Longfellow: A Rediscovered LifeCharles C. Calhoun"s Longfellow gives life, at last, to the most popular American poet who ever lived, a nineteenth-century cultural institution of extraordinary influence and the "one poet average, nonbookish Americans still know by heart" (Dana Gioia). Calhoun"s Longfellow emerges as one of America"s first powerful cultural makers: a poet and teacher who helped define Victorian culture; a major conduit for European culture coming into America; a catalyst for the Colonial Revival movement in architecture and interior design; and a critic of both Puritanism and the American obsession with material success. Longfellow is also a portrait of a man in advance of his time in championing multiculturalism: He popularized Native American folklore; revived the Evangeline story (the foundational myth of modern Acadian and Cajun identity in the U.S. and Canada); wrote powerful poems against slavery; and introduced Americans to the languages and literatures of other lands. Calhoun"s portrait of post-Revolutionary Portland, Maine, where Longfellow was born, and of his time at Bowdoin and Harvard Colleges, show a deep and imaginative grasp of New England cultural history. Longfellow"s tragic romantic life—his first wife dies tragically early, after a miscarriage, and his second wife, Fannie Appleton, dies after accidentally setting herself on fire—is illuminated, and his intense friendship with abolitionist and U.S. senator Charles Sumner is given as a striking example of mid-nineteenth-century romantic friendship between men. Finally, Calhoun paints in vivid detail Longfellow"s family life at Craigie House, including stories of the poet"s friends—Hawthorne, Emerson, Dickens, Fanny Kemble, Julia Ward Howe, and Oscar Wilde among them. |
What people are saying - Write a review
We haven't found any reviews in the usual places.
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
Acadian American appeared Appleton beautiful became become began Boston Bowdoin British brother called Cambridge century Charles close Craigie House culture death early England European Evangeline example face famous Fanny father feel followed French German hand Harvard Henry Hiawatha Hilen Historic Indian interest Italy John Journal Kalevala land languages late later learned least letter Library literary literature live Longfellow look Maine March Mary Massachusetts mind months mother never night North noted once original passed perhaps poem poet poetry political Portland professor proved published reached readers seemed seen sense Society soon Spanish Stephen story Street suggests Sumner thing thought told took town translation turned University Wadsworth Washington writing written wrote young
Bibliographic information
| Title | Longfellow: A Rediscovered Life |
| Authors | Charles C. Calhoun, Charles William Calhoun |
| Edition | illustrated |
| Publisher | Beacon Press, 2004 |
| ISBN | 0807070262, 9780807070260 |
| Length | 317 pages |
| Subjects | › Biography & Autobiography / Literary Figures |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |