American classic essays

Author: Dong Hengxun
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-04-10
Features: In the history of American prose, the most epoch-making event is undoubtedly the rise of the New England Transcendentalists led by Emerson. The contribution of the Transcendentalists lay in reexamining beauty under the banner of idealism and liberating American thought. Looking over American prose, its speculative nature is very prominent. Whether in Emerson's letters, William James's Habit, Melville's Hawthorne discussion, or Frost's Poetry Teaching, readers can feel the powerful force of profound thoughts. They are not only prose writers but also thinkers and philosophers, sometimes witty, sometimes humorous, sometimes severe, observing history and society, analyzing life, and maneuvering with both depth and extraordinary demeanor. Another distinctive feature of American prose is its realism. Most of the writing is natural, unpretentious, and free of excessive embellishment, rarely featuring overly ornate or flowery compositions.