Letter In Literature

[inkspot]

Another thread in this forum made me think of some of my favourite books and how many of them make great use of letter-writing in their plots. For example, Anne of Windy Poplars is written mostly as a series of letters from Anne telling about her time at Summerside High, and Jane Austen, in Pride and Prejudice, uses letters to begin Elizabeth's view of Mr. Darcy. What are some of your favourite letter-related moments in literature?

[Alec Fleschner]

Dracula is entirely epistolic in nature, and I think it does a great job at telling the story and setting the mood.

[penrivers]

Pierre Choderlos de Laclos: Dangerous liasons ( amistades peligrosas ), Los idus de marzo ( Thornton Wilder ), that I remember right now , there must be many.

... Pliny the elder and the younger.....

Edited February 26, 2011 by penrivers

[scribere]

This isn't quite what this thread is asking for (and I apologise), but I've always enjoyed collections of letters. Say, Cicero's letters, or those of Pliny (the Younger) about the eruption of Vesuvius in AD 79, to name two classic(al) examples.

 

I always find collections of letters interesting because the collecting of letters themselves into a literary format says so much about the importance we accord to them, particularly as they weren't originally conceived as being 'books' (even though letter-writing is certainly a literary form in and of itself!).

[inkspot]

This isn't quite what this thread is asking for (and I apologise), but I've always enjoyed collections of letters. Say, Cicero's letters, or those of Pliny (the Younger) about the eruption of Vesuvius in AD 79, to name two classic(al) examples.

 

I always find collections of letters interesting because the collecting of letters themselves into a literary format says so much about the importance we accord to them, particularly as they weren't originally conceived as being 'books' (even though letter-writing is certainly a literary form in and of itself!).

 

I hold that these stand as examples of letters in literature - though they are not meant to be used as a literary device int heor original context, they still serve as an interesting and informative piece of literature as a collection. So they are entirely fitting with the topic of this thread Thanks for sharing!

[scribere]

You're welcome!

 

(I used these examples as I'm currently reading Pliny's letters - hahaha.)

[electricpowerman]

Quite a few historical letters have been preserved in the Bible, and I've always found them to be interesting reading. There are in fact so many letters, I can't list them all.

 

In the Old Testament there are letters between opposing political/military groups, and they can be quite amusing at times. For example, the letter from the King of Syria to the King of Israel demanding that he heal the skin disease of one of his captains (Naaman). They can also be quite appalling, as Jezebel's letter to frame Naboth as a blasphemer, or David's letter to Joab to arrange the murder of Uriah. Then there is a series of letters between the King of Bablyon and some of his governors concerning whether the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the Temple should occur.

 

Most of the New Testament books in the Bible are actually letters from Paul, Peter and John. Some are very long, and some are very short. Some were written to people they knew well and some to people they hadn't met yet. The last book (Revelation) contains seven short letters that follow a pattern.

[ceallaghguy]

Mark Twain's "Letters From the Earth"

[estie1948]

There is The Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis. I have a book of J. B. Priestly's letters that is a favorite. It has been years since I last read it, but I believe Platero and I by Juan Ramon Jimenez, a wonderful book, is written as letters to Juan's burro, Platero. I must dig it out and read it again. Thanks for making me think of it.

[Blade Runner]

Possession by A.S. Byatt

[Blade Runner]

84 Charing Cross Road

[penrivers]

This isn't quite what this thread is asking for (and I apologise), but I've always enjoyed collections of letters. Say, Cicero's letters, or those of Pliny (the Younger) about the eruption of Vesuvius in AD 79, to name two classic(al) examples.

 

I always find collections of letters interesting because the collecting of letters themselves into a literary format says so much about the importance we accord to them, particularly as they weren't originally conceived as being 'books' (even though letter-writing is certainly a literary form in and of itself!).

I saw in La Gandhi in Monterrey The letters of Truman Capote, I didnt buy it but I have been reading excelents reviews about that book, maybe next time.

[penrivers]

84 Charing Cross Road

Sad to think they never meet each other.I Had the fortune to be in London in 98 but havent read the book at that time, so I didnt visit the book store. I saw the film, good.

[MrsWeetag]

It's been a long time since I read it but The Color Purple would qualify. I remember being very moved by the story. Another one that was also made into a movie but I haven't read is Dangerous Liaisons. Probably my favorite though would be Harry Potter stories where mail was always so interestingly introduced. Loved the scene with the acceptance letters continuously coming into the house despite his uncle's efforts. Or the howler messages from Mrs. Weasley. :roflmho:

[inkspot]

It's been a long time since I read it but The Color Purple would qualify. I remember being very moved by the story. Another one that was also made into a movie but I haven't read is Dangerous Liaisons. Probably my favorite though would be Harry Potter stories where mail was always so interestingly introduced. Loved the scene with the acceptance letters continuously coming into the house despite his uncle's efforts. Or the howler messages from Mrs. Weasley. :roflmho:

 

Nice!

 

A bit of a departure from literature in the traditional sense, I've been noticing a variety of songs with references to letters:

 

• Mark Knopfler - Praire Wedding
  
• The Marvelettes - Please Mr. Postman
  
• Eva Cassidy - The Letter
  
• Gordon Lightfoot - Song For A Winter's Night
  
• Diana Krall - Love Letters
  

[Blade Runner]

Nick Bantock's Griffin and Sabine books

[Lalique]

To this thread, "Letters in Literature", I submit Jean-Jacque Rousseau's 1761 epistolary novel, "Julie, or the New Heloise: Letters of Two Lovers Who Live in a Small Town at the Foot of the Alps". In Rousseau's "Julie, or the New Heloise", the ethics of individual autonomy and authenticity as essential human constructs of morality as they relate to broader social moral values are explored. Philosophically Rousseau values the ethics of authenticity over rational morality. Rousseau argues that imposition of society's moral values on personal behavior must be in accord with one's "secret principles", or consistent with one's personal identity, thematically arguing that assumption of moral values lacking autonomous authenticity leads to self destruction and, by implication, dangerous socio-political tensions and distress. The story being intentionally set as it is by Rousseau in the Medieval period of human history, Rousseau, as one of the intellectuals in the cultural movement of the 18TH century, speaks through "Julie, or the New Heloise" to motivate the power of reason for the reformation of society by the advancement of new ways of thinking about societal ethics and values in the Age of Enlightenment, the Age of Reason through historical period contrasts in human consciousness and awareness represented in his book between the Medieval era and the Renaissance for a more enlightened and reasoned, more autonomous and authentic posterity.

Edited February 25, 2012 by Lalique

[mirosc]

Jean de Meung - Roman de la Rose (Abelard et Heloise), 1280

Goethe - Die Leiden des jungen Werthers, 1774

von Hofmannsthal - Die Briefe des Zurückgekehrten, 1907

Glattauer - Gut gegen Nordwind, 2006

 

and of course:

Hector Savinien de Cyrano (de Bergerac), Letters sur divers sujets, 1654

some of the best letters ever!

[Judybug]

The first book I ever read which was written in letter format was "Daddy Long Legs" by Jean Webster. I was about 12 when I read it and have been hooked on these letter type books ever since. It's about a girl in an orphanage. She has a benefactor who is paying for her education. In return she must write to him regularly.

 

Judybug

[Stompie]

My link

 

I dont know if you have seen this - hope it works!

 

Rats, does not seem to be working - it is the Digital Scriptorium. Full of fascinating stuff!

Edited February 26, 2012 by Stompie