Elizabeth Madox Roberts Criticism
Elizabeth Madox Roberts (1881-1941) was an influential American novelist, poet, and short story writer, known primarily for her contributions to Southern literature. Her acclaimed novel, The Time of Man (1926), is celebrated for its beautiful prose and insight into the human experience, as noted by critics like Ford Madox Ford and Glenway Westcott. Despite being compared to literary giants such as Faulkner and Welty, Roberts did not achieve their level of fame.
Born in Kentucky, Roberts's upbringing was steeped in storytelling, which influenced her literary career. Her early education was marked by financial struggles and health issues, yet she thrived in the literary environment at the University of Chicago, forming essential connections with other writers. Roberts's life in Springfield, Kentucky, became the setting for her full-time writing career until her death.
Among Roberts's major works, The Time of Man stands out as a bildungsroman, exploring the life of Ellen Chesser and her journey towards spiritual renewal, as praised by Robert Morss Lovett. Her second novel, My Heart and My Flesh (1927), similarly delves into themes of loss and redemption. Roberts's poetry, including Under the Tree (1922) and Song in the Meadow (1940), reveals her fascination with childhood and philosophical ideas, as discussed in Sara Teasdale's review and Campbell and Foster's essay on her poetry.
Roberts also explored allegory and historical themes in works like The Great Meadow (1930), which examines the struggle to create order from chaos, as noted by Frederick P. W. McDowell and John J. Murphy. Her writing style, often rich and intricate, allows readers to engage deeply with her characters' consciousness, a technique appreciated by critics like Earl H. Rovit and Mark Van Doren. Through her diverse body of work, Roberts remains a significant yet underappreciated figure in American literature.
Contents
- Principal Works
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Essays
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Review of The Time of Man
(summary)
In the following review, Lovett describes The Time of Man as "an almost perfect blending of idea and substance, of soul and body."
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Miss Roberts' First Novel
(summary)
In the following review, Wescott praises Roberts for the 'artfulness' of The Time of Man.
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Elizabeth Madox Roberts
(summary)
In the following review of The Great Meadow, originally published on March 16, 1930, Davidson determines that Roberts "does show the excellences and advantages of provincial art at its best."
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A Child Sings
(summary)
In the following review, Teasdale enthusiastically assesses of the verse in Under the Tree. Under the Tree is as fresh and full of music as an April morning. A child is overheard singing, and we listen, afraid that the song will end. The little girl, perhaps five or six years old, is as much in love with life as the heroines of Miss Roberts' novels are, and as sensitive as they are to the moods of the earth and to the other creatures living on its surface.
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Elizabeth Madox Roberts: Her Mind and Style
(summary)
In the following essay, originally published in 1932, Van Doren comments on how Roberts's writing style adds another dimension to her novels.
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Elizabeth Madox Roberts as Poet
(summary)
In the following essay, Campbell and Foster survey Roberts's poetry, discussing her two published volumes of poetry—Under the Tree and Song in the Meadow—and attempting to describe the nature and value of these volumes.
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A Few Hard, Tender Sayings
(summary)
In the following essay, Rovit concludes that Roberts's intricate style serves an important purpose in her prose, allowing the reader to identify more closely with the consciousness of her characters.
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The New Beginning
(summary)
In the following essay, McDowell examines the characters, structure, and symbolism of The Great Meadow.
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Elizabeth Madox Roberts
(summary)
In the following essay, Auchincloss remarks on key novels and short stories by Roberts.
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The Mind & Creative Habits of Elizabeth Madox Roberts
(summary)
In the following essay, Spivey points out the strengths and weaknesses in Roberts's prose.
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Elizabeth Madox Roberts and the Civilizing Consciousness
(summary)
In the following essay, Murphy discusses Roberts's blending of historical fact with fiction in The Great Meadow, and her use of stream of consciousness in The Time of Man.
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Social Development in the Poetry of Elizabeth Madox Roberts
(summary)
In the following essay, Niles addresses the theme of social awareness in Roberts's poetry.
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Time's Own River: The Three Major Novels of Elizabeth Madox Roberts
(summary)
In the following essay, Tyree assesses the strengths and weaknesses of The Time of Man, The Great Meadow, and My Heart and My Flesh.
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The Poetry of Space in Elizabeth Madox Roberts' The Time of Man
(summary)
In the following essay, McBride demonstrates the symbolism between the various homes of Ellen Chesser in The Time of Man and the character's stages of maturity.
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Place in the Short Fiction of Elizabeth Madox Roberts
(summary)
In the following essay, Hall discusses the importance of place in short stories by Roberts.
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Against the Chaos of the World: Language and Consciousness in Elizabeth Madox Roberts's The Time of Man
(summary)
In the following essay, Tate investigates the integration of style and theme in The Time of Man.
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History and the Will of the Artist: Elizabeth Madox Roberts
(summary)
In the following essay, Simpson traces the development of Roberts's female protagonists as artists and as representations of artistic consciousness.
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Review of The Time of Man
(summary)
- Further Reading