Oliver Wendell Holmes Criticism
Oliver Wendell Holmes (1809–1894) was a multifaceted American author best known for his essays in The Breakfast-Table Series, where he utilized fictional dialogues to critique societal issues. This series, as examined by Miriam Rossiter Small, features different characters to explore Holmes's concerns about society, religion, and human nature. His novels, particularly Elsie Venner, incorporate his pioneering psychological theories and criticisms of Calvinism, themes further analyzed by Anne Dalke. Holmes's life and works are often compared to his contemporaries Emerson and Thoreau, as noted by John Martin, highlighting his influence within the Boston intellectual circles.
Born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Holmes's early exposure to Calvinism fostered a lifelong critique of its doctrines, which permeates his literary and scientific works. Holmes's career as a poet began with "Old Ironsides," a poem that saved the U.S.S. Constitution from dismantling. His poetry often reflects on human existence, as seen in "The Chambered Nautilus" and "The Last Leaf," despite being rooted in the neoclassical traditions of the Augustan age. His prose works demonstrate his scientific curiosity, addressing themes of disability and societal reintegration, as explored by David D. Yuan. Holmes's biography of Emerson attempts to cast him as an icon of cultural conservatism, as analyzed by Len Gougeon.
Holmes's works often blur the lines between literary and scientific inquiry, reflecting his dual career as a writer and physician. His "medicated novels" delve into the psychological and physiological aspects of human behavior, offering early insights into emerging psychological theories. While his literary reputation has waned, largely due to the decline of New England cultural dominance, Holmes remains a significant figure in American literature, known for his wit and intellectual breadth. His prose, notably The Autocrat, maintains its charm and continues to be celebrated for its keen observations and lively discourse.
Contents
- *Principal Works
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Essays
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The Breakfast-Table Series
(summary)
In the following essay, Small analyzes the various pieces that make up the Breakfast-Table series. In each, Holmes created a different main character in order to emphasize and illustrate various issues in society that concerned him.
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This is the ship of pearl …
(summary)
In the following essay, Martin compares Holmes's life and writing with that of his contemporaries and fellow New Englanders, Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson.
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Economics, or the Bosom Serpent: Oliver Wendell Holmes's Elsie Venner: A Romance of Destiny
(summary)
In the following essay, Dalke examines Holmes's intent in Elsie Venner: A Romance of Destiny, in which he argues that human beings cannot be held accountable for misdeeds because of their heredity.
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Holmes's Emerson and the Conservative Critique of Realism
(summary)
In the following essay, Gougeon examines Holmes's attempt in his biography, Ralph Waldo Emerson, to make Emerson into an icon of cultural conservatism.
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Disfigurement and Reconstruction in Oliver Wendell Holmes's 'The Human Wheel, Its Spokes and Felloes'
(summary)
In the following essay, Yuan analyzes Holmes's main work on disability and prosthetics and considers his philosophy that disabled citizens be rehabilitated and assimilated back into society.
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The Breakfast-Table Series
(summary)
- Further Reading