Obviously there is no set theme for the wide range of topics, other than to educate the readers. My favorite article out of the ones that I reviewed was the one that discussed William Shakespeare and his hometown of Stratford. Even to the modern reader today this topic stands out because Shakespeare is included in much of what we learn today. Another interesting thing to see in the magazine was the inclusion of sketches and drawings for the illustrations. This gives the reader an image to put with the words. This was especially helpful with the Fashions article, since clothing and trends have changed greatly since that time. I would use this magazine in the future for research on particular historical topics.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Sterling's Blog Prompt on Harper's New Monthly Magazine
Based on the articles I read in Harper's New Monthly Magazine, there seems to be a wide range of topics discussed in order to educate the audience on a wide range of topics. From the article Winfield Scott In The War of 1812 was written by Benson J. Lossing to the Fashions of September article, readers receive an in-depth look into history as well as current trends and topics. The September 1861 issue opens with the Stratford-Upon-Avon article that investigates the life of William Shakespeare, revisiting his hometown which heavily influenced his work. From there, the magazine transitions its focus to an entirely different continent to tell the story of the development of Canada in The Capitals of the Canadas. The next topic moves directly into the War of 1812 focusing on Winfield Scott and his admirable military command.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I too think that Harper's Weekly was used to educate readers and I don't believe there is any certain "theme" or audience targeted by this Magazine. Unlike today where we have sports, fashion, fitness, money and travel magazines each separate based on their genre, 150 years ago there was not as large of a consumer base, so therefore Harper's was likely on of the main sources of information. I also had a fashion section that included sketches of each outfit which I thought was really helpful for the reader. I think the story about Shakespeare sounds very interesting and intriguing. We always hear so much about his famous works, but never hear the full extent of his personal life.
ReplyDelete