Author |
Butterfield, Herbert, 1900-1979 |
LoC No. |
24025676
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Title |
The historical novel : An essay
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Original Publication |
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1924.
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Note |
Wikipedia page about this book: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Historical_Novel
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Note |
Reading ease score: 50.9 (10th to 12th grade). Somewhat difficult to read.
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Note |
"Awarded the Le Bas prize for 1923."--Preface.
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Credits |
Tim Lindell and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This book was produced from images made available by the HathiTrust Digital Library.)
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Summary |
"The Historical Novel: An Essay" by Herbert Butterfield is a critical examination written in the early 20th century. This work explores the relationship between historical novels and the study of history, asserting that such novels offer a unique gateway to understanding the past. It discusses notable figures in literature, particularly Sir Walter Scott, and how their works transform historical events and contexts into compelling narratives that resonate with readers. The opening of the essay establishes Butterfield's purpose in assessing the significance and impact of historical fiction. He argues that historical novels resurrect the past in the reader's imagination, bridging the gap between factual history and narrative art. Through his reflections on the nature of memory, sentiment, and romanticism, he introduces the idea that while history provides the backdrop, it is the personal, emotional engagement of historical fiction that allows readers to connect with previous ages more deeply. Butterfield’s critical approach situates the historical novel not just as storytelling but as a significant aspect of how we interpret and relate to history itself. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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Language |
English |
LoC Class |
PN: Language and Literatures: Literature: General, Criticism, Collections
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Subject |
Historical fiction -- History and criticism
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Category |
Text |
EBook-No. |
72375 |
Release Date |
Dec 11, 2023 |
Copyright Status |
Public domain in the USA. |
Downloads |
85 downloads in the last 30 days. |
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