The Heath Anthology Of American Literature: Colonial Period To 1800, Volume A

Unrivaled diversity and teachability have made "The Heath Anthology "a best-selling text since the publication of its first edition in 1989. In presenting a more inclusive canon of American literature, "The Heath Anthology "continues to balance the traditional, leading names in American literature with lesser-known writers and to build upon the anthology's other strengths: its apparatus and its ancillaries.Available in five volumes for greater flexibility, the Fifth Edition offers thematic clusters to stimulate classroom discussions and to show the treatment of important topics across the genres. The indispensable web site includes revised timelines, a multimedia gallery to support thematic clusters, and a searchable Instructor's Guide.Two thematic clusters, "America in the European Imagination" and "Cultural Encounters: A Critical Survey" explore imaginary European constructions of a yet untouched American landscape. In addition, the new cluster, "On Nature and Nature's God," examines the shift from a reliance on religious faith to the use of reason and the scientific method. "On The Discourse of Liberty" surveys the notions and realities of American independence.Selections from authors such as Thomas Morton, Anne Bradstreet, Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz, and Cotton Mather examine notions of identity and ideology in American literary history.Early selections reflect the growing interest among scholars in works of American literature that were not originally written in English and their impact upon the predominantly English literatures of North America.The section entitled "Cultures in Contact" is organized along regional lines, such as "New Spain," "New France," "Chesapeake," and"New England," to facilitate the comparison of different imperial agendas.Charles Molesworth is the author of 'The Heath Anthology Of American Literature: Colonial Period To 1800, Volume A', published 2004 under ISBN 9780618532971 and ISBN 0618532978.