States of Sympathy: Seduction and Democracy in the American Novel

by Elizabeth Barnes

Explores the extent to which sympathy and sentiment--through the representation of the family--are increasingly employed to construct the notion of a politically affective state in philosophical, political and literary texts. The book offers fresh interpretations of classic and lesser-known works, from Susanna Rowson's Charlotte Temple to Herman Melville's Billy Budd.

152 pages, Hardcover

First published April 15, 1997

Reviews

[Lynda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very helpful in my understanding the allegory of marriage and gender in the early republic.