Ambrose Bierce’s Literary Environment, 1890–1900

Abstract

The paper studies the relationships of Ambrose Bierce (1842–1914?) with his disciples — George Sterling, Hermann G. Sheffauer, Percival Pollard, and Edwin Markham. These authors formed Ambrose Bierce’s closest literary environment in the 1890s — 1900s. The author studies the nature of these relationships, the factors that contributed to mutual rapprochement. The aesthetic views were the basis for their proximity. Human relations, political sympathies and antipathies also played an important role. Bierce’s moral rigor created obstacles to sustainable interaction with the authors of younger generation. Nevertheless, one can talk about the phenomenon of “Bierce School”, ambivalent nature of their interaction, during which Bierce and his disciples influenced each other, the younger writers as well contributing to the development and advance of their master’s aesthetic views and concepts and encouraged his literary activity.

Keywords

• ambrose bierce
• literary environment
• us literature
• george sterling
• hermann g. sheffauer
• percival pollard
• edwin markham