |
Transcendental Fires in New England | 29 |
Emersons Lectures 18481850 | 45 |
Copyright | |
7 other sections not shown
Common terms and phrases
aboard aesthetic Ahab Ahab's American Scholar angle of vision artist beauty Billy Budd Billy's Boston Daily Republican Captain Chapter character civilized conception contrast cracked nature creative criticism dramatic Duyckinck Emerson's ideas Emerson's lecture Emerson's thought Emersonian ideas England England Transcendentalism essays Evert Duyckinck evil experience fiction genius harpoon Hawthorne Hawthorne's Herman Melville human ideal individual influence instinct intellect Ishmael later lecture series letter Mardi Marnoo Matthiessen Melville describes Melville points Melville wrote Melville's Reading Melville's response Mind and Manners Moby-Dick moral narrative narrator Nathaniel Hawthorne natural aristocracy notion observes Omoo Pequod perceives Pierre poet portrays primitive Queequeg quest Ralph Waldo Emerson readers Redburn Redburn and White-Jacket reflects represents sail sailor satire says Sealts self-reliance sense Seven Gables ship social society soul spiritual story suggests symbol Taji Taji's Thoreau Tommo tradition tragic Transcendental Transcendental Club Transcendentalist transcends truth Typee white whale White-Jacket whole writing Yillah