The Cavaliers of Virginia, vol. 1 of 2

William Alexander CaruthersProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

Rating 3.0

Word count: 311K words
Chapters: 32

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.The Cavaliers of Virginia, vol. 1 of 2 by William Alexander CaruthersAuthor: Caruthers, William Alexander, 1802-1846,Language: English, Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature, Release Date: Mar 21, 2011

Editor's review

The Cavaliers of Virginia, vol. 1 of 2 is the first volume of a historical novel by the nineteenth-century American writer William Alexander Caruthers. Set in colonial Virginia, it shows the typical features of early American historical romance: cavalier figures, colonial social relations, and adventure plots intertwined. As a public-domain English eBook from Project Gutenberg, its value lies more in literary history and regional cultural studies than in contemporary popular reading. Readers can observe how early American fiction used historical subjects to shape local identity, and compare it with historical romances of the same period. Note that this is only the first of two volumes, so the story is incomplete; readers should be prepared for that. The English text and nineteenth-century narrative pace pose some difficulty for general readers, making it suitable for those interested in American literary history who are willing to read slowly.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Researchers in American literary history focusing on early historical fiction and regional writing.
Readers interested in the history and culture of colonial Virginia.
Literature enthusiasts with good English reading ability willing to read nineteenth-century fiction slowly.
Students who need a public-domain English text for course papers or textual analysis.

Not a good fit for

Readers who want a complete story and do not wish to wait for the second volume.
Readers who prefer fast-paced contemporary narrative and have little patience for nineteenth-century style.
General readers with weak English who need a Chinese translation for support.

Reading tips

First confirm that this is the first of two volumes, and understand the basic outline of Virginia colonial history before reading.
Sort out the characters' factions and historical background as you read, so as not to be confused by the cavalier-romance plot.
Compare it with American historical novels of the same period, noting its local color and characterization.
For research purposes, record edition information and page numbers for citing the public-domain electronic text.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is the story complete in this book?

No. This is the first of two volumes, explicitly marked vol. 1 of 2, so the story is likely not resolved by the end; the second volume is needed for the full picture.

Is it suitable as an introduction to American literature?

Not very suitable for beginners. It is a nineteenth-century historical romance whose narrative pace and language differ considerably from contemporary works; it is better suited to readers with some experience of American literature and an interest in early fiction.

What historical background should I know before reading?

It is advisable to learn first about the social structure of colonial Virginia, early settlers, and local politics. This makes it easier to understand the cavalier figures, social relations, and historical-romance flavor of the novel.

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About the author

William Alexander Caruthers Author · American · 1802–1846

William Alexander Caruthers (1802–1846) was an American novelist, born in Rockbridge County, Virginia, and died in Georgia. Trained as a physician, he turned to literature and in the 1830s wrote three historical romance novels set in the American South, including The Kentuckian in New-York and The Cavaliers of Virginia. His works draw on Southern history and manners and have a romantic, legendary quality. He is regarded as an important early figure in Virginia fiction and is praised as the first significant Virginia novelist. Public information about his life and literary career is limited, and existing accounts focus mainly on the themes and literary standing of his works.