Neoclassicism in American Literature

According to Merriam Webster, neoclassicism is "of,  relating to, or constituting a revival or adaptation of the classical especially in literature, music, art, or architecture". In America, neoclassicism was a movement based on the interest in the art and culture of ancient Greece and Rome. In the late 1700s and early 1800s, America was in search of a model for their new government, and turned to the Roman Republic and ancient Greece. A Republic is a government run by the people, and this was first done in Ancient Rome. Americans were hoping that his type of government would prevail. 

An example of Neoclassicism in our reading was in Phillis Wheatley's "To His Excellency General Washington. In this poem, she addresses General George Washington in a letter and includes a poem she has written about him in all of his glory. Wheatley begins the poem with, "Celestial choir!", which is actually a device of Neoclassicism. Celestial Choir is a muse, which in Neoclassical pieces, writers would call upon a muse to inspire writing. Wheatley continues the Neoclassical pattern when she refers to America as "Columbia". She depicts a goddess, "she moves divinely fair, Olive and laurel binds her golden hair", triumphantly leading the country in battle. She goes on to depict General Washington as a God, maybe even similar to Zeus. 

These types of references, to muses, Gods, and Goddesses, would typically be used in ancient Greek literature, and are examples of how we used Neoclassicism in the beginning of our life as an independent country. Neoclassical images are still prevalent in our government today. For example, the White House and Capitol Building in Washington DC. These buildings were designed by Thomas Jefferson and used common images from ancient Greece and Rome of the pillars and symmetrical shapes.

-Jessica Mize

Works Cited:

"Introduction." Poetry for Students. Vol. 13. Gale Cengage, .eNotes.com. 22 Oct, 2012 <http://www.enotes.com/his-excellency/>

"Neoclassic." Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 22 Oct. 2012. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/neoclassicism>.

Wheatley, Phillis. "To His Excellency General Washington." The Norton Anthology of American Literature. By Nina Baym and Robert S. Levine. 8th ed. Vol. A. New York: W. W. Norton &, 2012. 772-73. Print.