William Gilmore Simms

William Gilmore Simms
William Gilmore Simms, circa 1860
William Gilmore Simms, circa 1860
BornApril 17, 1806 (1806-04-17)
Charleston, South Carolina, United States
DiedJune 11, 1870 (1870-06-12) (aged 64)
Charleston, South Carolina, United States
Occupation
  • Poet
  • novelist
  • historian
Signature

William Gilmore Simms (April 17, 1806 – June 11, 1870) was a poet, novelist, politician and historian from the American South. His writings achieved great prominence during the 19th century, with Edgar Allan Poe pronouncing him the best novelist America had ever produced.[1] He is still known among literary scholars as a major force in antebellum Southern literature.[2] He is also remembered for his strong support of slavery[3][4] and for his opposition to Uncle Tom's Cabin, in response to which he wrote reviews and the pro-slavery novel The Sword and the Distaff (1854).[5][6] During his literary career he served as editor of several journals and newspapers[7][2] and he also served in the South Carolina House of Representatives.[8]

  1. ^ Review by Edgar Allan Poe in Broadway Journal, September 20, 1845.
  2. ^ a b "Review of From Nationalism to Secessionism: The Changing Fiction of William Gilmore Simms by Charles S. Watson," reviewed by Richard J. Calhoun, South Atlantic Review 60.1 (1995), pp. 149-151.
  3. ^ "Simms's Last Word on Slavery: The Racial Politics of 'Bald-Head Bill Bauldy' and 'The Humours of the Manager'" by Paul Christian Jones, Southern Quarterly, Winter 2003, Vol. 41, Issue 2
  4. ^ "William Gilmore Simms" by Peter L. Shillingsburg, Southern Quarterly, Winter 2003, Vol. 41, Issue 2.
  5. ^ "Woodcraft: Simms's First Answer to Uncle Tom's Cabin" by Joseph V. Ridgely, American Literature, Vol. 31, No. 4 (Jan., 1960), pp. 421-433.
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference Woodcraft 1960 pp. 421-433 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Review by Edgar Allan Poe in Broadway Journal, September 20, 1845.
  8. ^ "William Gilmore Simms, 1806-1870". Encyclopedia of Southern Culture, University of North Carolina Press. 1989 – via Documenting the American South.