If America is a nation founded upon Enlightenment ideals, then why are so many of its most celebrated pieces of literature so dark? American Terror returns to the question of American literature's distinctive tone of terror through a close study of three authors—Jonathan Edwards, Edgar Allan Poe, and Herman Melville—who not only wrote works of terror, but who defended, theorized, and championed it. Combining updated historical perspectives with close reading, Paul Hurh shows how these authors developed terror as a special literary affect informed by the way the concept of thinking becomes, in the wake of Enlightenment empiricism, increasingly defined by a set of austere mechanic processes, such as the scientific method and the algebraic functions of analytical logic. Rather than trying to find a feeling that would transcend thinking by subtending reason to emotion, these writers found in terror the feeling of thinking, the peculiar feeling of reason's authority over emotional schemes. In so doing, they grappled with a shared set of enduring questions: What is the difference between thinking and feeling? When we know something, how do we know that we know it? Why does it seem impossible to reason oneself out of an irrational fear? And what becomes of the freedom of the will when we discover that affects can push it around?
**
If America is a nation founded upon Enlightenment ideals, then why are so many of its most celebrated pieces of literature so dark? American Terror returns to the question of American literature's distinctive tone of terror through a close study of three authors—Jonathan Edwards, Edgar Allan Poe, and Herman Melville—who not only wrote works of terror, but who defended, theorized, and championed it. Combining updated historical perspectives with close reading, Paul Hurh shows how these authors developed terror as a special literary affect informed by the way the concept of thinking becomes, in the wake of Enlightenment empiricism, increasingly defined by a set of austere mechanic processes, such as the scientific method and the algebraic functions of analytical logic. Rather than trying to find a feeling that would transcend thinking by subtending reason to emotion, these writers found in terror the feeling of thinking, the peculiar feeling of reason's authority over emotional schemes. In so doing, they grappled with a shared set of enduring questions: What is the difference between thinking and feeling? When we know something, how do we know that we know it? Why does it seem impossible to reason oneself out of an irrational fear? And what becomes of the freedom of the will when we discover that affects can push it around?
**
Review
"In this fascinating study, Hurh explores the philosophical and historical foundations of the 'distinctive tone of terror' in the work of Jonathan Edwards, Edgar Allan Poe, and Herman Melville . . . The book is meticulously researched, and Hurh displays a wide-ranging knowledge of history, philosophy, and literary theory. Advanced readers will appreciate Hurh's attention to detail and his ability to convey complicated ideas in a straightforward manner . . . Highly recommended."—J. W. Miller, CHOICE
"Hurh asks why terror so often accompanies the philosophical provocations of Edwards, Poe, and Melville. His compelling answer is that their obsessions with method (thinking about thinking) not only reveal the limitations and unresolvable contradictions of reason in terrifying ways, but more importantly show the affect of terror to be constitutive of knowledge-seeking itself."—Maurice Lee, Boston University
" American Terror is easily one of the most exciting works of Americanist criticism I have read in a long while. It is a strikingly original piece of scholarship; argued with great rigor, care, and verve; as attentive to its texts' literary dimensions as to their epistemological ones; and able in a way that very few studies are to explicate the ways in which these intertwine."—Jennifer Fleissner, Indiana University
About the Author
Paul Hurh is Associate Professor of English at the University of Arizona.

motw/American Terror_ The Feeling of - Paul Hurh.epub

motw/American Terror_ The Feeling of - Paul Hurh.pdf

Hurh, Paul;

Stanford, California, United States, 2015

United States, United States of America

Jun 10, 2015

1, PT, 2015

producers:
Adobe PDF Library 9.9

Memory of the World Librarian: Slowrotation

Source title: American Terror: The Feeling of Thinking in Edwards, Poe, and Melville

Includes bibliographical references and index.

