Canadian Graduate Studies in American Literature: A Bibliography of Theses and Dissertations, 1921–1968

Canadian Graduate Studies in American Literature: A Bibliography of Theses and Dissertations, 1921-1968 LAWRENCE W. JONES Fortunately, in spite of the passionate movement toward "Canadianization ' of our universities, no one has yet been radical enough to suggest a toning-down or abolition of the study of American literature from our curricula. On the contrary, there seems to be an upsurge of interest in the field in Canada, just as there has been a corresponding upsurge of interest in Canadian literature in the larger universities of the United States. These are hopeful trends, I think, for where else than in a healthy study - particularly at the graduate level - of each other's literary culture can we better come to grips with common problems or understand our significant differences? This bibliography of theses and dissertations shows, far better than a listing of courses or of publications by our established scholars, the range of interest and direction of emphasis within the American literature field in Canada. As a matter of fact, neither of the other listings would be much of an indicator of the current situation. In his Guide to English Studies, 1968 (U. of Lethbridge) Ernest Mardon lists only some twenty-one graduate courses specifically on American literature, a figure which certainly does not jibe with the amount of work being done (as reflected in this bibliography). And from the now-discontinued Humanities in Canada (1964, 1966) one might conclude that American literature had been left virtually untouched by Canadian scholars; Millar MacLure, in fact, drew this very conclusion in the 1965 Literary History of Canada (p. 548). However, each of the theses in this bibliography obviously (or likely) had a director, and this in itself indicates a scholarly interest in the field, even if the publication record is minimal. The 250-odd items listed herein were culled from the various issues of Canadian Theses (annual since 1960) and from Canadian Graduate Theses in the Humanities and Social Sciences, 1921-1946 (both published by the National Library). Information for the 1947-1959 period was gleaned (with the help of Ruth Thompson, editor of Canadian Theses) from records at the National Library. The style of this Bibliography follows, with slight changes, that employed by the journal American Literature. For convenience, separate THE CANADIAN REVIEW OF AMERICAN STUDIES VOL. 1 1 NO. 2, FALL 1970 sections have been given to studies of individual authors, general studies, and comparative studies. The only items consciously omitted were those studies which were too general to be useful to scholars of American literature. For those items unconsciously left out (for example, lesser-known authors I did not recognize as American) I must be held accountable. I began by saying that a stimulating exchange of ideas about each other's culture is indispensable to better cooperation and understanding between Canada and America. My hope is that this bibliography might aidthat process in some small way. A Studies of Individual Authors 1. 1607-1800 TYLER, ROYALL Gingras, Sister Ida. The first American playwright: a critical interpretation of Tyler's work. M.A., Montreal, 1952. IL 1800-1870 EMERSON, RALPH WALDO Nicholas, Albert P. Emerson's outlook on nature, life and society. M.A., Ottawa, 1944. Wood, Barry A. Emerson as a process philosopher. M.A., University of British Columbia, 1968. See also MacDonald under 'Melville'; Bennee, section (C). HAWTHORNE, NATHANIEL Dowd, Joseph L. The moral world of Nathaniel Hawthorne. M.A., Montreal, 1958. Jensen, Mary Ann. The nature and function of the artist as character in the work of Hawthorne. M.A., Toronto, 1958. McDonald, Lawrence T. A study of the structure and meaning of Hawthorne 's The Marble Faun. M.A., Carleton, 1968. McPherson, Hugo A. Hawthorne and the Greek myths: a study in imagination. PH.D., Toronto, 1956. Poudrette, Maurice. The structure of Hawthorne's romances. M.A., Montreal , 1968. Stott, Jon C. Nature symbolism and moral isolation in Hawthorne. M.A., U.B.C., 1965. IRVING, WASHINGTON Rodier, Warren J. Washington Irving, 1783-1859: a link between England and America. M.A., Montreat 1947. MEL VILLE, HERMAN Boorman, Margaret M. Melville's emblematic imagination as seen in Moby Dick. M.A., Alberta, 1959. Canfield, Francis X...