American Literary Realism, Critical Theory, and Intellectual Prestige, 1880–1995 (Cambridge Studies in American Literature and Culture, Series Number 126)

Focusing on key works of late nineteenth and early twentieth-century American literary realism, Phillip Barrish traces the emergence of new ways of gaining intellectual prestige - that is, new ways of gaining some degree of cultural recognition. Through extended readings of works by Henry James, William Dean Howells, Abraham Cahan, and Edith Wharton, Barrish emphasizes the differences between realist modes of cultural authority and those associated with the rise of the social sciences, and examines the impact of realism as a genre on the aesthetic, the self, masculinity and narrative more generally. Barrish also argues that, understanding the dynamics of intellectual status in realist literature also provides new analytic purchase on intellectual prestige in recent critical theory from such figures as Lionel Trilling, Paul de Man, John Guillory, and Judith Butler. This book is the first extended treatment of a genre, realism, central to our understanding of American literature. Cover......Page 1 Half-title......Page 3 Series-title......Page 5 Title......Page 7 Copyright......Page 8 Dedication......Page 9 Contents......Page 11 Acknowledgements......Page 12 Introduction......Page 13 REALIST DISPOSITIONS......Page 15 MATERIAL CLAIMS......Page 20 REALIST TASTE VERSUS PHILISTINISM......Page 28 "ALL THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE NOW"......Page 42 CONTINGENCY, IRONY, AND CONJUGALITY......Page 52 CHAPTER TWO The “facts of physical suffering," the literary intellectual, and The Wings of the Dove......Page 60 THE FACTS OF PHYSICAL SUFFERING......Page 62 THE REAL, THE RIGHT STILLNESS......Page 66 "TOO BEAUTIFUL AND TOO SACRED TO DESCRIBE"......Page 75 INTENSELY TO CONSULT AND INTENSELY TO IGNORE......Page 79 CHAPTER THREE The "genuine article": credit and ethnicity in The Rise of David Levinsky......Page 85 FINANCIAL CAPITAL, INTELLECTUAL CAPITAL......Page 86 RAW MATERIAL......Page 91 DIALECT AND LEVINSKY'S RISE......Page 95 RECOGNIZING MISRECOGNITION......Page 97 THE GENUINE ARTICLE......Page 101 YIDDISH-SPEAKING WOMEN......Page 105 CHAPTER FOUR What Nona knows......Page 109 ONE OF THE TRENCH WATCHERS......Page 111 HANDLES OF REALITY......Page 120 POWERS OF DARKNESS......Page 126 NONA'S HANDS......Page 134 CHAPTER FIVE From reality, to materiality, to the real (and back again): the dynamics of distinction on the recent critical.........Page 140 WHAT MATTERS......Page 160 INTRODUCTION......Page 170 1 WILLIAM DEAN HOWELLS AND THE ROOTS OF REALIST TASTE......Page 176 2 THE "FACTS OF PHYSICAL SUFFERING"......Page 184 3 THE "GENUINE ARTICLE": CREDIT AND ETHINICITY IN THE RISE OF DAVID LEVINSKY......Page 190 4 WHAT NONA KNOWS......Page 196 5 FROM REALITY, TO MATERIALITY, TO THE REAL (AND BACK AGAIN): THE DYNAMICS OF DISTINCTION ON THE RECENT CRITICAL SCENE......Page 200 Bibliography......Page 204 Index......Page 221 Focusing on key works of late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century American literary realism, Phillip Barrish traces the emergence of new ways of gaining intellectual prestige - that is, new ways of gaining cultural recognition as unusually intelligent, sensitive or even wise. Through extended readings of works by Henry James, William Dean Howells, Abraham Cahan and Edith Wharton, Barrish emphasises the differences between literary realist modes of intellectual and cultural authority and those associated with the rise of the social sciences. In doing so, he greatly refines our understanding of the complex relationship between realist writing and masculinity. Barrish further argues that understanding the dynamics of intellectual status in realist literature provides new analytic purchase on intellectual prestige in recent critical theory. Here he focuses on such figures as Lionel Trilling, Paul de Man, John Guillory and Judith Butler. "Focusing on key works of late-nineteenth and early twentieth-century American literary realism, Phillip Barrish traces the emergence of new ways of gaining intellectual prestige - that is, new ways of gaining cultural recognition as unusually intelligent, sensitive, or even wise. Through extended readings of works by Henry James, William Dean Howells, Abraham Cahan, and Edith Wharton, Barrish emphasizes the differences between literary realist modes of intellectual and cultural authority and those associated with the rise of the social sciences. In doing so, he greatly refines our understanding of the complex relationship between realist writing and masculinity Barrish further argues that understanding the dynamics of intellectual status in realist literature provides new analytic purchase on intellectual prestige in recent critical theory. Here he focuses on such figures as Lionel Trilling, Paul de Man, John Guillory, and Judith Butler."--Jacket