1890: Youma to Hedda Gabler

Chronology of World, British and American Literature.

Lafcadio Hearn. American. 1890. Novel Youma. Black girl’s devotion to the daughter of her dead mistress during a slave insurrection in Martinique.

James Whitcomb Riley. American. 1890. Poetry. “The Raggedy Man.” Hoosier dialect. Boy’s admiration for the farm’s hired man.

Paul Valery. French. 1890. Poetry. “Narcissus Speaks.” Narcissus in love with his reflection in water symbolizes the self seeking its own perfect image.

William Dean Howells. American. 1890. Novel. A Hazard of New Fortunes. Plot focuses on a newly rich family’s social and moral difficulties in scaling the New York social ladder.

Henrik Ibsen. Norwegian. 1890. Play. Hedda Gabler. Ruthless, neurotic woman bored with dull, scholarly husband; destroys others and then herself with a bullet.