Canadian Lit

8/9/2019 Canadian Lit

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HISTORY OF CANADIAN LITERATUREBBL5304

1, 2014/2015


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INTRODUCTION

Re$'ecti% the cou%trys dua' orii% a%d itso$$icia' bi'i%ua'ism1 the 'iterature o$ a%adaca% be sp'it i%to two ma2or divisio%s:

3%'ish 4 5re%ch

6ut the writers a%d readers a pure'ya%adia%

!his prese%tatio% provides a brie$ historica'accou%t o$ Canadian literature in English.


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CANADIAN LIT WHETHER WRITTEN IN ENGLISH ORFRENCH REFLECTS 3 MAIN PARTS OF CANADIANEXPERIENCE

a) %ature o$te% emphasi7e the e$$ects o$ c'imate a%d eoraphy

o% the 'i$e a%d wor8 o$ their peop'e

b) $ro%tier 'i$ea part o$ a%adas e9perie%ce that appears

$reue%t'y i% its 'iterature

;a%y authors have ta8e% themes $rom the steadymarch westward across a%ada


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CANADIAN LIT WHETHER WRITTEN IN ENGLISH ORFRENCH REFLECTS 3 MAIN PARTS OF CANADIANEXPERIENCE

c) a%adas positio% i% the wor'd5re%ch a%adia%s o$te% $ee' surrou%ded by

their 3%'ish-spea8i% %eihbours

!hey have made a determi%ed e$$ort topreserve their ow% i%stitutio%s a%d cu'ture

6ut 3%'ish a%adia%s $reue%t'y have a simi'ar$ee'i% o$ bei% surrou%ded by the peop'e a%d

cu'ture o$ the %ited >tates


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POINT TO PONDER!!!

!he uestio% o$te% as8ed

reardi% a%adia% 'iterature is@s there a a%adia% ide%tity /'iterature at a''?A


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SO, CANADIAN LIT IS! !his has bee% a% o%oi% poi%t o$ debate si%ce

the mid-B00s1 a%d sti'' bei% discussed i%'iterary circ'es today.

!his has bee% a% o%oi% poi%t o$ debate si%cethe mid-B00s1 a%d sti'' bei% discussed i%'iterary circ'es today.

t the e%d o$ the debates1 the outcome a'mosta'ways retur%ed is that there is a 'iteraturea%d a% Cide%tity disti%ct'y a%adia%.


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CATEGORIES a%adia% 'iterature is o$te% bro8e% i%to &

sub-cateories:

. Divisio% by reio% or provi%ce (3aster%

a%adia% +iterature1 Erairie +iterature)#. ateori7e the authors (+iterature o$

a%adia% wome%1 cadia%s1 borii%a'peop'es i% a%ada1 @rish a%adia%s)

&. Divisio%s by 'iterary period (a%adia%postmoder%s1 a%adia% Eoets 6etwee% thears)


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TRAITS COMMON TRAITS OF CANADIANLITERATURE

5ai'ure as a theme

Fumour ;i'd a%ti-merica%ism

;u'ticu'tura'ism (>i%ce or'd ar !wo)

"ature (a%d a Ghuma% vs. %atureG te%sio%)

>atire a%d iro%y >e'$-deprecatio%

>e'$-eva'uatio% by the reader

>earch $or >e'$-@de%tity

>outher%


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PROSE AND POETRYFROM SETTLEMENT TO 1"00

!he $irst writers o$ 3%'ish i% a%ada were visitorsHe9p'orers1trave'ers1 a%d 6ritish o$$icers a%d their wivesHwho recorded theirimpressio%s o$ 6ritish "orth merica i% charts1 diaries1 2our%a's1a%d 'etters.

!hese $ou%datio%a' docume%ts o$ 2our%eys a%d sett'eme%tspresae the docume%tary traditio% i% a%adia% 'iterature i% whicheoraphy1 history1 a%d arduous voyaes o$ e9p'oratio% a%ddiscovery represe%t the uest $or a myth o$ orii%s a%d $or aperso%a' a%d %atio%a' ide%tity.

