The Political Writings of Charles Brockden Brown Essay examples -- Cha

The Political Writings of Charles Brockden brown Charles Brockden Brown, famous as the first sea captain American writer, was an inventive creator of novels, stories, pamphlets and journal articles. His life extended from 1771-1810, over some of the most significant periods of American history. He came from a Quaker fraternity of Philadelphia, a very intellectually and governmentally active city. Not surprisingly, Brown was swept up in a strong current of challenges to traditional mandate (Watts 51). He was heavily influenced by the thought of his time, notably Godwin, Wollstonecraft, French Revolutionary thinkers and the American disciples of Locke (Clark110). Much of his political writing addressed specific situations, though Brown also held very strong beliefs on government and power generally Law is the shortest and safest road to the possession of power, and power must be desirable by unfavourable men for its own sake, and by good men for the sake of the beneficial emp loyment of it (The Rhapsodist 108). Due to this focus on legislative power, Browns political writings are intensely critical of the Jefferson government and its follow throughs. He is a moralist, and extractor of lessons from specific incidents, not a pointer of people in action (Warfel X). Brown was generally concerned with the theory of government and its relation to happiness. Throughout the 1790s he developed many Utopian visions in an attempt to create the absolute political world (Watts 65). He adamantly demanded artistic, intellectual, commercial, and political independence from Europe (Axelrod 4) In every work proceeding from my pen, my chief demand is the liberty of settle for myself (The Rhapsodist 22). Brown... ...nd the Cession of the Mississippi to France, drawn up by a Counsellor of State. Ed. David Lee Clark. North Carolina Duke University Press, 1952. pp. 261-268.----. Monroes Embassy, of the Conduct of the Government in Relation to our Cla ims to the piloting of the Mississippi. Ed. David Lee Clark. North Carolina Duke University Press, 1952. pp. 268-270.---. The Rhapsodist. Ed. Harry R. Warfel. New York Scholars Facsimiles and Reprints, 1977. Clark, David Lee. Charles Brockden Brown Pioneer Voice of America. North Carolina Duke University Press, 1952.Warfel, Harry R. Introduction. The Rhapsodist. Ed. Harry R. Warfel. New York Scholars Facsimiles and Reprints, 1977. pp. v-xii. Watts, Steven. The Young Artist as Social Visionary The Romance of Real Life. Baltimore The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1994. pp. 49-70.