Spoon River AnthologyIn 1915, Edgar Lee Masters published a book of dramatic monologues written in free verse about a fictional town called Spoon River, based on the Midwestern towns where he grew up. The shocking scandals and secret tragedies of Spoon River were immediately recognized by readers as authentic. Masters raises the dead “sleeping on the hill” in their village cemetery to tell the truth about their lives, and their testimony topples the American myth of the moral superiority of small-town life. Spoon River, as undeniably corrupt and cruel as the big city, is home to murderers, drunkards, crooked bankers, lechers, bitter wives, abusive husbands, failed dreamers, and a few good souls. The freshness of this masterpiece undiminished, Spoon River Anthology remains a landmark of American literature. With an Introduction by John Hollander and an Afterword by Ronald Primeau |
Contents
HAINSFEATHER BARNEY 98 | 22 |
WASSON JOHN 209 | 26 |
PANTIER BENJAMIN | 27 |
JONES FRANKLIN 94 | 34 |
HERNDON WILLIAM H 218 | 39 |
ALTMAN HERMAN 224 | 45 |
SCHROEDER THE FISHERMAN 178 | 47 |
MCNEELY PAUL 113 | 54 |
MASON SEREPTA 20 | 116 |
RHODES RALPH 144 | 117 |
FAWCETT CLARENCE | 132 |
CABANIS FLOSSIE 48 | 133 |
SOLDIERS MANY 210 | 136 |
MCDOWELL RUTHERFORD 220 | 137 |
CALHOUN GRANVILLE 187 | 140 |
SOMERS JUDGE 25 | 142 |
ARMSTRONG HANNAH 221 | 59 |
SHOPE TENNESSEE CLAFLIN 229 | 60 |
ISEMAN DR SIEGRFIED | 62 |
ARNETT JUSTICE | 65 |
ATHEIST THE VILLAGE 242 | 74 |
SMITH LOUISE | 75 |
MARSHALL HERBERT | 76 |
BINDLE NICHOLAS 57 | 81 |
BURKE ROBERT SOUTHEY | 82 |
WHITNEY HARMON 152 | 85 |
JONES WILLIAM 235 | 86 |
JACK BLIND | 87 |
BURLESON JOHN HORACE | 88 |
FALLAS STATES ATTORNEY | 91 |
BLOYD WENDELL P | 92 |
PEET REV ABNER | 99 |
LAYTON HENRY 203 | 107 |
YEE BOW III | 111 |
M | 115 |
MCGEE FLETCHER 17 | 145 |
RICHTER GUSTAV 250 | 146 |
STEWART LILLIAN | 155 |
FLUKE WILLARD 66 | 162 |
SAYRE JOHNNIE 50 | 166 |
FORD WEBSTER 261 | 175 |
CHENEY COLUMBUS 226 | 176 |
SCHIRDING ALBERT 108 | 177 |
BONE RICHARD | 179 |
ZOLL PERRY | 190 |
DIPPOLD THE OPTICIAN | 191 |
JAMES GODWIN | 211 |
BRANSON CAROLINE | 213 |
JOE PLYMOUTH ROCK | 230 |
GARRICK AMELIA 130 | 249 |
DIXON JOSEPH | 254 |
STODDARD JUDSON | 255 |
BROWN JIM 120 | 259 |
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Common terms and phrases
asked bank beautiful became began believe born broken brought called child church close County Court cursed daughter dead death died dreams earth entered eyes face fall father fell field fire followed give gone gray grew hand hated head heart hill honor hour husband John Judge killed knew leaves light lived look lost married Masters MATLOCK memory mind morning mother never night passed play poets poor rest rich secret sick side sleep sorrow soul spirit Spoon River stand stone stood strength strong talk thing Thomas Rhodes thought tick Till took town tree tried truth trying turned village vision walked wanted watched wife wind window woman women write youth