Alderson, Brian. “Heroic Reading,” Children's Literature
in Education Vol. 26, No. 1 (March 1995): 73-82.
In his examination of The Heroes Brian Alderson praises the work’s
organic unity, its rhythmic prose, its intensity of vision, its dignity and
consistency.
The
Heroes
Muller, Charles H. “ The Heroes: Kingsley’s Moral Lessons,”
Textures Vol. 2 (1986): 37-44.
Muller sees The Heroes, Kingsley’s retelling of the Greek legends,
as “almost undisguised moral lessons. This is clear from the biblical
style, the personal addresses to the reader, the moral stance and numerous
moral dictums and exhortations spun around the old Greek heroes who are
presented as models of positive initiative, daring, courage and majesty –
moral models for the young reader to admire and emulate” (37).
Heroes, The
;
Moral Lessons
; Religion
; Manliness
; Females
.
Rapple, Brendan A. "Charles Kingsley," in
Dictionary of Literary Biography, Volume 163: British Children's
Writers, 1800-1880. Edited by Meena Khorana (Detroit: Gale 1996):
136-147.
Following the usual format of the DLB, a bibliography of Kingsley’s
own works is followed by an account of his life interspersed with an analysis
of his writings, in this case his works for children. A short secondary
bibliography is appended. Several illustrations are also provided.
Rapple’s assessment: “Tastes change, and it is not surprising that modern
children eschew works intended for their Victorian ancestors. The
Heroes has been supplanted by other retellings of the Greek tales; the
science of Glaucus and Madam How and Lady Why no longer has
appeal, and today's youth would reject the books’ pervasive social commentary,
sermonizing, and didacticism. Nor is Westward Ho! read much by
present-day youngsters, though it is still available in a children's edition.
The significant exception has been the consistently high readership, especially
in the United Kingdom, for The Water-Babies, of which there are probably
more editions, adaptations, and abridgements in print today than in Kingsley's
own time. The work’s simplicity, brilliant fantasy, and affection for
the young, despite its frequent preaching, still capture the devotion of children.
It is The Water-Babies, though its author would never have foretold
it, that will ensure Kingsley a high rank in the history of children's literature”
(146).
Overview
; Children
; Glaucus
; Westward
Ho!
; Heroes,
The
; The
Water-Babies
;
Hereward the Wake
; Madam
How and Lady Why
.
|
