Thomas Paine Summary

Paine, Thomas (b. January 29, 1737; d. June 8, 1809) Political pamphleteer, radical advocate of American independence. Thomas Paine, who was born into a Quaker family in Thetford, England, was a sol... Read more

The Crisis by Thomas Paine The Crisis First published on December 19, 1776; excerpted from Common Sense and Other Political Writings, 1953 "These are the times that try men's souls.�... Read more

Biography Essay"I speak an open and disinterested language, dictated by no passion but that of humanity. . . . Independence is my happiness, and I view things as they are, without regard to place or p... Read more

Born in Thetford, England, Thomas Paine began life as a corsetmaker, his father's trade. He showed an interest in philosophy and science as a young man, and this interest led him to become an influent... Read more

Thomas Paine, whether he be labeled journalist, propagandist, or editorialist, must be considered one of the great influentials of all time. Not only did he play an enormous role in the American Revol... Read more

Thomas Paine was the most widely read and controversial reform writer of the late eighteenth century on two continents. His appeal was based less on his grasp of reformist philosophy and political the... Read more

In the second part of his Atlantic Monthly biography of Paine (from November, 1859), excerpted below, Sheldon recounts the revolutionary's role in the French Revolution and his efforts to inspi... Read more

In the essay that follows, Hinz argues against the assumption that, because Paine declared his faith in reason alone, his works sought to convince via the laws of reason; Hinz contends quite the conve... Read more

In the following chapter from his book, Fruchtman demonstrates that Paine's rationalist view of nature as product of God and reason at once shaped his belief that democracy was the only politic... Read more

In the following essay, Stephen's review of Paine's major works substantiates his contention that Paine argued in a direct and formulaic fashion that emphasized one or two clear-cut hypo... Read more

In the following essay, Clark presents Paine as a literary "craftsman" who abided by a set of guidelines for effective writing, including clarity, boldness, wit, and appeal to feeling. C... Read more

In the essay that follows, Penniman parallels the moment in which he writes—during World War II—with the tumultuous time in which Paine wrote. He goes on to summarize the fundamental pri... Read more

Addressing the much-neglected body of Paine's poetical writings, the essay that follows summarizes and assesses some of Paine's most read and more notable poems. Even the most fanatic de... Read more

In 1775, the American movement towards freedom was gaining strength. Many authors during this time wrote about how the colonies needed to break away from England and become a free, independent natio... Read more