Canadian Literature in English: Volume One - Softcover

Keith, W. J.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0889842833 ISBN 13: 9780889842830

Publisher: Porcupine's Quill, 2006

Synopsis

W. J. Keith has chosen to ignore utterly both the `popular' at the one extreme (Robert Service, Lucy Maud Montgomery) as well as the `avant-garde' (bpnichol, Anne Carson) at the other in favour of those authors whose style lends itself to the simple pleasure of reading, and to that end Keith dedicates his history to all those (including those of the general reading public whose endangered status is much lamented) who `recognize and celebrate the dance of words.'

About this title

About the Author:

W. J. Keith was born and raised in England. He came to Canada in 1958 where he taught at McMaster (1961-66), then at the University of Toronto (1966-95). Since 1995 he has held the position of Professor Emeritus of English at University College, University of Toronto.

W. J. Keith edited the University of Toronto Quarterly (1976-85), and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada in 1979.

An updated version of Canadian Literature in English was published in 2006.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.:

When I was invited to revise and update this book in 2004, nineteen years after its original publication, my first thought was that it would have to be totally rewritten. Further consideration, however, revealed that it was completed, in Sam Solecki's words in The Last Canadian Poet when writing of Al Purdy's poetic career, at `the close of the major phase of the Canadian literary tradition' (xiv). Since then the basic pattern has changed little. Indeed, the only obviously outdated statement in the above preface is the claim that `the majority of Canadian writers up to the present time whose work will prove of continuing interest in the future are alive now'. Of the individual authors listed in the original bibliography, more than thirty have died since 1985. Moreover, for various reasons, several of which will be discussed in the concluding chapter, although a considerable number of younger writers have appeared on the scene, few have displayed unequivocal claims to major status. The remarkable flowering that began to manifest itself in the middle of the twentieth century had run its course by the beginning of the new millennium.

As a result, the general shape of the book requires little alteration. A number of writers who had already achieved stature developed their reputations, but only a few extended them. I have therefore decided to confine myself to minimal changes in the main body of the text. These include the correction of a few errors, a number of stylistic refinements, and some alterations and additions rendered necessary by the passing of time. I have left the main arguments and evaluations as they were.

The apparatus criticus has, however, been completely revised and revamped to meet current needs -- though not to reflect current fashion. I have deliberately avoided jargon, `theory', and the criticism embracing them for reasons given in detail in an added Appendix. A year-by-year `chronology' has been dropped in favour of more extended recommendations for further reading that not only include listings of recent work but also record the presence of biographies and scholarly editions which did not exist in the early 1980s.

Once again, I must repeat that the book was highly selective in 1985, and stress that the coverage of twenty years of further writing means that it is now more selective than ever. Much worthy and effective writing has had to be passed over in silence. In the main, I have ignored the `popular' at one extreme (no mention of Lucy Maud Montgomery or Robert Service) and left the `avant-garde' to look after itself at the other (no mention of bpNichol or Anne Carson). If this is a damaging admission on my part, so be it; the more adventurous are free to venture further.

Finally, I have endeavoured to lay stress on those writings that I consider a pleasure to read, especially though not exclusively for the pleasure of their style. Despite the trendy popularity of the phrase `the pleasures of the text' a few years ago, `pleasure' is a word that does not occur regularly in contemporary literary discussion. For my part, I read literature unashamedly for pleasure -- not the `fun' so distressingly flaunted by bureaucratic committees of adult education, but pleasure. So far as Canadian literature is concerned, this book is a report on what has pleased me. I dedicate it to all those (including the general reading public whose endangered status is lamented in the `Polemical Conclusion') who recognize and respond to the dance of words.

(W J Keith)

About this edition

• Publisher: Porcupine's Quill
• Publication date: 2006
• ISBN 10: 0889842833
• ISBN 13: 9780889842830
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 224