Category: English 3: American Literature
In Honour of that High and Mighty Princess, Queen Elizabeth by Anne Bradstreet Proem. Although great Queen, thou now in silence lie, Yet thy loud Herald Fame, doth to the sky Thy wondrous worth...
The Four Ages of Man by Anne Bradstreet [Introduction] Childhood Youth Middle Age Old Age [Introduction] 1.1 Lo now! four other acts upon the stage, 1.2 Childhood, and Youth, the Manly, and Old-age. 1.3 ...
The Flesh and the Spirit by Anne Bradstreet In secret place where once I stood Close by the Banks of Lacrim flood, I heard two sisters reason on Things that are past and things...
A Dialogue between Old England and New by Anne Bradstreet New England. Alas, dear Mother, fairest Queen and best, With honour, wealth, and peace happy and blest, What ails thee hang thy head, and...
Contemplations by Anne Bradstreet 1 Sometime now past in the Autumnal Tide, 2 When Ph{oe}bus wanted but one hour to bed, 3 The trees all richly clad, yet void of pride, 4 Were gilded...
By Night when Others Soundly Slept by Anne Bradstreet (1612 – 1672) 1 By night when others soundly slept 2 And hath at once both ease and Rest, 3 My waking eyes were open...
James Russell Lowell’s “A Fable for Critics” (1848) is a funny introduction to many of the nineteenth-century poets and writers. Since the entire poem is very long — it’s really a whole book —...
Anne Bradstreet poetry Anne Bradstreet (1612-1672) was one of the first American poets, and her life and work evoke a vivid picture of Colonial America and reflect her Puritan faith and love for her family....
The Author to Her Book By Anne Bradstreet 1 Thou ill-form’d offspring of my feeble brain, 2 Who after birth did’st by my side remain, 3 Till snatcht from thence by friends, less wise...
The Hudson River School A group of artists known as the Hudson River School painted romantic landscape scenes, some of which depicted the American setting for Washington Irving’s works. These artists included Thomas Cole,...
Herman Melville (1819–1891) led a remarkably interesting life and his stories of the sea are colored by his personal experiences. He is most famous for his masterpiece, Moby Dick. Herman Melville biography You may...
Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790) was one of America’s most interesting historical figures. Like Leonardo da Vinci, Franklin pursued many subjects including writing, politics, invention, music, and more. He is known for pithy quotations as well...
Actor Leonardo DiCaprio, who plays Jay Gatsby in a recent film adaptation, reflects on the movie and the novel The Great Gatsby in the short clip below. Other American Literature (E3) videos
Ernest Hemingway’s personal letters were quite different from his published writings. Cambridge University Press presents collections of Hemingway’s letters and interviews with his son Patrick Hemingway, as well as Hemingway scholars. Want to learn...
Learn more about The Mount, Edith Wharton’s home in Massachusetts. This home, which she designed herself was inspired by a 17th century home in England, with a few influences from Italian and French architecture. Now...
Louisiana Public Broadcasting presents this video about the Longfellow-Evangeline State Historic Site in St. Martinville–a place to learn about the Acadian/Creole way of life. This may help you to put Longfellow’s poem Evangeline in...
Where did Mark Twain live? The Mark Twain House and Museum in Hartford, Connecticut, was the home of Samuel Langhorne Clemens (Mark Twain) and his family from 1874 to 1891. Designed by Edward Tuckerman...
The musical re-enactment group Bounding Main sings the sea shanty, “To Ireland.” A sea shanty, also spelled chantey, or chanty, is a type of rhythmic work song. These songs were once sung to synchronize...
Berlioz commemorates the death of James Fenimore Cooper Composer Hector Berlioz was a great admirer of James Fenimore Cooper and commemorated Cooper’s death by renaming one of his overtures Le corsaire rouge, translated from...
THE HAUNTED OAK by Paul Laurence Dunbar Pray why are you so bare, so bare, Oh, bough of the old oak-tree; And why, when I go through the shade you throw, Runs a shudder...
SHIPS THAT PASS IN THE NIGHT by Paul Laurence Dunbar Out in the sky the great dark clouds are massing; I look far out into the pregnant night, Where I can hear a solemn...
American Literature Updates Due to the ever-changing nature of the Internet, online resources often move unexpectedly to new addresses. Here are the updates for Level 3: American Literature that have happened since the most...
GOOD-BYE by Ralph Waldo Emerson Good-bye, proud world! I’m going home: Thou art not my friend, and I’m not thine. Long through thy weary crowds I roam; A river-ark on the ocean brine, Long...
THE DAY’S RATION by Ralph Waldo Emerson When I was born, From all the seas of strength Fate filled a chalice, Saying, ‘This be thy portion, child; this chalice, Less than a lily’s, thou...
CONCORD HYMN by Ralph Waldo Emerson SUNG AT THE COMPLETION OF THE BATTLE MONUMENT, JULY 4, 1837 By the rude bridge that arched the flood, Their flag to April’s breeze unfurled, Here once the...
Annabel Lee is Edgar Allan Poe’s last complete poem, published after his death in 1849. Scholars have speculated that the poem was inspired by his wife, Virginia Eliza Clemm Poe, but there is no...
Personal Narrative of Jonathan Edwards by Jonathan Edwards Jonathan Edwards’ own account of his early years and testimony to his own saving faith in Christ. I had a variety of concerns and exercises about my...
House of Mirth Film Music These pieces of music (though not these performers) are featured on the soundtrack of the 2000 movie House of Mirth. Joseph Haydn’s “String Quartet in D Major, op. 64,...
There is no frigate like a book by Emily Dickinson There is no Frigate like a Book To take us Lands away, Nor any Coursers like a Page Of prancing Poetry – This Traverse...
I’m Nobody! Who are you? by Emily Dickinson I’m Nobody! Who are you? Are you – Nobody – too? Then there’s a pair of us! Don’t tell! they’d advertise – you know! How dreary...