Democracy, Revolution, and Monarchism in Early American Literature (Cambridge Studies in American Literature and Culture, Series Number 130)

Paul Downes combines literary criticism and political history in order to explore responses to the rejection of monarchism in the American revolutionary era. Downes' analysis considers the Declaration of Independence, Franklin's autobiography, Crèvecoeur's Letters from an American Farmer and the works of America's first significant literary figures including Charles Brockden Brown, Washington Irving and James Fenimore Cooper. He claims that the post-revolutionary American state and the new democratic citizen inherited some of the complex features of absolute monarchy, even as they were strenuously trying to assert their difference from it. In chapters that consider the revolution's mock execution of George III, the Elizabethan notion of the 'king's two bodies' and the political significance of the secret ballot, Downes points to the traces of monarchical political structures within the practices and discourses of early American democracy. This is an ambitious study of an important theme in early American culture and society. Cover......Page 1 Half-title......Page 3 Title......Page 5 Copyright......Page 6 Dedication......Page 7 Contents......Page 9 Preface......Page 11 Acknowledgments......Page 14 DEMOCRACY, REVOLUTION, AND MONARCHISM......Page 15 REVOLUTIONARY EXORCISM......Page 21 REVOLUTIONARY GRMMAR......Page 27 REVOLUTIONARY TIME......Page 30 REVOLUTIONARY PRESENCE......Page 37 DEMOCRATIC SOVEREIGNTY......Page 42 CHAPTER 1 Monarchophobia: reading the mock executions of 1776......Page 45 THE KING’S TWO BODIES......Page 50 THE MONARCHIC HIEROGLYPHIC......Page 53 AMERICAN MONARCHISM......Page 56 MONARCHOPHOBIA’S DISPLACEMENTS......Page 59 THE MONARCHIC VOICE......Page 64 CHAPTER 2 Crèvecoeur’s revolutionary loyalism......Page 72 CRÈVECOEUR’S BAFFLING REVERSALS......Page 73 THE “ANCIENT CONNEXION”......Page 82 BEGINNING AGAIN......Page 90 STEPHEN BURROUGHS’ NOTORIETY......Page 98 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN’S EXEMPLARY SUBJECTIVITY......Page 109 FRANKLIN’S “SPEECH IN THE CONVENTION”......Page 116 THE DISAPPEARANCE OF STEPHEN BURROUGHS......Page 122 INTRODUCTION......Page 126 CONSTITUTIONAL SECRETS......Page 129 THE SECRET BALLOT......Page 139 CARWIN’S ECHO......Page 141 THE LESSONS OF CONCEALMENT......Page 148 THE “CARNIVAL OF FRAUD”......Page 158 RIP VAN WINKLE’S REVOLUTION......Page 167 Afterword: the revolution’s last word......Page 179 INTRODUCTION: THE SPELL OF DEMOCRACY......Page 196 1 MONARCHOPHOBIA: READING THE MOCK EXECUTIONS OF 1776......Page 202 2 CRÈVECOEUR’S REVOLUTIONARY LOYALISM......Page 209 3 CITIZEN SUBJECTS: THE MEMOIRS OF STEPHEN BURROUGHS AND BENJAMIN FRANKLIN......Page 212 4 AN EPISTEMOLOGY OF THE BALLOT BOX: BROCKDEN BROWN’S SECRETS......Page 219 5 LUXURY, EFFEMINACY, CORRUPTION: IRVING AND THE GENDER OF DEMOCRACY......Page 225 AFTERWORD: THE REVOLUTION’S LAST WORD......Page 234 Bibliography......Page 237 Index......Page 251 Paul Downes Combines Literary Criticism And Political History In Order To Explore Responses To The Rejection Of Monarchism In The American Revolutionary Era. Downes' Analysis Considers The Declaration Of Independence, Franklin's Autobiography, Crevecoeur's Letters From An American Farmer, And The Works Of America's First Significant Literary Figures Including Charles Brockden Brown, Washington Irving, And James Fenimore Cooper. He Claims That The Post-revolutionary American State And The New Democratic Citizen Inherited Some Of The Complex Features Of Absolute Monarchy, Even As They Were Strenuously Trying To Assert Their Difference From It. In Chapters That Consider The Revolution's Mock Execution Of George Iii, The Elizabethan Notion Of The King's Two Bodies, And The Political Significance Of The Secret Ballot, Downes Points To The Traces Of Monarchical Political Structures Within The Practices And Discourses Of Early American Democracy. This Is An Ambitious Study Of An Important Theme In Early American Culture And Society.--jacket. Monarchophobia: Reading The Mock Executions Of 1776 -- Crèvecoeur's Revolutionary Loyalism -- Citizen Subjects: The Memoirs Of Stephen Burroughs And Benjamin Franklin -- An Epistemology Of The Ballot Box: Brockden Brown's Secrets -- Luxury, Effeminacy, Corruption: Irving And The Gender Of Democracy -- Afterword: The Revolution's Last Word. Paul Downes. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 223-236) And Index. Paul Downes combines literary criticism and political history in order to explore responses to the rejection of monarchism in the American revolutionary era. Downes' analysis considers the Declaration of Independence, Franklin's Autobiography, Crevecoeur's Letters From An American Farmer, and the works of America's first significant literary figures including Brockden Brown, Washington Irving and James Fennimore Cooper. He claims that the new democratic American state and citizen inherited some of the complex features of absolute monarchy, even as they were strenuously trying to assert their difference from it. In chapters that consider the revolution's mock execution of George III, the Elizabethan notion of the 'king's two bodies', and the political significance of the secret ballot, Downes points to the traces of monarchical political structures within the practices and discourses of early American democracy. This is an ambitious study of an important theme in early American culture and society

Paul Downes offers a radical revision of some of the most cherished elements of early American cultural identity. The founding texts and writers of the Republic, he claims, did not wholly displace what they claimed to oppose. Instead, Downes argues, the entire construction of a Republican public sphere actually borrowed and adapted central features of Monarchical rule. Downes discovers this theme not only in a wide range of American novels, but also in readings of a variety of political documents that created the philosophical culture of the American revolutionary period.