1861: Became the consul to Venice, Italy
William Dean Howells, in addition to his many works of literature, was also responsible for writing the biography of Abraham Lincoln during his campaign. It was because of this that in 1861, after Abraham Lincoln won the presidency, William Dean Howells was awarded the position of consul, or ambassador, of Venice, Italy. This appointment was probably one of the more important moments in the personal life of William Dean Howells because it was here that he met his wife, Elinor Mead. Howells also wrote a series of travel letters that became known as Venetian Life while he was in Italy. Being the ambassador of Venice during this time also allowed Howells the luxury of not having to experience the horrors of the American Civil War, if he had been in America at this time, it is possible that he could have died or been injured and many of the famous works written by him would not exist.
William Dean Howells, in addition to his many works of literature, was also responsible for writing the biography of Abraham Lincoln during his campaign. It was because of this that in 1861, after Abraham Lincoln won the presidency, William Dean Howells was awarded the position of consul, or ambassador, of Venice, Italy. This appointment was probably one of the more important moments in the personal life of William Dean Howells because it was here that he met his wife, Elinor Mead. Howells also wrote a series of travel letters that became known as Venetian Life while he was in Italy. Being the ambassador of Venice during this time also allowed Howells the luxury of not having to experience the horrors of the American Civil War, if he had been in America at this time, it is possible that he could have died or been injured and many of the famous works written by him would not exist.
1882: A Modern Instance
A Modern Instance, a book from 1882 is a book that discusses "ordinary people with rather modest aspirations, numerous failings, and complex personalities and motivations"(Hockersmith). It is a very realistic work about a young couple that get married and move to Boston after Bartley Hubbard, the husband, injures one of his co-workers. Once they move to Boston, Bartley struggles to find a job with the local paper and soon becomes consumed with drinking and gambling. Because of this addiction, Bartley and his wife, Marcia Gaylord, have a fight and Bartley leaves for the Midwest and is robbed upon his arrival so he cannot return. Marcia waits for years for him to come back to her but he never does. She then sees a notice in the paper that Bartley plans to divorce her so she, along with her father, daughter, and a man named Halleck go to take Bartley to court. However, once she gets there, Marcia refuses to testify against Bartley, causing her father to have a stroke. Bartley then moves further west and eventually ends up killed after becoming the editor of a weekly paper in Arizona. Once word gets out that Bartley is dead, Halleck faces a moral dilemma about whether or not he should ask Marcia to marry him.
A Modern Instance, a book from 1882 is a book that discusses "ordinary people with rather modest aspirations, numerous failings, and complex personalities and motivations"(Hockersmith). It is a very realistic work about a young couple that get married and move to Boston after Bartley Hubbard, the husband, injures one of his co-workers. Once they move to Boston, Bartley struggles to find a job with the local paper and soon becomes consumed with drinking and gambling. Because of this addiction, Bartley and his wife, Marcia Gaylord, have a fight and Bartley leaves for the Midwest and is robbed upon his arrival so he cannot return. Marcia waits for years for him to come back to her but he never does. She then sees a notice in the paper that Bartley plans to divorce her so she, along with her father, daughter, and a man named Halleck go to take Bartley to court. However, once she gets there, Marcia refuses to testify against Bartley, causing her father to have a stroke. Bartley then moves further west and eventually ends up killed after becoming the editor of a weekly paper in Arizona. Once word gets out that Bartley is dead, Halleck faces a moral dilemma about whether or not he should ask Marcia to marry him.
1885: The Rise of Silas Lapham
Howells believed that "all the author need do is describe reality truthfully, and the morality of life will become apparent through the narrative as naturally as it does in life"(Ballard). Howells did just that in The Rise of Silas Lapham, Howells' most successful and famous novel. It talks about a man, Silas Lapham, who has built a very successful paint company through somewhat underhanded means. Now that he has the wealth, he wants the class to go along with it so he tries to get his daughter to marry into a high class family. Unfortunately however, Lapham's luck finally runs out and his business begins to go under. Paint sale are bad and on top of that Lapham is constantly giving money away to a former partner in order to ease his conscious about his shady and greedy actions against that partner. The Lapham family finally ends up going broke and Silas has to sell his paint company but despite his economic downfall, Silas Lapham still feels good about himself. He was proud of the fact that, even though he could have kept his company alive through the same underhanded techniques that he used to create the company, he didn't. The story ends with the Lapham family in economic ruin but they remain proud of themselves because their moral values remain intact.
