U.S. Authors - 19th Century - Literary Biography, 19th Century American Literature - Literary Criticism, Feminists & Women's Rights Activists - Biography, U.S. Poets - Literary Biography
Log in to track your reading progress.
Overview
Hungry Heart reexamines the early literary career of Julia Ward Howe (1819-1910), best remembered as the author of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic." Combining biographical narrative with textual analysis, Gary Williams reconstructs Howe's emergence as a writer against the backdrop of her deeply troubled marriage to Boston philanthropist Samuel Gridley Howe. Among her early writings, Williams pays particular attention to Passion-Flowers, a celebrated yet controversial volume of poems published in 1854, as well as to an unpublished 400-page story that features a hermaphrodite as its protagonist. Williams shows how this latter work, startling in its bold exploration of sexual ambiguities, reflects Howe's effort to come to terms with her husband's intimate attachment to the prominent abolitionist Charles Sumner.Editorials
Choice
Using close readings of selected texts and a reconstructed account of Julia Ward Howe's early married life, Williams creates a portrait of a poet far more troubled and daring than the iconic author of The Battle Hymn of the Republic. Recommended.Booknews
Combines biographical narrative with textual analysis to examine the early literary career of Ward-Howe (1819-1910), best known for writing Battle Hymn of the Republic. Looking particularly at her 1854 collection of poems, Passion-Flowers and an unpublished 400-page story with a hermaphrodite as protagonist, reconstructs her literary emergence against the backdrop of her troubled marriage to a Boston philanthropist. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.Book Details
Published
December 15, 2010
Publisher
University of Massachusetts Press
Pages
288
Format
Paperback
ISBN
9781558498020