!he ear'iest docume%ts were u%ador%ed %arratives o$ trave' a%de9p'oratio%. ritte% i% p'ai% 'a%uae1 these accou%ts docume%theroic 2our%eys to the vast1 u%8%ow% west a%d %orth a%de%cou%ters with @%uit a%d other %ative peop'es (ca''ed 5irst"atio%s i% a%ada)1 o$te% o% beha'$ o$ the Fudso%s 6ay ompa%y

a%d the "orth est ompa%y1 the reat $ur-tradi% compa%ies.


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AMONG THE WRITERS ARE#S$%&'( H'$)*'A Journey from Prince of Waless

Fort in Hudsons Bay to the Northern Ocean(IJK)1

S+) A('$*-') M$.'*+' Voyages from Montrealhrough the !ontinent of North America" to the

Fro#en and Pacific Oceans(B0)1S+%* F)$') he $etters and Journals of %imon

Fraser" &'()*&'('1 JL0)1

F)$*.' B)'History of +mily Montague(ILJ)

(the $irst pub'ished %ove' with a a%adia% setti%--a% episto'ary roma%ce describi% the spar8'i%wi%ter sce%ery o$ Muebec a%d the 'i$e a%d ma%%erso$ its reside%ts).


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;ost o$ the ear'iest poems were patriotic so%s a%d hym%s1

he $oyal Verses of Jose,h %tans-ury and .octor Jonathan Odell1(BL0)

toporaphica' %arratives1 re$'ecti% the $irst visitors co%cer% withdiscoveri% a%d %ami% the %ew 'a%d a%d its i%habita%ts1

he /ising Village(B#K)

!he sub2ect o$ prose s8etches were @mmira%ts1 dreami% o$ a %ew 3de% but e%cou%teri% i%stead the

rea'ities o$ u%predictab'e %ative peop'es1 a $ierce c'imate1u%$ami'iar wi'd'i$e1 a%d physica' a%d cu'tura' deprivatio%

>usa%%a >tric8'a%d ;oodie

atheri%e Earr >tric8'a%d !rai''


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!he most orii%a' poet o$ this period was1

@sabe''a Va'a%cy raw$ord1 whose co'our$u' mythopoeic verse1with its imaes draw% $rom the 'ore o$ %ative peop'es1 pio%eer'i$e1 mytho'oy1 a%d a symbo'ic a%imated %ature1 waspub'ished as Old %,oo0ses Pass" Malcolms 1atie" and OtherPoemsi% BB.

!he historica' roma%ce was the most popu'ar $orm o$

%ove'1 >ei%euria' 'i$e i% "ew 5ra%ce provided the setti% $or Nu'ia

atheri%e 6ec8with Farts me'odramatic %t2 3rsulas !on4ent5or" he Nun of !anada(B#)

i''iam ,irbys he 6olden .og(BII)1 (othic ta'e)1

Rosa%%a +eproho%sAntoinette de Mirecourt5 %ecret Marryingand %ecret %orro7ing(BL) (depicted 'i$e i% Muebec a$ter the3%'ish co%uest i% IKJ).


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MODERN PERIOD, 1"000 @% the ear'y #0th ce%tury1 popu'ar poets respo%di% to the

i%terest i% 'oca' co'our depicted 5re%ch a%adia% customsa%d dia'ect1

the ;ohaw8 tribe a%d ritua's (3. Eau'i%e Noh%so%1 $egends of

Vancou4er1 JO Flint and Feather1 J#)1

the $reedom a%d roma%ce o$ the %orth (Robert >ervice1 %ongs of a%ourdough1 J0I).

Noh% ;craesaccou%t o$ or'd ar @1 @% 5'a%ders 5ie'dsA (JK)1

a%adas best-8%ow% poem.

!oro%tos !anadian Forum($ou%ded i% J#0)1 provided a%

out'et $or the %ew poetryA a%d the emere%ce o$

;oder%ism. 3mphasi7i% co%crete imaes1 ope% 'a%uae1

a%d $ree verse1 these moder%ists $e't that the poets tas8 was

to ide%ti$y1 %ame1 a%d ta8e possessio% o$ the 'a%d.
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/354049/John-McCraehttp://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/648646/World-War-Ihttp://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/284350/In-Flanders-Fieldshttp://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/284350/In-Flanders-Fieldshttp://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/648646/World-War-Ihttp://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/354049/John-McCrae


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NOVELS OF LOCAL COLOUR SOCIAL REALISM

6y J00 %ove's o$ 'oca' co'our were bei%%i% to overshadow historica'

roma%ces1 +ucy ;aud ;o%tomerys chi'dre%s boo8Anne of 6reen 6a-les(J0B)

i%c'air RosssAs for Me and My House(J)1

.


