Songs of republic : envisioning democracy in the American long poem
Abstract
[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT AUTHOR'S REQUEST.] This dissertation examines how, over time, the American long poem has been utilized as a genre in which to model democratic order. Specifically, it traces the long poem's evolution from a vehicle for unbridled idealism with regard to democracy into a form that articulates a pragmatically tempered understanding of the nature of individual freedom. It studies Barlow, Whitman, Melville, Sandburg, Tolson, Stevens, Williams and Ammons for how they incorporate both history and philosophy into their works as tools for representing both what democracy was at the time of their works' publication as well as what it might develop into.
Degree
Ph. D.
Thesis Department
Rights
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