Hostile Symbiosis: The American Invasion of the London Underground in Theodore Dreiser's The Stoic

£6.99

Symbiosis 11.2 85-99
Author: David Ashford
Pages: 15

'Hostile Symbiosis: The American Invasion of the London Underground in Theodore Dreiser’s The Stoic' by David Ashford, explores the historical and literary significance of Theodore Dreiser's novel The Stoic. Originally published in Symbiosis: a Journal of Anglo-American Literary Relations, this essay examines Dreiser’s depiction of the American takeover of the London Underground, highlighting themes of nationalism, capitalism, and technological innovation. Ashford delves into the historical context of the novel, including Dreiser's own experiences in London and the real-life figures who inspired his characters. This scholarly work is essential for readers interested in literary criticism, historical fiction, and the intersections of literature and history.

Essay Excerpt

"In the course of his trip to Europe in November 1911, Theodore Dreiser followed the Thames ‘to the giant plant of the General Electric Company, not unlike those which supply the power to drive the subway trains in New York, and thought of Sir Thomas More and Henry VIII, who married Anne Boleyn at the Old Church near Battersea Bridge, and wondered what they would think of this modern powerhouse!’ The plant at Lots Road had been built by the American transport-magnate Charles Tyson Yerkes, in the final phase of his extraordinary career, when he boldly attempted to monopolise the emerging London tube-network; the model for Frank Algernon Cowperwood, the hero of Dreiser’s magnum opus, the Cowperwood Trilogy, Yerkes was the chief reason for Dreiser’s presence at Lots Road in 1911."