A Being More Intense: A Study of the Prose Works of Bunyan, Swift, and Defoe

Paula R. Backscheider examines the prose works of three major writers from England's long eighteenth century: John Bunyan, Jonathan Swift, and Daniel Defoe. The book analyzes their writing techniques, rhetorical strategies, and narrative innovations. The study traces connections between the authors' religious and political backgrounds and their literary output. Backscheider investigates how each writer's personal experiences and historical context influenced their distinct authorial voices and stylistic choices. The analysis covers both well-known works and lesser-studied texts, providing side-by-side comparisons of the authors' approaches to similar themes and genres. The book includes detailed examination of manuscripts, letters, and contemporary responses to these writers' works. Backscheider's work reveals how these three authors helped shape modern prose fiction through their experiments with form and their engagement with the social and philosophical questions of their era. The book demonstrates the enduring impact of their innovations on literature and storytelling.

There are not enough internet reviews to create a summary of this book. Instead, here is a summary of reviews of Paula R. Backscheider's overall work: Readers praise Backscheider's thorough research and detailed analysis in her academic works. Her biography of Daniel Defoe receives specific appreciation for its comprehensive documentation and historical context. On Goodreads, one reader notes: "The level of archival research is impressive." Academic readers value: - Clear writing style for complex topics - Integration of historical and literary analysis - Extensive primary source documentation - Fresh perspectives on women writers Common criticisms: - Dense academic prose can be challenging for general readers - Some sections become overly detailed - High price points for academic editions - Limited accessibility outside scholarly contexts Ratings across platforms: Goodreads: - Daniel Defoe: His Life - 4.0/5 (12 ratings) - Eighteenth-Century Women Poets - 4.2/5 (5 ratings) - Reflections on Biography - 3.8/5 (4 ratings) Amazon: - Mostly specialized academic reviews - Average 4.5/5 across titles - Limited number of customer reviews due to academic focus

The Rise of the Novel by Ian Watt A detailed examination of how Defoe, Richardson, and Fielding shaped the development of the English novel in the eighteenth century through their innovations in prose style and narrative technique.

The Cambridge Companion to John Bunyan by Anne Dunan-Page This collection presents analyses of Bunyan's major works with focus on his theological perspectives and their influence on his literary output.

Jonathan Swift and the Eighteenth-Century Book by Paddy Bullard and James McLaverty The volume explores Swift's relationship with the publishing industry and his understanding of books as material objects in eighteenth-century culture.

Robinson Crusoe and the Novel's Emergence into Print by Patricia Spacks The book traces how Defoe's work marked a turning point in prose fiction through its narrative structure and printing history.

The Pilgrim's Progress in the Evangelical Revival by Isabel Rivers A study of how Bunyan's allegory influenced Protestant literature and shaped religious discourse in the eighteenth century.

📚 Paula R. Backscheider spent over 15 years researching and writing this groundbreaking study, examining thousands of documents and manuscripts from the 17th and 18th centuries. 🎯 The book's title comes from Jonathan Swift's own words, where he described his writing style as having "a being more intense" than ordinary discourse. 📖 This was one of the first major academic works to examine how these three authors' personal religious beliefs directly influenced their prose writing styles and narrative techniques. 🌟 The study revealed that Bunyan, Swift, and Defoe all shared a surprising common thread: they each developed their distinctive writing voices while imprisoned or in exile. 🔍 Backscheider's analysis showed how these authors' works were shaped by the emerging coffee house culture of London, where manuscripts were shared and critiqued before publication.