Norton Anthology of American Literature

Norton Anthology of American Literature
Name	Norton Anthology of American Literature
Author	Various
Publisher	W.W. Norton & Company
Publication date	1979

Norton Anthology of American Literature is a comprehensive anthology of American literature, featuring works by prominent authors such as Edgar Allan Poe, Herman Melville, Mark Twain, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Toni Morrison. The anthology is published by W.W. Norton & Company and has been widely used in American literature courses at universities such as Harvard University, Yale University, and Stanford University. It includes works from the Colonial Era to the present day, covering a range of genres and styles, from Puritan poetry to Modernist fiction, and authors like Emily Dickinson, Walt Whitman, and Langston Hughes. The anthology has been edited by scholars such as Robert S. Levine, Michael P. Winship, and Philip F. Gura, who have contributed to the fields of American Studies and Literary Criticism.

Introduction

The Norton Anthology of American Literature provides a thorough introduction to the rich and diverse literary heritage of the United States, spanning from the early Colonial Period to the present day. It features works by influential authors such as Nathaniel Hawthorne, Henry James, and Ernest Hemingway, as well as lesser-known writers like Phillis Wheatley, Zora Neale Hurston, and Countee Cullen. The anthology includes a range of genres, including poetry, fiction, drama, and essays, showcasing the literary contributions of authors like Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and Edith Wharton. It has been widely adopted in American literature courses at institutions like University of California, Berkeley, University of Chicago, and Columbia University, and has been recognized by organizations such as the Modern Language Association and the American Literature Association.

History

The first edition of the Norton Anthology of American Literature was published in 1979, edited by scholars like Baym, Levine, and Gura, who have also contributed to the Oxford University Press and the Cambridge University Press. Since then, the anthology has undergone several revisions, with new editions published in 1985, 1994, 2003, and 2017, incorporating works by authors like Sylvia Plath, James Baldwin, and Maxine Hong Kingston. The anthology has been expanded to include more diverse voices, such as those of Native American authors like Sherman Alexie and Leslie Marmon Silko, and African American authors like Toni Cade Bambara and Alice Walker. The editors have also added more works by women writers, such as Willow Harpole, Elizabeth Bishop, and Adrienne Rich, and have included authors from different regions, like the Southern United States and the American West.

Editions

The Norton Anthology of American Literature has been published in several editions, each with its own unique features and contributions. The 2003 edition, for example, included a new section on American Literature from 1865 to 1914, featuring works by authors like Stephen Crane, Theodore Dreiser, and Edith Wharton. The 2017 edition added more works by contemporary authors, such as Don DeLillo, Margaret Atwood, and Junot Díaz, and included a new section on Multicultural American Literature. The anthology has also been published in various formats, including a Kindle edition and an online version, making it accessible to students and scholars at institutions like University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, and Sorbonne University.

Structure and Content

The Norton Anthology of American Literature is divided into several sections, each covering a specific period or genre of American literature. The anthology includes works from the Colonial Era, such as John Winthrop's A Model of Christian Charity and Jonathan Edwards' Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God. It also features works from the American Renaissance, including Herman Melville's Moby-Dick and Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass. The anthology includes a range of genres, such as poetry, fiction, drama, and essays, showcasing the literary contributions of authors like Emily Dickinson, Mark Twain, and F. Scott Fitzgerald. It has been recognized by awards like the National Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize, and has been adopted by institutions like University of Michigan, University of Texas at Austin, and New York University.

Reception and Impact

The Norton Anthology of American Literature has had a significant impact on the study of American literature, providing a comprehensive and diverse representation of the country's literary heritage. It has been widely adopted in American literature courses at universities like University of California, Los Angeles, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and University of Washington, and has been recognized by organizations like the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the National Endowment for the Humanities. The anthology has also been influential in shaping the field of American Studies, with scholars like Sacvan Bercovitch and Annette Kolodny contributing to its development. It has been reviewed by publications like The New York Times, The New Yorker, and The Chronicle of Higher Education, and has been recognized by awards like the National Book Critics Circle Award.

Editorial Approach

The editors of the Norton Anthology of American Literature have taken a comprehensive and inclusive approach to selecting works for the anthology. They have sought to represent a diverse range of voices and perspectives, including those of women, African Americans, Native Americans, and other minority groups. The editors have also aimed to provide a balanced representation of different genres and styles, from Puritan poetry to Modernist fiction. The anthology has been edited by scholars like Robert S. Levine, Michael P. Winship, and Philip F. Gura, who have contributed to the fields of American Studies and Literary Criticism. The editorial approach has been recognized by organizations like the Modern Language Association and the American Literature Association, and has been influential in shaping the field of American Studies.

Category:American literature anthologies