РГБ

Russian State Library [rgb] MARC:
=001 008614840
=005 20160915165650.0
=008 141104s2015\\\\xxu\\\\\\b\\\\001\0\eng\c
=017 \\ $a И5697-16 $b RuMoRGB
=020 \\ $a 9780804791144 (cloth : alk. paper)
=040 \\ $a CSt/DLC $b eng $c CSt $e rda $d RuMoRGB
=043 \\ $a n-us---
=084 \\ $a Ш5(7США)52-4По Э.54,0 $2 rubbk
=084 \\ $a Ш5(7США)52-4Мелвилл Г.54,0 $2 rubbk
=100 1\ $a Hurh, Paul
=245 00 $a American terror $h [Текст] : $b the feeling of thinking in Edwards, Poe, and Melville $c Paul Hurh
=260 \\ $a Stanford, California $b Stanford University Press $c cop. 2015
=300 \\ $a x, 298 с. $c 24 см
=336 \\ $a текст (text) $b txt $2 rdacontent
=337 \\ $a неопосредованный (unmediated) $b n $2 rdamedia
=338 \\ $a том (volume) $b nc $2 rdacarrier
=504 \\ $a Includes bibliographical references and index.
=505 0\ $a Introduction : reopening darkness -- Awakening terror : hellfire preaching, Jonathan Edwards, and the logic of revivalist affect -- Critical terrors : Poe's aesthetic terror and the claims of art after Jena -- The air of analysis : resolution and composition in Poe's sublime and confessional tales -- The uneven balance : dialectical terror in Moby-Dick -- Dread : space, time, and automata in The piazza tales -- Afterword : "some dim, random way".
=600 14 $a Edwards, Jonathan $d 1703-1758
=600 14 $a Poe, Edgar Allan $d 1809-1849
=600 14 $a Melville, Herman $d 1819-1891
=650 \7 $a Филологические науки. Художественная литература -- США -- Американская литература -- кон. 18 в. - 19 в. (1774 г. - 90-е гг. 19 в.) -- Персоналия писателей -- По Эдгар Аллан (1809-1849) - писатель -- Образы и темы в творчестве писателя $2 rubbk
=650 \7 $a Филологические науки. Художественная литература -- США -- Американская литература -- кон. 18 в. - 19 в. (1774 г. - 90-е гг. 19 в.) -- Персоналия писателей -- Мелвилл Герман (1819-1891) - писатель -- Образы и темы в творчестве писателя $2 rubbk
=650 \7 $a Американская литература $y 19 в. $0 RU\NLR\AUTH\6645113 $2 nlr_sh1
=852 \\ $a РГБ $b FB $j 5 16-6/223 $x 90

If America Is A Nation Founded Upon Enlightenment Ideals, Then Why Are So Many Of Its Most Celebrated Pieces Of Literature So Dark? American Terror Returns To The Question Of American Literature's Distinctive Tone Of Terror Through A Close Study Of Three Authors--jonathan Edwards, Edgar Allan Poe, And Herman Melville--who Not Only Wrote Works Of Terror, But Who Defended, Theorized, And Championed It. Combining Updated Historical Perspectives With Close Reading, Paul Hurh Shows How These Authors Developed Terror As A Special Literary Affect Informed By The Way The Concept Of Thinking Becomes, In The Wake Of Enlightenment Empiricism, Increasingly Defined By A Set Of Austere Mechanic Processes, Such As The Scientific Method And The Algebraic Functions Of Analytical Logic. Rather Than Trying To Find A Feeling That Would Transcend Thinking By Subtending Reason To Emotion, These Writers Found In Terror The Feeling Of Thinking, The Peculiar Feeling Of Reason's Authority Over Emotional Schemes. In So Doing, They Grappled With A Shared Set Of Enduring Questions: What Is The Difference Between Thinking And Feeling? When We Know Something, How Do We Know That We Know It? Why Does It Seem Impossible To Reason Oneself Out Of An Irrational Fear? And What Becomes Of The Freedom Of The Will When We Discover That Affects Can Push It Around? -- Publisher's Description Introduction : Reopening Darkness -- Awakening Terror : Hellfire Preaching, Jonathan Edwards, And The Logic Of Revivalist Affect -- Critical Terrors : Poe's Aesthetic Terror And The Claims Of Art After Jena -- The Air Of Analysis : Resolution And Composition In Poe's Sublime And Confessional Tales -- The Uneven Balance : Dialectical Terror In Moby-dick -- Dread : Space, Time, And Automata In The Piazza Tales -- Afterword : Some Dim, Random Way. Paul Hurh. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.

Contents 8
Acknowledgments 10
Abbreviations 12
Introduction. Reopening Darkness 16
Chapter 1. Awakening Terror: Hellfire Preaching, Jonathan Edwards, and the Logic of Revivalist Affect 46
Chapter 2. Critical Terrors: Poe’s Aesthetic Terror and the Claims of Art after Jena 90
Chapter 3. The Air of Analysis: Resolution and Composition
in Poe’s Sublime and Confessional Tales 134
Chapter 4. The Uneven Balance: Dialectical Terror in Moby-Dick 176
Chapter 5. Dread: Space, Time, and Automata in The Piazza Tales 218
Afterword. “Some Dim, Random Way” 260
Notes 266
Works Cited 288
Index 306

Contrary to accounts that interpret terror in opposition to reason, this book shows how three authors famous for their works and theories of terror-Jonathan Edwards, Edgar Allan Poe, and Herman Melville-developed a terror that incorporates, theorizes, and extends the Enlightenment claims of reason as feeling.

2025-10-27