Friday, October 10, 2008
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Davidson's Comments on the book
I was looking through Davidson's Revolution and the Word and I found that all of chapter five and some of chapter six is dedicated to our book. She even goes into detail about the publisher's personal background. Its really helpful. I also found out from Davidson that this book is based on a real scandal. I am going to the library later to look through old newspaper articles from Boston that published in the same year. Hopefully I'll find something about the actual events the book is based on. I'll post whatever I find.
See you guys in class,
Amanda
Monday, October 6, 2008
Mike Hicks
Dr. Lisa Logan
AML 4101
6 October 2008
A Rhetorical Analysis of William Hill Brown’s The Power of Sympathy
William Hill Brown’s historically significant work The Power of Sympathy—considered by many to be the first American novel—can be analyzed, like any other work, on its text alone. However, this would ignore the great insights that could be achieved by merely analyzing the front matter of the original 1789 book. What may at first seem like a superficial task in fact provides useful information regarding the text as a whole.
One of the most important queries answered by an analysis of the front matter of the work is the question of what demographic the novel was written for (or for whom it appealed most greatly to). The dedication that prefaces the novel makes abundantly clear that the novel was written for—or at the very least marketed to—the “young ladies of Columbia” as a cautionary tale regarding the fatal consequences of “seduction” (not an uncommon theme in this time period). After this dedication, Brown includes a brief preface in which he acknowledges the contempt held by many people for the novel as a form of literary expression, yet insists that it is necessary to expose the “consequences of seduction” as well as the “advantages of female education.” These are well-meaning notions to be sure, but raise questions on whether the work is feminist (pushing for female education) or not (seemingly pushing the idea of weakness and the ease of victimization of women).
Before these articles are encountered by the reader, a vivid and melodramatic depiction of a young woman’s demise (complete with the caption “O Fatal! Fatal Poison!”) presents itself on the very first page. The woman is identified as “Ophelia” and, prior to reading the work, it is perhaps excusable that the reader would be reminded of a certain other famous Ophelia in literature, also a tragic figure. Given the fame and respect that Hamlet had, it seems unlikely that the name is merely a coincidence. On the very next page the reader finds the title page, which contains a short poem regarding virtue, further driving Brown’s purpose of writing into the reader’s head.
Of course, novels (and all art for that matter) are not merely about the noble intentions that Brown has triumphantly—and somewhat pompously—declared in the opening pages of his novel. They are, after all, a money-making enterprise. It is only fitting then that the opening pages (as well as the first few letters in the epistolary novel) smack of sensationalism and sentimentalism. One is immediately encountered with images of death and promises of scandalous and salacious reading material for impressionable female readers (“SEDUCTION”). Thus, an average 18th century reader (female or not) could very well have looked at this novel as the equivalent of a 1930’s gangster film—that is, the controversy and “smuttiness” of the work is overlooked as long as there is a moral message in the end. Although they were much less inclined to admit it nearly 220 years ago, sex sells, and always will.
Love is also a huge seller—the first 20 pages of the novel are filled with letters (not unlike the earlier Charlotte Temple) detailing characters’ plans to woo, be wooed, and admonitions from others to avoid wooing and being wooed. Grand odes to love and joy are presented (and subsequently mocked) which seem to go hand-in-hand with the emergence of romanticism in the Western world. Only further reading will indicate how much weight these themes will achieve through the rest of the text.
Amanda's Analysis
AML4101
The Power of Sympathy: An Analysis of Front Matter.
The function of eighteenth century front matter is much like the modern book jacket. If you were to look at the modern novel it would most likely be jacketed in a paper covering with an illustration that represents some key thematic aspect of the novel, a short biography of the author would follow on the front inside of the jacket; towards the back on the inside pocket we might find selected critique of the novel in which accredited sources praise the work, and finally on the back cover a brief synopsis of the story. The eighteenth century novel functions in much the same way, addressing the concerns of the reader immediately in hopes to alleviate any doubt that the reader might have had in purchasing the novel. These concerns being, will I like this novel? Does it appeal to me specifically? What is it about? Is it good? These concerns inevitably break down into the question of audience and authorship.
In the The Power of Sympathy the very first page is an illustration of a young lady fallen into the arms of an older lady, while behind them in a doorway, lurks a older gentleman. I will come back to this illustration after a brief analysis of the title page, but what must be initially recognized is the similarity of this to modern novel, a picture being the first representation of the book. Also, this alludes to the author’s knowledge of the influence and immediacy of visual elements.
The title page, immediately following the illustration, is a compilation of information revealing who produced the novel (author and publisher information) and what was produced (plot synopsis and intention). The title states “The Power of Sympathy and The Triumph of nature” followed by “founded in truth” and then a short poem:
Fain would he strew Life’s thorny Way with Flowers,
And Open in your views Elysian Bowers;
Catch the warm passions of the tender Youth,
And win the Mind to Sentiment and Truth. ***
*** Davidson asserts that this was most likely inserted by the publisher and not the author.
Davidson states in Revolution and the Word that “As a reading directive for a new and as yet unsophisticated audience, all this represents a complex and comprehensive authorial program indeed. We have in the promise, the text as truth and, in the poem, the text as flower, as vision, as vicarious pleasure, and as, at best, a way to truth” (161). Let it be noted that Davidson is relaying this information in the chapter entitled “Commodity and Communication: The First American Novel” and this passage is under the sub-chapter “Selling the First American Novel”. This is no doubt evidence that the front matter is designed to sell the novel, and in turn we are literally looking at an artifact of eighteenth century capitalism.