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1"0 AND BEYOND 6FICTION7 $ter the JK0s the te%tative%ess i% $ictio% either became

itse'$ the sub2ect o$ the %ove' or was dissipated i% moreco%$ide%t $orms o$ writi%:

Robertso% Davies popu'ar Dept$ord tri'oy (Fifth Business1

JI0O he Manticore1 JI#O World of Wonders1 JIK) e9ami%es

the rowth o$ its protao%ists i%to maturity withi% a Nu%ia%paradim.

'ice ;u%ro i% $i4es of 6irls and Women(JI)1 set i%

southwester%


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MORE#;avis *a''a%ts stories depict iso'ated characters whose

$rai'e wor'ds o$ i''usio% are shattered (he %elected

%tories of Ma4is 6allant1 JJL).

ith tre%cha%t iro%y1 ;araret twood dissected

co%temporary urba% 'i$e a%d se9ua' po'iticsi% he +di-le

Woman(JLJ)1 $ady Oracle(JIL)1 a%d he /o--er Bride

(JJ&). Bodily Harm(JB)1 he Handmaids ale(JBK)1

a%d the specu'ative Ory8 and !ra0e(#00&) are cautio%ary

ta'es o$ po'itica' vio'e%ce a%d dystopia1 whi'eAlias 6race(JJL) a%d he Blind Assassin(#000)1 wi%%er o$ the 6oo8er

Eri7e1 are situated i% a meticu'ous'y researched historica'


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;a%y writers pub'ishi% i% the JL0s a%d I0s subverted the traditio%a'co%ve%tio%s o$ $ictio%1 shi$ti% $rom rea'ist to surrea'ist1 se'$-re$'e9ive1$emi%ist1 or parodic modes.

'thouh historica' eve%ts a%d the i%vestiatio% o$ p'ace as a% imai%ative

source remai%ed the most commo% sub2ect matters1 the %arrative $orms weree9perime%ta' a%d p'ay$u'.

Duri% the JB0s a%d J0s1 writers a'so re%eotiated ideas o$ se'$ a%d %atio%a%d o$ be'o%i% a%d 'oss whi'e brea8i% dow% traditio%a' bou%daries o$ bothe%der a%d e%re.

!his period saw the emere%ce o$ %umerous 5irst "atio%s1 ;Ptis1 a%d @%uitwriters. Resisti% the impositio% o$ ester% co%cepts o$ history1 'a%d1 %atio%1society1 a%d %arrative1 ma%y o$ these writers e9p'ored their ora' traditio%s1myths1 a%d cu'tura' practices.

recurri% theme is the i%dividua's pai%$u' tra2ectory as that i%dividua'%eotiates betwee% cu'tures1 combats racia' pre2udice1 a%d copes withshattered $ami'ies a%d 8i%ship roups. Nea%%ette rmstro% (%lash1 JBK1 rev. ed. JBBO Whis,ering in %hado7s1 #000)1

6eatrice u''eto% (9n %earch of A,ril /aintree1 JB&)1

!omso% Fihway (1iss of the Fur :ueen1 JJB)1

!homas ,i% (Medicine /i4er1 JJ0O 6reen 6rass" /unning Water1 JJ&)1 3de% Robi%so% (Mon0ey Beach1 JJJO Blood %,orts1 #00L).


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1"0 AND BEYOND 6POETRY POETICS7 5ue'ed by $erve%t 'iterary %atio%a'ism a%d a%ti-merica%ism1 by the

e9pa%sio% o$ %ew presses a%d 'iterary maa7i%es1 a%d by the bec8o%i% o$ava%t-arde $orms1 poetry b'ossomed a$ter JL0.

