1.

Record Nr.

UNINA9910828051603321

Autore

McWilliams John P (John Probasco)

Titolo

New England's crises and cultural memory : literature, politics, history, religion, 1620-1860 / / by John McWilliams [[electronic resource]]

Pubbl/distr/stampa

Cambridge : , : Cambridge University Press, , 2004

ISBN

1-107-14704-2

1-280-54076-1

0-511-21465-0

0-511-21644-0

0-511-21107-4

0-511-32724-2

0-511-48560-3

0-511-21284-4

Descrizione fisica

1 online resource (xii, 366 pages) : digital, PDF file(s)

Collana

Cambridge studies in American literature and culture ; ; 142

Disciplina

810.9/358

Soggetti

American literature - New England - History and criticism

Politics and literature - New England - History

Religion and literature - New England - History

Literature and history - New England - History

New England Intellectual life

New England Historiography

New England In literature

New England History

Lingua di pubblicazione

Inglese

Formato

Materiale a stampa

Livello bibliografico

Monografia

Note generali

Title from publisher's bibliographic system (viewed on 05 Oct 2015).

Nota di bibliografia

Includes bibliographical references (p. 309-360) and index.

Nota di contenuto

pt. 1. Plantation and settlement. Of corn, no corn, and Christian courage -- Thomas Morton: phoenix of New England memory -- Trying Anne -- pt. 2. Time of troubles. Headnote -- A cloud of blood: King Philip's War -- The axe at the root of the tree: scarlet governors and gray champions -- Race, war, and white magic: the neglected legacy of Salem -- pt. 3. Revolution. Headnote -- Boston revolt and Puritan restoration: 1760-1775 -- Shots heard round the world -- Abolition, "white slavery," and regional pride -- Epilogue: "bodiless echoes."



Sommario/riassunto

In this magisterial study, John McWilliams traces the development of New England's influential cultural identity. Through written responses to historical crises from early New England through the pre-Civil War period, McWilliams argues that the meaning of 'New England' despite claims for its consistency was continuously reformulated. The significance of past crises was forever being reinterpreted for the purpose of meeting succeeding crises. The crises he examines include starvation, the Indian wars, the Salem witch trials, the revolution of 1775-76 and slavery. Integrating history, literature, politics and religion this is one of the most comprehensive studies of the meaning of 'New England' to appear in print. McWilliams considers a range of writing including George Bancroft's History of the United States, the political essays of Samuel Adams, the fiction of Nathaniel Hawthorne and the poetry of Robert Lowell. This compelling book is essential reading for historians and literary critics of New England.