Du Bose Heyward by Hervey Allen
The biography focuses on the life of DuBose Heyward, a writer and playwright from South Carolina. It explores his early life, education, and career as a writer, including his experiences with poverty and racism. The book also delves into his relationships and influences, particularly those related to his work on Porgy, a play that was later adapted into the opera Porgy and Bess.
By Hervey Allen · First published 1931 · Genre: Biography, Literary Criticism, Cultural History · 3,316 words
First lines
There was a fashion amongst a certain school of critics and _literati_ of former years to go about the country with dark lanterns ready to flash their microscopic spot lights upon this or that author, as he emerged for a brief moment from the great North American obscurity, and to proclaim that he had or certainly would or could write the great American novel. It was then the custom to say that in poem or story he had caught the essential verities of the great universal American type. For a while the little spotlights would play hopefully upon someone, and then be turned elsewhere. At last, like the gentleman from Athens who searched with a lantern for another equally mythical person, the critics, who were looking for the great American novelist and his novel, passed away with the hope which animated them, and were seen and heard no more.
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Du Bose Heyward is listed on Textopian as a novel by Hervey Allen, dated 1931 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novel
- Author: Hervey Allen
- Date: 1931 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Biography, Literary Criticism, Cultural History, American Literature, Sociology
- Length: 3,316 words
- Structure: 1 section, 27 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
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Genres
- Biography — The text provides a detailed account of the life and works of Du Bose Heyward, focusing on his background, influences, and literary contributions.
- Literary Criticism — The text analyzes Heyward's work, particularly 'Porgy', in the context of American literature, discussing its themes, style, and significance.
- Cultural History — The text explores the cultural and historical context of the American South, particularly Charleston, and its influence on Heyward's writing.
- American Literature — The text situates Heyward's work within the broader landscape of American literature, discussing its impact and reception.
Tags
Biography · Literary Criticism · Southern Literature · Historical Fiction · Novel · Autobiographical · Memoir · Family History · Social Commentary · Racial Tensions · Class Conflict · Regionalism