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Gilded Age Literary Movement

Definition

The "Gilded Age" Literary Movement refers to a period in American literature during the late 19th century, characterized by works that critiqued and satirized the social issues and political corruption of the time. This era was named after Mark Twain's novel, "The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today."

Analogy

Think of this literary movement like a mirror held up to society. Just as a mirror reflects what's in front of it, these works reflected the societal issues and corruption prevalent during this time.

Related terms

Mark Twain: An American writer known for his wit and satire. He is best known for his novels "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" and "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer." His work often critiqued societal norms and politics.

Henry James: An American-British author who was active during the Gilded Age. Known for his psychological insight into character relationships, he wrote novels such as "The Portrait of a Lady" and "Daisy Miller."

Realism: A literary movement that occurred around the same time as the Gilded Age Literary Movement. Realism focused on depicting life accurately without romanticizing or avoiding unpleasant aspects, much like how Gilded Age authors portrayed their society.