Awakenings: The Story of the Kate Chopin Revival
- ISBN-10
- 0807145890
- ISBN-13
- 9780807145890
- Series
- Awakenings
- Category
- Literary Criticism
- Pages
- 240
- Language
- English
- Published
- 2009-12-01
- Publisher
- LSU Press
- Author
- Bernard Koloski
Description
One of the most often repeated anecdotes about the direction of literary studies over the past three decades concerns a graduate student who complained of reading Kate Chopin's The Awakening in three classes and Herman Melville's Moby-Dick in none. But Chopin has not always been featured in the literary curriculum. Though she achieved national success in her lifetime (1850--1904) as a writer of Louisiana "local color" fiction, after her death her work fell into obscurity until 1969, when Norwegian literary scholar Per Seyersted published The Complete Works of Kate Chopin and sparked a remarkable American literary revival. Chopin soon became a major presence in the canon, and today every college textbook surveying American literature contains a Chopin short story, her novel The Awakening, or an excerpt from it. In this unique work, twelve prominent Chopin scholars reflect on their parts in the Kate Chopin revival and its impact on their careers. A generation ago, against powerful odds, many of them staked their reputations on the belief -- now fully validated -- that Chopin is one of America's essential writers. These scholars energetically sponsored Chopin's works in the 1970s and 1980s and encouraged reading, studying, and teaching Chopin. They wrote books and articles about her, gave talks about her, offered interviews to newspapers and magazines, taught her works in their classes, and urged their colleagues to do the same, helping to build a network of teachers, students, editors, journalists, librarians, and others who continue to promote Chopin's work. Throughout, these essays stress several elements vital to the revival's success. Timing proved critical, as the rise of the women's movement and the emergence of new sexual norms in the 1960s helped set an ideal context for Chopin in the United States and abroad in the 1970s and 1980s. Seyersted's biography of Chopin and his accurate texts of her entire oeuvre allowed scholars to quickly publish their analyses of her work. Popular media -- including Redbook, New York Times, and PBS -- took notice of Chopin and advanced her work outside the scholarly realm. But in the final analysis, as the contributors point out, Kate Chopin's irresistible writing itself made her revival possible. Highly personal, at times amusing, and always thought provoking, these revealing recollections and new critical insights offer a fascinating firsthand account of a decisive moment in American literary history.
Get the book
Other editions
Similar books
-
Awakenings
By Edward LazellariThe two must stay alive long enough to protect their loved ones, recover their true selves—and save two worlds from tyranny and destruction. Awakenings launches a captivating fantasy saga by an amazing and talented new storyteller.
-
Awakenings
By Oliver Sacks" --A. Alvarez, "The Observer Awakenings--which inspired the major motion picture--is the remarkable story of a group of patients who contracted sleeping-sickness during the great epidemic just after World War I. Frozen for decades in a ...
-
Great Awakenings: Historical Perspectives for Today
By David Horn, Gordon L. IsaacThis book is an engaging look at spiritual awakenings that have happened in the church throughout history. It examines how these extraordinary movements of God translate into the larger cultural analysis of today.
-
The Book of Awakening: Having the Life You Want by Being Present to the Life You Have (20th Anniversary Edition)
By Mark NepoThe Book of Awakening is the result of Nepo’s journey of the soul and will inspire others to embark on their own. He speaks of spirit and friendship, urging readers to stay vital and in love with this life, no matter the hardships.
-
Awakening: Book One of the Berserker Chronicles
By Kevin D. MillerHe travels across the realms while struggling to tame the blinding rage that comes with his new demi-god like power. Will Leif survive the intra-realm quest and prevent Ragnarok or will he fail to control his awakening?
-
First of All and the Awakenings
By Billye BrimI exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty ...
-
Awakening
By Claudia Cangilla McAdamFear drives me forward as I rush down a rocky path in Jerusalem, trying to sort things out even as dusk makes it harder to hurry.
-
Revival Fire, 150 Years of Revivals, Spiritual Awakenings and Moves of the Holy Spirit: Days of Heaven on Earth
By Mathew BackholerMary Morrison's testimony of her conversion during the Lewis Revival (1949-1952) is in the booklet Hearken O Daughter! – Mary Morrison (1966), and with her husband, Colin Peckham, they wrote Sounds From Heaven – The Revival on the Isle ...
-
Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict: A Novel
By Laurie Viera RiglerShe would never believe me, and I would hardly believe it myself. “So,” says Deepa, “what did you think of Awakening?” She smiles slyly. “Aside from what we don't talk about?” “Awakening?” “Duh. The club.” “Awakening.
-
Migraine
By Oliver SacksDr. Oliver Sacks argues that migraine cannot be understood simply as an illness, but must be viewed as a complex condition with a unique role to play in each individual's life.