Title
Writing the Republic: Liberalism and Morality in American Political Fiction,Used
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In this provocative book, Anthony Hutchison challenges the belief that the American novel is 'antipolitical' and condemns the relative absence of American literature in studies of the political novel. In Hutchison's view, our fiction is always informed by the complexities of the American political tradition, and to acknowledge this is to introduce a new, rewarding chapter of critical inquiry into the study of American literature.Focusing on the works of Herman Melville, Gore Vidal, Russell Banks, Lionel Trilling, and Philip Roth, Hutchison finds a critique of liberalism put forth by classical republicanism, transcendentalism, Marxism, and neoconservatism at their respective moments of historical ascent. He shows how these authors take very specific historical periods and episodes for their subject matter and interrogate, critique, and contextualize pivotal moments in the intellectual history of American liberalism. In their work, liberalism reconstitutes itself in the face of competing ideological pressures, demonstrating that the novel is very much characterized by a 'republican' concern with the health of the polity.Considering such artists, philosophers, and theorists as Ralph Waldo Emerson, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Hannah Arendt, and John Dewey, alongside numerous contemporary commentators and historians, Hutchison repositions American novelists as serious political thinkers. He reveals Melville's Moby Dick to be the formal template for the American political novel and compares and contrasts its embodiment of 'republican' fiction with the 'democratic' mode Mikhail Bakhtin associates with Dostoevsky. He especially draws attention to the meaning of republicanism in the early national period, the place of abolitionism in the Civil War, and the post1930s liberal retreat from Left radicalism.By concentrating on the tension between issues of liberalism and morality in the political thought of these American novelists, Hutchison hopes to advance a more nuanced and textured understanding of the U.S. political tradition. He scrutinizes a number of critical studies and makes a cogent case for a more interdisciplinary approach to the American political novel that focuses less on the politics of representation and more on the representation of politics.
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- Q: What is the main theme of 'Writing the Republic'? A: The main theme of 'Writing the Republic' is the critique of liberalism through the lens of American political fiction, where the author, Anthony Hutchison, argues that American literature engages deeply with political issues and traditions.
- Q: Who is the author of 'Writing the Republic'? A: The author of 'Writing the Republic' is Anthony Hutchison.
- Q: When was 'Writing the Republic' published? A: 'Writing the Republic' was published on August 21, 2007.
- Q: What are the key features of 'Writing the Republic'? A: 'Writing the Republic' explores the relationship between liberalism and morality in American political fiction, analyzing works by authors such as Herman Melville, Gore Vidal, and Philip Roth.
- Q: What is the binding type of this book? A: The binding type of 'Writing the Republic' is hardcover.
- Q: How many pages does 'Writing the Republic' have? A: 'Writing the Republic' has 256 pages.
- Q: Is 'Writing the Republic' a new book? A: 'Writing the Republic' is in new condition.
- Q: What category does 'Writing the Republic' fall under? A: 'Writing the Republic' falls under the category of Criticism & Theory.
- Q: What critical perspectives does Anthony Hutchison address in this book? A: Anthony Hutchison addresses critical perspectives of classical republicanism, transcendentalism, Marxism, and neoconservatism in relation to American political fiction.
- Q: Does 'Writing the Republic' provide a historical context for its analysis? A: Yes, 'Writing the Republic' provides a historical context by examining pivotal moments in American intellectual history as reflected in the works of various authors.