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Research Paper | English Language and Literature | India | Volume 10 Issue 2, February 2021 | Popularity: 6.7 / 10
Depiction of American Railways in Nineteenth Century American Poetry
Biswajit Das
Abstract: American railway was introduced in the year 1827 and since the introduction of railways the nation progressed with tremendous amount of rapidity. The impact of railways furthered the connection of the broad landscape of America, which was at that time moving in a steady pace towards development and growth of American civilization. The importance of railways in spreading civilization across the huge landscape of America had been much appreciated. The introduction of railways in the 1830's meant a tremendous amount of increase in the pace and rapidity of transportation of goods and passengers in all the corners of America. For that reason, railway became life blood for the Americans and they could not help themselves but to use the services of railroads and freight trains. And for this particular reason, the nineteenth century American poetry is filled with references and appreciation of railways for the betterment and development of the huge landscape as a nation. In the earliest American poems of Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, Walt Whitman and Emile Dickinson, many a aspect of railways could be found very easily. The nineteenth century American poetry is in fact filled with images, metaphors and symbols of American railways. Such was the importance of railroads and trains in the life and daily activities, be it in the commercial field or in the spreading and establishment of civilization in America. The sound of the running trains, the whistle of the approaching trains found tremendous amount of impetus and importance in the nineteenth century American poetry or in other words, nineteenth century American literature.
Keywords: advent of railways, rapidity, economic development, freight trains, transportation of goods, nationhood
Edition: Volume 10 Issue 2, February 2021
Pages: 65 - 67
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