English Language and Literature ETDs

Publication Date

5-31-1968

Abstract

W. D. Howell’s travel books and reviews of travel books have received limited critical attention. Yet he shows himself a fine artist and critic. Howells reviewed many travel books during his years with the Atlantic Monthly, 1866-1881, and became increasingly aware of the demands of the genre. Among the issues he discusses those treating vision, point of view, appropriate use of humor, choice of material, and the value of facts and generalizations are the most significant. The eye which sees clearly, he suggests, has no need of new and fresh material; the freshness must be within. The artist should record what he sees with fidelity, even when what he sees may be common. Those writers who honestly respond to experience win Howell’s praise, and he commends those who do not make absolute judgments about art and history. His reviews also reveal his interest in the relationships between travel literature and realism. His distrust of absolutes, his emphasis on experience, and his interest in incompleteness suggest that he approaches “reality” by pragmatic means.

A limited realism appears in Venetian Life (1866) and Italian Journeys (1867). Howells criticizes conventional, sentimental treatments of Italy and speaks irreverently and iconoclastically of the Old World. However, both volumes are marries by vacillations in tone, shifting points of view, and sentimental passages. Howells’ use of sentimentality and associational techniques shows him influenced by the doctrines of the Scottish realists and working in the sentimental tradition. Howells treats history and art in didactic and moral terms and attempts to find connections between history and life.

In Tuscan Cities (1886), he attempts, somewhat unsuccessfully, to rehumanize history by imaginatively re-experiencing it. His view of man is now darker, and he concerns himself more with civil disorders and the fragility of democracy. He sees altruism as necessary and praises those who have shown "a genius for humanity." Unfortunately, the techniques he uses are not wholly appropriate to his serious social concerns. However, Howells skillfully renders dramatic incidents and sensitively responds to the “human landscape.” His interest in humanity leads him to conclude that architecture should be suited to man's uses and that art should reveal basic truths about human nature.

In the twentieth century Howells writes three books about England, London Films (1906), Certain Delightful English Towns (1906), and Seven English Cities (1909). He has solved the technical problems relating to point of view and tome, and now he relies on methods of indirection to convey his meanings, He uses images and impressions (as James does) to suggest the rich texture of English civilization. In his interest in growth and organic relationships he follows the lead of Emerson and Hawthorne (he is more influenced by Hawthorne than by Emerson). More than in other volumes he sensitively explores the implications of tradition and examines the continuity implicit in English civilization.

Howells writes of Italy again in Roman Holidays (1908) and creates a vigorous, entertaining work. The humor of the book, its notable feature, complements his shrewd social criticism. By frequently rendering slight dramatic incidents he demonstrates that the surfaces and edges of life may reveal much to the artist who looks closely at them. Roman Holidays is finely structured, and exemplifies those qualities which he admires in other art: balance, proportion, and fidelity in representation. In Familiar Spanish Travels (1913), Howells’ last major travel book, nostalgia counts for much and material for little. He creates excellent effects by contrasting age and youth and illusion and reality.

In all Howells t travel books a consistent purpose of realism can be seen. He makes a significant contribution to the art of travel writing, both as critic and artist. Because he thought travel literature a challenging form and because he looked clearly, his books deserve not to be forgotten. He created a body of work which illustrates that travel and self-discovery are often synonymous.

Degree Name

English

Level of Degree

Doctoral

Department Name

English

First Committee Member (Chair)

George Warren Arms

Second Committee Member

Ernest Warnock Tedlock Jr.

Third Committee Member

Edith Buchanan

Language

English

Document Type

Dissertation

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