An End to Dreams | Literary Criticism & Book Review

An End to Dreams Critical Overview

Although Stephen Vincent Benét gained popularity for his poetry and stories during his lifetime, little scholarly attention has been paid to his work. Some of his works, however, including his epic poem about the Civil War, John Brown's Body, and his short story "The Devil and Daniel Webster" are considered minor classics. He was awarded two Pulitzer Prizes: one for John Brown's Body and the other for Western Star, a long poem about American pioneers. "An End to Dreams" won the O. Henry Award in 1932.

Benét's work seems to lack originality and be old fashioned in its unabashed patriotism. Henry W. Wells, in his article on Benét for College English, argues that he "suffers from an inescapably romantic and youthful disposition for extremes of sentiment." Yet he also claims that Benét should be remembered and read for his inspired historical reflections. Wells insists that his two Pulitzer prize-winning...
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