The Impact of Sir Walter Scott on American Literature

Leading up to the American Civil War, Sir Walter Scott made a lasting impact on American literature. His romantic style was wildly popular, especially in the southern states. Most of the nations views on the war at the time were highly romanticized as a result. However, there was nothing romantic about this war. Once soldiers witnessed the horrors of war, many of their romantic views were changed forever. One such soldier was Samuel Clemens, better known as Mark Twain. The themes of American literature shifted drastically following the war from romantic to realistic to bring to light the true atrocities that accompany war. Mark Twains The Private History of a Campaign that Failed is an example of how Twain, because of his experience in the Civil War, rejected the Sir Walter Scott romantic ideals of war and instead embraced a realistic treatment of the subject. Sir Walter Scott was originally able to become a prominent literary figure in the South because he was writing during a tumul tuous time in American history. Following the American Revolution, the North and South were separated by their ideas for the future of the nation. The philosophers of the Revolution were nearly all Southerners- George Mason, Patrick Henry, Jefferson, Madison- and it was in the South that the greatest social changes were made... democracy triumphed under Jeffersons leadership. (Eckenrode) The North continued, to some extent, to accept the separation of social classes much like EuropeanShow MoreRelatedSojourner Truth And Louisa May Alcott931 Words   |  4 Pagesnineteenth century, American Literature was considered to be of insignificant quality compared to that of English Literature, and was rarely recognized in the literary world. However, this opinion did eventually change because of the success of some very creative American authors. 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