Family, Kinship, and Sympathy in Nineteenth-Century American Literature [Paperback]

A radical new interpretation of nineteenth-century sentimental literature in the United States.Cindy Weinstein's book radically revises our understanding of nineteenth-century sentimental literature. Weinstein argues that these novels are far more complex than critics have suggested,. She expands the archive of sentimental novels to include some of the more popular, though under-examined writers, and shows how canonical texts can take on new meaning when read in the context of these novels. Through intensive close readings of a wide range of novels, she demonstrates the aesthetic and political complexities in this important and influential genre.Cindy Weinstein's book radically revises our understanding of nineteenth-century sentimental literature. Weinstein argues that these novels are far more complex than critics have suggested,. She expands the archive of sentimental novels to include some of the more popular, though under-examined writers, and shows how canonical texts can take on new meaning when read in the context of these novels. Through intensive close readings of a wide range of novels, she demonstrates the aesthetic and political complexities in this important and influential genre.Cindy Weinstein radically revises our understanding of nineteenth-century sentimental literature. Arguing that these novels are far more complex than critics have suggested, Weinstein expands the archive of sentimental novels to include some of the more popular, though under-examined writers, and shows how canonical texts can take on new meaning when read in the context of these novels. She demonstrates the aesthetic and political complexities of this influential genre and its impact on Stowe, Twain and Melville.Acknowledgments; Introduction; 1. In loco parentis; 2. 'A sort of adopted daughter': family relations in The Lamplighter; 3. Thinking through sympathy: Kemble, Hentz, and Stowe; 4. Behind the scenes of sentimental novels: Ida May and Twelve Years a Slave; 5. l3&