“If we encounter a man of rare intellect, we should ask him what books he reads.” –Ralph Waldo Emerson. Though novels have been around for hundreds of years, the American novel didn’t come about until the 17th century. The 19th century was also when novels really gained traction in America. During this time it went through three periods: the Romantic period, the American Renaissance period, and the Realism period. Each period producing it’s own greatest hit novels.
The undeclared Quasi-War (1798-1800) between the United States and France, started because of disagreements over treaties and the neutral stance the United States took during the wars during the French Revolution. Due the Quasi-War (1798-1800) between the United States and France, the cost of paper increased dramatically(Hickmen). This caused publishers to prefer short literature such as poems over the lengthy novel (Britannica). Magazines were cheaper to publish and already had a decent following, so publishers began to serialize novels. A portion of a novel would be released each week (or month), similar to the way we watch TV shows. Doing this created a dramatic reading experience which readers just couldn’t get enough of. The first serialized literature was written by Charles Dickens entitled “Pickwick Papers” (McClurg). These stories were humorous installments about day to day life. Though not many writers wanted to be confined to a deadline, serialization was still a huge success.
The Romantic period was roughly between 1800 and 1840 but it wasn’t about romance, love, and that gushy stuff. Characteristics of this period included that of an idealized view of reality that valued intuition and feeling over reason with a general theme of personal journey toward independence (Schwartz). A few notable novels from this period are The Last of the Mohicans (1826) by James Cooper, Pride and Prejudice (1813) by Jane Austen, Frankenstein (1818) by Mary Shelley, and The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1814) by Victor Hugo.
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The American Renaissance period was roughly between 1830 and 1860 and was a period when American writers wanted to distinguish themselves as American and not British (Literaturenerd). This time in history was when feminism, abolition, expansion (both of ones self and of the United States westward) began to rise. Writers continued to explore the idea of a Utopian society from the previous Romantic period. Examples of memorable novels from the Renaissance period are Moby Dick (1851) by Herman Melville, The American Scholar (1837) by Ralph Waldo Emerson, Uncle Tom’s Cabin (1852) by Harriet Beached Stowe, and The Scarlet Letter (1850) by Nathaniel Hawthorne.
The last period of 19th century novels was the Realism period which was roughly between 1855 and 1900. The period began a whole new approach to novels because it started as a form of protest against the Romantic period. Instead of the idealized views of a Utopian society, writers focused on real life trials and tribulations the everyday American went through (Literaturenerd). Examples of novels from this period are The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884) by Mark Twain, Maggie: A Girl of the Streets (1893) Stephen Crane, and The Rise Silas Laph (1885) by William Dean Howells.
