Based on real events from the life of a prominent American lawyer, Daniel Webster, this short story explores themes of patriotism, slavery, and Hell as the fictionalised Webster attempts to save a man’s soul from the Devil.First published in 1936, The Devil and Daniel Webster was written by Stephen Vincent Benét. An allegorical exploration of what it means to be American, the short story plays on real events. It utilises fictionalised versions of real peop...

Aus den Geschichten Stephen Vincent Benéts spricht stets die Ehrfurcht vor dem Menschen und eine verstehende Güte, ob in einer fantastischen Zukunftsvision, durch das abenteuerliche Leben eines Piraten oder die innere Wandlung eines Helden wider Willen. Bewundernswert sind die heitere Gelassenheit, mit der er sich die Welt von allen Seiten besieht, und die Art, wie er das Komische und Fantastische sah, das im bitteren Ernst steckt. Stephen Vincent Benét zählt zu den Autoren, die der amerik...

Young Adventure, a Book of Poems by Stephen Vincent Benét libreka classics – These are classics of literary history, reissued and made available to a wide audience. Immerse yourself in well-known and popular titles!

It is one of Johnny Chipman's parties at the Harlequin Club, and as usual the people the Other people have been asked to meet are late and as usual Johnny is looking hesitatingly around at those already collected with the nervous kindliness of an absent-minded menagerie-trainer who is trying to make a happy family out of a wombat, a porcupine, and two small Scotch terriers because they are all very nice and he likes them all and he can't quite remember at the moment just where he got hold ...

Stephen Vincent Benét's epic poem John Brown's Body uses the figure of the radical abolitionist John Brown as a symbolic catalyst to explore the vast and complex tapestry of the American Civil War. Rather than focusing on a single narrative, the poem employs a wide range of fictional characters and a shifting perspective to present the conflict from multiple angles, encompassing the experiences of soldiers and civilians from both the Union and the Confederacy. It delves into the deep-seate...

Stephen Vincent Benét (July 22, 1898 – March 13, 1943) was an American author, poet, short story writer, and novelist. Benét is best known for his book-length narrative poem of the American Civil War, John Brown's Body (1928), for which he won a Pulitzer Prize in 1929, and for two short stories, "The Devil and Daniel Webster" (1936) and "By the Waters of Babylon" (1937). In 2009, The Library of America selected Benét’s story “The Ki...

John Brown's Body' is an epic American poem written by Stephen Vincent Benet in the year 1928. Its title referes to the radical abolitionist John Brown, who raided Harpers Ferry in Virginia in the fall of 1859. He was captured and hanged later that year. Benet's poem covers the history of the American Civil War. It won the Pulitzer Prize in 1929.

IT’S A STORY THEY TELL IN THE BORDER COUNTRY, where Massachusetts joins Vermont and New Hampshire. Yes, Dan’l Webster’s dead-or, at least, they buried him. But every time there’s a thunder storm around Marshfield, they say you can hear his rolling voice in the hollows of the sky. And they say that if you go to his grave and speak loud and clear, “Dan’l Webster-Dan’l Webster!” the ground’ll begin to shiver and the trees begin to shake. And after a while you’ll hear a deep voice saying, “Nei...

Stephen Vincent Benét's "Young People's Pride" is a compelling exploration of the American spirit through the lens of youth and aspiration. Blending lyrical prose with elements of contemporary realism, the narrative deftly captures the struggles and triumphs of its youthful characters as they navigate a world fraught with both opportunity and challenge. Drawing from the richness of American folklore and history, Benét infuses the text with a profound sense of place and identity, illustra...

Rain after a Vaudeville Show The last pose flickered, failed. The screen's dead white Glared in a sudden flooding of harsh light Stabbing the eyes; and as I stumbled out The curtain rose. A fat girl with a pout And legs like hams, began to sing "His MOther". Gusts of bad air rose in a choking smOther; Smoke, the wet steam of clothes, the stench of plush, Powder, cheap perfume, mingled in a rush. I stepped into the lobby — and stood still Struck dumb by sudden beauty, body and will. Cleanne...

The novel's protagonist is Johnnie Chipman, a young man who dreams of escaping his small-town life and becoming a writer. Johnnie is intelligent and ambitious, but he is also restless and dissatisfied with his current situation. He yearns for excitement and adventure, and he believes that the only way to achieve his dreams is to leave home and start a new life in the city.The novel follows Johnnie as he navigates the challenges of adolescence and young adulthood. He falls in love, experien...

In the play, Benét explores the lives of five different men, each with their own distinct perspective on Pompey and the political dynamics of the time. These portraits offer insight into Pompey’s relationships with both his allies and enemies, as well as his personal struggles as he rises to prominence. The narrative reflects the tension between personal ambition and the greater demands of politics and war, highlighting the human cost of power and fame.Benét’s style in Five Men and Pompey ...