Ero'i$ic1 riba'd1 a%d ico%oc'astic1 @rvi% +ayto% pub'ished B vo'umes o$ poetry

ce'ebrati% 'i$e i% memorab'e 'yric 'i%es a%d 'ambasti% a%adia% se9ua' purita%ism

a%d socia' a%d po'itica' cowardice.

;a%y o$ a%adas %ove'istsHi%c'udi% ;araret twood1 ;ichae'


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1"0 AND BEYOND 6DRAMA7 a%adia% dramatists i% their uest $or a myth o$ orii%s have o$te% tur%ed

to historica' i%cide%ts.!he ear'iest $orms o$ dramatic writi%1 har'es ;airs ecumseh(BBL) a%d >arah

%%e ur7o%s $aura %ecord" the Heroine of &'&(JIL)1 a%d $es !anadiens

(JII)O a'' e9hibit a stro% se%se o$ 'oca'ity1 history1 a%d issues o$ ide%tity a%d

%atio%.


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*ree% !humb !heatre1 $ou%ded i% JIK1 pio%eered p'ays $or you%

audie%ces o% such issues as bu''yi%1 divorce1 a%d immira%ts.

@%$'ue%ced by $i'ma%d uestio%i% co%ve%tio%a' $orms a%d theiratte%da%t ideo'oies1 *eore a'8er produced a% impressive body

o$ wor81

Nothing %acred(JBB)

!riminals in $o4e(JBK)

%u-ur-an Motel(JJI)

"orm 5oster1 with more tha% &0 'iht comedies (e..1 he Mel4ille

Boys1 JBL)1 has become the cou%trys most success$u' dramatist.

t the bei%%i% o$ the #st ce%tury1 severa' co''ective a%d

mu'timedia compa%ies emphasi7ed physica' a%d visua'

e9perime%tatio% a8i% to the ava%t-arde traditio%s i%

co%temporary Muebec productio%s


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FURTHER READING !he essays i% $iterary History of !anada? !anadian $iterature in

+nglish1 #%d ed.1 vo'. Q&1 ed. by ar' 5. ,'i%c8 (JIL)1 a%d vo'. 1

ed. by .F. "ew (JJ0)1 are comprehe%sive critica' studies1 asare the vo'umes i% the series !anadian Writers and heir Wor0s1

ed. by Robert +ec8er1 Nac8 David1 a%d 3''e% Mui'ey.

Do%%a 6e%%ett a%d Russe'' 6row% (eds.)1A Ne7 Anthology of

!anadian $iterature(#00#)O a%d *ary *eddes (ed.)1 &@ !anadianPoets =(#00)1 are importa%t a%tho'oies.

se$u' bib'ioraphies i%c'ude Rei%a'd 3yre atters1A !hec0list

of !anadian $iterature and Bac0ground Materials" &)teve%s1 Modern +nglish;!anadian Poetry? A 6uide to 9nformation %ources(JIB)O Fe'e%

Foy (ed.)1 Modern +nglish;!anadian Prose? A 6uide to

9nformation %ources(JB&)O a%d Na%e ;cMuarrie1 %%e ;ercer1

a%d *ordo% Rip'ey (eds.)1 9nde8 to !anadian Poetry in +nglish

(JB).


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FURTHER READING !he 'iterature o$ a%adas 5irst "atio%s is surveyed i%

!homas ,i% (ed.)1All My /elations? An Anthology of

!ontem,orary !anadian Nati4e Fiction(JJ#)O Da%ie' David

;oses a%d !erry *o'die (eds.)1An Anthology of !anadian

Nati4e $iterature in +nglish1 &rd ed. (#00K)O .F. "ew (ed.)1Nati4e Writers and !anadian Writing(JJ0)O a%d Nea%%ette

. rmstro% a%d +a''y *rauer (eds.)1 Nati4e Poetry in

!anada? A !ontem,orary Anthology(#00).

5or drama1 Nerry asserma% (ed.)1 Modern !anadian Plays1th ed.1 # vo'. (#000Q0)O Do% Rubi% (ed.)1 !anadian heatre

History1 #%d ed. (#00)O a%d Noh% 6a'' a%d Richard E'a%t

(eds.)1 Bi-liogra,hy of heatre History in !anada? he

Beginnings to &'C(JJ&)1 are he'p$u' uides.

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