The quest for Canadian identity in pre-Confederation English-Canadian literary criticism

This thesis traces the quest for Canadian Nationality as it is revealed in critical writings relating to English-Canadian literature of Upper and Lower Canada. The work records the appraisals of literary culture and the plans of critics and authors with regard to a national literature. It is based primarily on critical articles and review in the periodical literature, and introductions and comments In approximately forty books of creative writing of the period. The study of the literary periodicals begins with the Scribbler, the earliest Montreal magazine (1821-27). Pertinent information was found in fifteen periodicals although twenty-one were examined.;The two men chiefly responsible for this critical policy were David Chisholme and Dr. Christie; both were editors of periodicals in the 1820's. Their suggestions were supplemented by Wilcocke, the editor of the Scribbler, who encouraged creative writing. (Abstract shortened by UMI.).;Two main trends were discovered in Canadian criticism from 1820 to 1870. The policy of the early decades was to call for literature which took inventory of a new land, and served to inform the new inhabitants. In this policy the origin of Canadian realism in literature may be sought.