Highways of Canadian LiteratureLogan, J. D. (John Daniel)
History
Highways of Canadian Literature
Logan, J. D. (John Daniel)
Canadian literature -- History and criticism
Mair and Reade and others were having an influence, however, in holding
up the ideal of authentic literary creation in Canada while during that
decade and the following decade a group of young native-born Canadians
were growing into manhood, and were having engendered in their hearts
and imagination a distinct innate sentiment of Canadian nationality and
were to become the first native-born group of _systematic_ poets and
prose writers in Canada. Their work, in poetry and prose, may fairly be
signalized as the First Renaissance in Canadian Literature.
This group, for the purposes of literary history, we have denominated
the Systematic School of Canadian poets and prose writers. For with the
publication of Chas. G. D. Roberts’ _Orion and Other Poems_ in 1880, a
native-born leader for native-born men and women of letters appeared in
Canada; and with the publication of Roberts’ _In Divers Tones_ in 1887
in Canada (in U. S. 1886), there appeared at length the first ‘Voice’ of
the Spirit of Canada, expressed in poetic literature, artistic in
structure and noble in inspiration. The authentic beginning of strictly
so-called Canadian Literature in English must, therefore, be dated from
1887. Roberts and his colleagues, Lampman, Carman, Campbell, D. C.
Scott, F. G. Scott, Pauline Johnson, Gilbert Parker and Marshall
Saunders are designated the Systematic School of Canadian poets and
prose writers.
The First Renaissance in Canadian Native and National Literature may be
said to close either with the publication of Pauline Johnson’s last
volume of poems, _Canadian Born_, in 1903, or with the publication of
Robert Service’s first volume of verse, _Songs of a Sourdough_ (1907).
By this is not meant that after twenty years of leadership and influence
the first Systematic Group had not continued to hold up the ideal to the
younger or later Canadian poets and prose writers or that there were no
Canadian poets and prose writers who were continuing the older ideal and
tradition. As a matter of fact, the creative and artistic ideals of the
first group of systematic poets and prose writers had become engendered
in the aesthetic and artistic conscience of the younger or later men and
women of letters in Canada; and the poetry and prose produced by the
younger or later Canadian men and women of letters were notably refined
in sentiment, beautiful in structure and imagery, and noble in spiritual
substance and appeal. They continued, and still continue, as do also
Roberts, Carman, Duncan Campbell Scott and the other living members of
the original Systematic Group, the tradition of aesthetic and artistic
verse and prose.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account