Instructions: 

Listen to the lecture, read the theory and the texts to be ready to answer the questions in the class.

Points to remember:

Realism: The authors represent life as it is, the characters speak in a colloquial language, often concentrating on a specific region. Women writers mainly focus on the psychological development and social oppression of women.

Major representatives: Howells, Harte, Twain, Chopin, Gilman.

Major themes: American dream (Howells), growing up, non-conformity, slavery (Twain), American West and life of the outcasts (Harte), the position of women (Chopin, Gilman). 

Naturalism: Low-class characters, failure of the American dream, hostile environment, no freedom of choice. Urbanization, industrialization, Darwin, Freud, Marx. 

Major representatives: Crane, London, Dreiser.

Revision 1:

1. What are the main genres of Colonial Literature? 

2. Who were the Puritans? Name three Puritan poets 

3. Who was the first American writer? 

4. What were the major genres of the era and their representatives? 

5. Who were the founders of modern American poetry? Briefly characterize their style. 

6. What are the main features of naturalism? Which social aspects and theories influenced the rise of naturalism?