Literature of the American Civil War
Dr. William Rogers
Spring, 2003
 Drew University Graduate School
 Dr. William Rogers
 work:(973) 408-3283

Course Description: This year marks the 135th anniversary of the Confederate batteries opening fire on Ft. Sumter and according to historian William Gienapp, "Americans are still haunted by the meaning of the Civil War. The conflict had such a profound impact on the nation, its society, institutions, and values, that few would deny its central importance in American history." This course will explore the literature of the Civil War from the perspective of various authors' attempts to define and explain the most momentous event in American history.
 The Civil War has held endless fascination for Americans; nearly two books have been published every day since the war ended and tens of thousands of Americans spend their vacations attending conferences, seminars and reenactments devoted to the war. Debate still rages over the causes of the conflict--slavery, economics, and culture all have their advocates today as they did in 1861.
 Writers have sought to make sense of a struggle which left over 1.6 million Americans killed or wounded, hundreds of thousands destitute, and almost no one in the nation unaffected. We will attempt to understand this obsession/struggle with the meaning of the Civil War by examining some of the best literature produced in reaction to the war. Also to be investigated is how the war impacted literary modes and styles in the post-war period.

Required Texts: (In bookstore) Garrison, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Masur, Ambrose Bierce, Stephen Crane, Shelby Foote, Michael Shaara, Haskell and Oates, and Lincoln.

Tom and Eva sitting on bench talking by lake from Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe

Course Requirements:  A 1-2 page critique of each week's readings, 20%; 10-12 page paper on a work or author centering on the Civil War (should be written by someone who was a participant in the war), 50%; and class participation, including one introduction to a week's readings and presentation on paper, 30%.

Course Outline

Sept.  9: The American Civil War and Modern Memory: An introduction to the topic for those who do not know the brand of cigar Ulysses Grant smoked.

Sept. 16: Freedom's Ferment: The Abolitionist Movement and the coming of the Civil War (Garrison)

Sept. 23: NO CLASS

Sept. 30: "The Little Lady Who Started the War": Harriet Beecher Stowe and Uncle Tom's Cabin.

Oct.   7: The Real War Will Never Get in the Books: Some perceptions of the war as it happened. (Real War except, Higginson, Cooke, De Forest)

Oct.  14: The Real War, cont.

Oct.  21: The Views of Veterans: The short stories of Ambrose Bierce and a discussion of other veterans turned author, including Haskell and Oates and veterans in Real War.

Oct.  28:  The Views of Veterans, continued.

Nov.   4:  The Civil War--the next Generation: Stephen Crane and The Red Badge of Courage.

Nov.  11: The Civil War--TNG, continued.

Nov.  18: The Modern View--Glory, Horror and Fascination: Shelby Foote (Shiloh) and Michael Shaara (The Killer Angels).

Dec.   2: The Modern View, continued.

Dec.   9: The Meaning of the Civil War: Abraham Lincoln's view (The Gettysburg Address, The Second Inaugural Address, other of his writings); Walt Whitman's poetry and alternative perspectives.

Dec.  16: Paper on Civil War participant due. Presentations on paper. .
 
 

background and clipart courtesy of http://civilwarclipart.com and http://www.clipart.com