The next thing the reader would see after the title page is what the database calls “miscellaneous front matter”. It is in this section that Brown directly addresses whom he considers to be his audience. “To the young ladies of United Columbia, these volumes intend to represent the specious causes and explore the fatal consequences of SEDUCTION. To inspire the female mind with a principle of self-complacency and to promote the economy of human life, are inscribed with esteem and sincerity by their friend and humble author, William Hill Brown.”
As Davidson reflects on the intentions of the publisher she touches on the function of this particular message:
“The Power of Sympathy presented no such problems and would have appealed to [the publisher] Thomas as a prospective publishing project for several reasons. The book would be the “first” American novel and thus had a definite nationalistic potential; Its particular detail to female virtue and female education argued its social morality; It’s effective explanation of a current and rather lurid scandal gave it the potential for turning a profit. But it should also be noted that at least one consideration weighted heavily against it. The available evidence indicates that Thomas himself was suspicious of fiction” (160).
Therefore, if the suspicion of a then said “innovative author” (Davidson, 158) was aroused, then would not the traditional views of the public be equally, if not more so, subjected to criticism? However, Thomas did have many reasons to appreciate the text, as Davidson articulates. It seems that by mentioning all of the positive influence that the text can have on the mind of these young Columbian women, that Brown is making an ardent outcry of credibility to his public.
The illustration suddenly becomes more relevant after reading the front matter. It is a representation of the triangle that exists between reader, author, and society. The young lady fallen into the arms of the older lady is who Brown considers to be his audience, The older lady herself, embodying the wisdom of experience and the sympathy of the fallen, is Brown himself. His holding up of the fallen lady is synonymous with what he hopes his literature will do. And the older gentleman in the doorway is society, a male gentleman of course, is symbolically behind the situation as an observer, Ultimately reminding young ladies of the watchful eye of society and importance of reputation.
Brown, William Hill . The Power Of Sympathy. Boston: Thomas and Co., 1789. Early American Periodicals. EZProxy databases. University of Central Florida Libraries, Orlando, Florida. 06 October 2008. < http://infoweb.newsbank.com.ezproxy.lib.ucf.edu>
Davidson, Cathy N. Revolution and the Word. New York: Oxford University Press, 2004. Pp. 158-161.
PICTURES OF THE FRONT MATTER
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Will's Rhetorical Analysis of P.O.S.
Will Ambros
Dr. Lisa Logan
AML 4101: American Novel
The Power of Sympathy: A Rhetorical Analysis
The Power of Sympathy contains a fantastic array of front matter, including a preface, a dedication, and a frontispiece. This front matter is arranged beginning with the intricate frontispiece, followed by an elaborate title page and dedication and, finally, the preface. Each of these items allow us a bit of insight into the intentions of the author and the potential path of the novel.
While there is no conclusive evidence on the title page of a targeted audience, within the dedication the author states that he intends for this novel to be read by the “Young Ladies of United Columbia”. He also notes that he is but a friend and humble servant, and that by writing this novel he hopes to expose to these women the “fatal consequences of seduction; [and] to inspire the Female Mind with a principle sense of Self Complacency”. The use of various fonts and capitalization techniques within the dedication also help to stir up the emotion and excitement that the author seems to have in regards to the subject of this novel. The vivid frontispiece, depicting the death of Ophelia, a character I have yet to encounter in the novel, also actively stimulates the readers’ imagination. The illustration portrays a grimacing woman, Ophelia, sprawled in an elaborate sitting room and apparently dying in the arms of an older woman while an older gentleman looks on in horror. This seems to assist the author in portraying the consequences of succumbing to seduction, as well as his intentions of saving women from the wretchedness of seduction. Later on, in the preface, the author also states that he intends to reveal the advantages of female education.
While I have only read the first twelve letters of this novel, it seems as if the author is writing towards young, middle-class, American women, and at times the author makes obvious his belief that some of these women were naïve and susceptible to “immoderate reading”(57), which in turn leads to “disgustful pedantry”(57). When considering the introductory material and the amount of the novel read thus far, I assume that there is to be at least one female character that succumbs to the call of seduction, and that her demise may perhaps be intended to serve as at least one example of the horrors associated with seduction. Also, while barely a quarter through the novel, we have been introduced to a multitude of characters, most of them seeming to be women. It must also be noted that the character Harriot is tied to both Mr. and Miss Harrington, though it seems as if neither Harrington realizes that Harriot, Mr. Harrington’s love interest, is a close friend of Miss Harrington’s. This may indicated that an interesting plot twist is in store.
While the novel will obviously be the most useful tool in analyzing the author and his intentions, the significant amount of front matter preceding this story help to grant to the reader some idea as to what is to be expected, as well as what to look forward to.
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