The Biglow Papers: Poetry Guide and Free Edition
The Biglow Papers: author and translator credits, catalogue synopsis, subjects and links to the Gutenberg reading formats.
The Biglow Papers is catalogued by Project Gutenberg with author credits for Lowell, James Russell (1819–1891).
Catalogue synopsis
Project Gutenberg supplies this automated synopsis of the opening text:
"The Biglow Papers" by James Russell Lowell is a satirical collection of poems written in the mid-19th century. The work is presented as a series of letters from the character Hosea Biglow, a farmer, to various figures in the political landscape, capturing the voice of the common American during the period of the Mexican War and the contentious issue of slavery. The dialect used reflects rural New England speech, infusing humor and social criticism throughout the poems. At the start of the book, we are introduced to Ezekiel Biglow, who sends a letter to the editor Joseph T. Buckingham, discussing his son Hosea’s poetic endeavors. Ezekiel is proud yet comically anxious about his son's foray into poetry, which he describes with a mix of admiration and trepidation. The opening establishes the tone of everyday life in a small village while hinting at deeper political themes, as Hosea's poetry directly addresses issues like war, slavery, and moral responsibility. Through dialect and vivid imagery, the text gives a voice to American sentiments, foreshadowing the critique and wit that characterizes the collection.
Book and edition facts
- Title: The Biglow Papers
- Author credits: Lowell, James Russell (1819–1891)
- Catalogue language: English
Catalogue subjects
- Mexican War, 1846-1848 -- Poetry
- Slavery -- United States -- Poetry
Gutenberg collections
- Category: American Literature
- Category: Humour
- Category: Poetry
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View the complete Gutenberg catalogue record. Project Gutenberg identifies this edition as public domain in the United States; that designation does not establish its copyright status in every country.
Source notes
Catalogue metadata is public domain and is supplied through Gutendex, which imports Gutenberg's machine-readable catalogue. The automated synopsis is source-supplied, not an independently verified review. Author dates above describe the credited people; no ebook release date is presented as the book's original publication date.
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