The Epistolary Novel (Post by Shawn)

    I've recently been reading Dracula by Bram Stoker and found myself intrigued by the format that the story is presented in. The novel is comprised mainly of diary entries instead of first- or third-person prose, making it an epistolary novel, a novel told through journal entries, letters, newspaper clippings, and other documents not necessarily intended for the reader's eyes. I was captivated by the clear progression of the character's emotions and the sense of urgency found in the entries, and I decided to research the epistolary novel's origin and appeal.

    Though they gained immense popularity in the English-speaking world, epistolary works originally flourished in Italy in the 15th century. These texts were factual rather than narrative. Some consisted of the letters of a particular famous individual. Others were made up of letters from experts in a field to provide an introduction to that topic, and many were made as examples for secretaries working in royal or noble courts. The epistolary texts also helped popularize and instruct readers in an "art" of letter writing. There was such a hunger for letters that many were published without the consent of their authors. For example, a prominent cardinal's youthful love letters were published in an anthology despite his attempts to suppress them. 

    The traditions of letter writing continued in England throughout the 16th century, where the postal service was beginning to develop. Like in Italy, writers found a sense of exultation in having their letters presented to the public. The art of letter writing was further developed and refined for comedic purposes. Writers employed banter, wordplay, and satire in their letters. Some even went to the point of addressing public figures under false names and with ridiculous manners of speech, in a style similar to modern-day comedians.

    Eventually, the first epistolary novels began to emerge. These were presented as actual works of found letters or entries that were merely "edited," with the author's name not even appearing on the front cover. These works were well received by many due to the window they gave the audience into a character's inner voice. Readers were better able to insert themselves into the events because of the sense of immediacy and suspense present in many epistolary novels. However, many ridiculed the urgent tone and ludicrous descriptions of events in these novels, and they began to decline around the 1800s, leaving many modern readers oblivious to them.

Works Cited 

Braida, Lodovica. “Writing for Others.” Quaerendo, vol. 47, no. 1, Jan. 2017, pp. 1–22. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1163/15700690-12341375.

 Curran, Louise. "Letters, Letter Writing and Epistolary Novels." British Library, 21 June 2018, www.bl.uk/restoration-18th-century-literature/articles/letters-letter-writing-and-epistolary-novels. Accessed 6 Sept. 2020.