Edgar Huntly: Or, Memoirs of a Sleepwalker by Charles Brockden Brown is an epistolary novel set in rural Pennsylvania in 1787, where Edgar Huntly writes letters to his fiancée, Mary Waldegrave. After discovering Clithero Edny sleepwalking and suspecting him of Mary's brother's murder, Edgar investigates him, leading to Clithero's confession of his troubled past and emigration from Ireland. Edgar's sleepwalking and confrontations with Native Americans further complicate the plot as he grapples with his own perceptions and the mysteries surrounding his family and Clithero's intentions.

Reviews for Edgar Huntly by Charles Brockden Brown describe it as a gripping Gothic tale merging psychological depth with early American settings. Critics praise its innovative narrative style and exploration of subconscious fears. However, some readers find the plot convoluted and the prose dense. Overall, it's valued for its literary significance despite occasional readability issues.

Edgar Huntly by Charles Brockden Brown will captivate readers who appreciate early American Gothic fiction, intricate narratives, and psychological depth. Fans of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and Arthur Mervyn's Arthur Mervyn, who enjoy exploring themes of identity, sleepwalking, and frontier life, will find it especially engaging.

- Edgar Huntly is considered one of the earliest American Gothic novels, showcasing themes of frontier violence and the darker aspects of the human psyche, which were relatively unexplored in American literature at the time of its publication in 1799.
- Charles Brockden Brown was heavily influenced by European Gothic traditions, but with Edgar Huntly, he uniquely integrated American landscapes and issues, making it one of the pioneering novels in developing a distinctly American style of Gothic fiction.
- The novel is notable for its use of somnambulism, or sleepwalking, as a key plot device, reflecting contemporary interests in psychology and human consciousness in the late 18th century.

Charles Brockden Brown

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Overview

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Edgar Huntly Summary and Study Guide

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Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapters 1-3

Edgar Huntly Chapters 1-3 Summary & Analysis

Chapters 4-6

Edgar Huntly Chapters 4-6 Summary & Analysis

Chapters 7-9

Edgar Huntly Chapters 7-9 Summary & Analysis

Chapters 10-12

Edgar Huntly Chapters 10-12 Summary & Analysis

Chapters 13-15

Edgar Huntly Chapters 13-15 Summary & Analysis

Chapters 16-18

Edgar Huntly Chapters 16-18 Summary & Analysis

Chapters 19-21

Edgar Huntly Chapters 19-21 Summary & Analysis

Chapters 22-24

Edgar Huntly Chapters 22-24 Summary & Analysis

Chapters 25-27

Edgar Huntly Chapters 25-27 Summary & Analysis

Epilogue

Edgar Huntly Epilogue Summary & Analysis

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Character Analysis

Edgar Huntly Character Analysis

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Themes

Edgar Huntly Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Edgar Huntly Symbols & Motifs

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Important Quotes

Edgar Huntly Important Quotes

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Essay Topics

Edgar Huntly Essay Topics

Edgar Huntly: Or, Memoirs of a Sleepwalker

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