In 1848, James Russell Lowell's A Fable for Critics made its debut, arriving amidst a flourishing period in American literature. It appeared three years after Edgar Allan Poe's famed poem "The Raven" and slightly before Herman Melville's Moby Dick. At twenty-nine, Lowell was carving out his niche as a poet and antislavery advocate, emerging alongside literary giants like Melville and Whitman.

An American Literary Awakening

In the era of Ralph Waldo Emerson and Nathaniel Hawthorne, Lowell was convinced that American literature had matured significantly. His convictions are articulated in a section of A Fable for Critics, echoing Emerson’s call to arms in “The American Scholar” and foreshadowing Whitman’s groundbreaking preface to the 1855 edition of Leaves of Grass. Lowell encouraged American writers to "Forget Europe wholly," advocating for a distinct literary identity.

Satirical Insights

Today, A Fable for Critics is often recognized for its sharp satire, though it is seldom read in its entirety. Lowell cheerfully parades his contemporaries—figures like Emerson, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, and John Greenleaf Whittier—through his witty verses. With youthful audacity, he penned memorable barbs: "There comes Poe, with his raven, like Barnaby Rudge,/ Three-fifths of him genius and two-fifths sheer fudge." On James Fenimore Cooper, he mused, "the women he draws from one model don’t vary,/ All sappy as maples and flat as a prairie."

Critiques and Challenges

Despite Lowell's astute observations, the poem has its flaws. It lacks the structured elegance of Alexander Pope’s essays in verse, instead meandering through caricatures. The reputations of many targets have waned, rendering some satire obsolete. Furthermore, the anapestic tetrameter and awkward rhymes, such as "philosopher" with "loss of her," test readers' patience, even within its comical context.

Structural Concerns

Lowell's approach to structure is cumbersome, taking a lengthy route to deliver his satire. The poem depicts American writers marching past Phoebus Apollo, who appears indifferent to their parade. These authors manifest as a cacophony of fowls led by "Tityrus Griswold"—a nod to the contemporary anthologist Rufus W. Griswold. This mechanical framework lacks excitement and direction.

Literary Influences and Legacy

Lowell drew inspiration from prior literary satires, such as Pope’s The Dunciad, Lord Byron’s English Bards and Scotch Reviewers, and Leigh Hunt’s The Feast of the Poets. His own work would later inspire Amy Lowell’s Critical Fable in 1922, highlighting its enduring influence.

"Con Amore" Satire

Lowell wrote his satire "con amore," as he described with evident enthusiasm on the title page and introduction. The wordy title page, imitating an antiquated book style, cleverly begins his rhymed couplets: “Reader! walk up at once (it will soon be too late), and buy at a perfectly ruinous rate A Fable for Critics.” In the introductory rhyme, Lowell candidly sets limits, calling the work a "trifle" and "neither good verse nor bad prose." He added a longer rhymed essay to the second edition, reflecting on the mixed critical response.

Narrative and Fabular Devices

The poem is narrated by Lowell himself, but the first notable character is Phoebus Apollo, drawn from Greek mythology. This device, a favorite among fabulists, allows Lowell to add humor and perspective by using otherworldly settings and characters to critique his contemporaries.

A Procession of Literary Figures

Under a laurel, Apollo laments the lackluster recent poetry and muses about writing anew. When his aide fetches a lily to stir Apollo's creativity, Evert Augustus Duyckinck, an editor and critic, approaches. He is depicted as a reputation-conscious mutterer. As Apollo and Duyckinck spar verbally, the procession of authors begins, led by Ralph Waldo Emerson, already celebrated for his essays. Emerson, described as "a Greek...