Modern Fiction

Name: Modern Fiction
Author: Charles Dudley Warner

By Charles Dudley Warner

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Essays, Letters & Speeches

About This Book

This essay argues that the chief fault of much recent fiction is a literal truth to nature that mistakes photographic fidelity for art; fiction should select and idealize experience to elevate human feeling. The author praises Cervantes and Scott for fusing popular and aristocratic elements while shaping them artistically, and criticizes bourgeois domestic novels for presenting unvarnished, trivial detail. He commends writers who render lower-class life with artistic purity, cites examples like Hardy, and situates contemporary tendencies alongside the aesthetic movement's medieval revival.

About the Author

Charles Dudley Warner

Charles Dudley Warner (1829-1900) was an American essayist, novelist, and social critic, known for his keen observations on American life and culture. He was a prominent figure in the literary scene of the late 19th century and is often associated with the Hartford Wits, a group of writers from Connecticut. Warner's works, such as "Being a Boy" and "Backlog Studies," reflect his insightful commentary on society, education, and the human experience. He collaborated with Mark Twain on "The Gilded Age," which satirizes the greed and corruption of post-Civil War America. Warner's contributions to literature continue to resonate, offering a window into the complexities of his time.