Using Correspondence and Manuscripts in Literary Archives

Wong, Matthias

Abstract

Literary archives contain the documents and artefacts that relate to the creation and publication of literary texts. Defined more narrowly here in terms of writing as an art composition, literature includes the classic forms of poetry, prose, and drama, and newer forms like the graphic novel. These texts form the cultural touchstones of human civilisation, from the ancient and medieval epics to William Shakespeare’s plays, to Jane Austen’s novels and Jonathan Swift’s satires, to Isaac Asimov’s science fiction and modern American comics. Usually based around a creator or an institution, literary archives pull together material that helps us understand literary texts better.

These collections illuminate important aspects of literary creation. Notes and draft manuscripts offer valuable insight into how a work was composed and reworked over time. They speak to important questions of authorship and the involvement of the editor and the publisher. Private papers like correspondence and diaries can shed light on an author’s state of mind and motivations, as well as the social circles and cultural milieu in which they participated. Publishers’ records contain valuable information about the sales and geographical distribution of literary products, while material objects can provide insight into the physical environment in which literature was created.

This case study focuses on two types of sources: personal correspondence and draft manuscripts. You will learn how to approach these sources, how they are useful to historians, and what limitations they have.

Citation

Wong, M. (2021). Using Correspondence and Manuscripts in Literary Archives. In Research Methods Primary Sources. SAGE Publications (UK and US). https://doi.org/10.47594/rmps_0098

• Online Publication Date: Nov 1, 2021
• Publication Date: Nov 1, 2021
• Deposit Date: Dec 21, 2021
• Publisher: SAGE Publications (UK and US)
• Book Title: Research Methods Primary Sources
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.47594/rmps_0098
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/3903021
• Publisher URL: www.researchmethodsprimarysources.amdigital.co.uk
• Contract Date: Apr 30, 2021