Howells believed that "all the author need do is describe reality truthfully, and the morality of life will become apparent through the narrative as naturally as it does in life"(Ballard). Howells did just that in The Rise of Silas Lapham, Howells' most successful and famous novel. It talks about a man, Silas Lapham, who has built a very successful paint company through somewhat underhanded means. Now that he has the wealth, he wants the class to go along with it so he tries to get his daughter to marry into a high class family. Unfortunately however, Lapham's luck finally runs out and his business begins to go under. Paint sale are bad and on top of that Lapham is constantly giving money away to a former partner in order to ease his conscious about his shady and greedy actions against that partner. The Lapham family finally ends up going broke and Silas has to sell his paint company but despite his economic downfall, Silas Lapham still feels good about himself. He was proud of the fact that, even though he could have kept his company alive through the same underhanded techniques that he used to create the company, he didn't. The story ends with the Lapham family in economic ruin but they remain proud of themselves because their moral values remain intact.
1905: "Editha"
Editha, published in 1905, was written by Howells partially as a way to express his discontent for the Spanish-American War and the blind support for the war by the American people. This story is about a young woman, named Editha, who is extremely happy to here of a new war. She pressures her fiance, George Gearson, into enlisting and fighting in the war even though he clearly does not want to join. Eventually though, George gives in and joins the war effort, only to be killed in one of the first battles of the war. Upon hearing of Georges death, Editha falls ill and goes to see Georges mother, Mrs. Gearson, after she recovers. Mrs. Gearson has nothing good to say to Editha when shes arrives, verbally attacking her and explaining that she was relieved that George died before he could kill any of the enemy. The story then jumps back to New York, where Editha is explaining her story to an artist who takes Edithas' side on the matter. The story then ends with Editha learning nothing from this ordeal. She just gets up and lives her life the same way she did before George was killed, in the ideal.
Editha, published in 1905, was written by Howells partially as a way to express his discontent for the Spanish-American War and the blind support for the war by the American people. This story is about a young woman, named Editha, who is extremely happy to here of a new war. She pressures her fiance, George Gearson, into enlisting and fighting in the war even though he clearly does not want to join. Eventually though, George gives in and joins the war effort, only to be killed in one of the first battles of the war. Upon hearing of Georges death, Editha falls ill and goes to see Georges mother, Mrs. Gearson, after she recovers. Mrs. Gearson has nothing good to say to Editha when shes arrives, verbally attacking her and explaining that she was relieved that George died before he could kill any of the enemy. The story then jumps back to New York, where Editha is explaining her story to an artist who takes Edithas' side on the matter. The story then ends with Editha learning nothing from this ordeal. She just gets up and lives her life the same way she did before George was killed, in the ideal.
1908: Elected as the first president of the American Academy of Arts and Letters
In 1908, known as the Dean of American Letters, Howells was elected to be the first ever President of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, where he remained for 13 years. The American Academy of Arts and Letters is a society that is composed of about 250 artists, composers, and writers who can only be accepted into the organization through nomination and election (About the Academy). The members of this association remain there life and when spots become open, the association votes on new members to join. It is considered the highest honor and recognition of artistic ability to be elected into the American Academy of Arts and Letters and it is an even bigger honor to be elected president. In 1915, an award was named after Howells as well. It was called Howells Medal of Fiction and it is awarded every five years to a writer whose work of fiction stands above all others. The fact that Howells was chosen as president of this academy along with the fact that an award was named after him truly does show the literary skill that Howells possessed in his lifetime.
In 1908, known as the Dean of American Letters, Howells was elected to be the first ever President of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, where he remained for 13 years. The American Academy of Arts and Letters is a society that is composed of about 250 artists, composers, and writers who can only be accepted into the organization through nomination and election (About the Academy). The members of this association remain there life and when spots become open, the association votes on new members to join. It is considered the highest honor and recognition of artistic ability to be elected into the American Academy of Arts and Letters and it is an even bigger honor to be elected president. In 1915, an award was named after Howells as well. It was called Howells Medal of Fiction and it is awarded every five years to a writer whose work of fiction stands above all others. The fact that Howells was chosen as president of this academy along with the fact that an award was named after him truly does show the literary skill that Howells possessed in his lifetime.