The roving critic — A Reader’s Guide

A Critic's Taxonomy of Names

Van Doren devotes considerable space to the practice of naming in eighteenth- and nineteenth-century fiction. He observes that Fielding's names range from the natural (Tom Jones) to the allegorical (Mr. Allworthy), and that Smollett's alliterative heroes—Roderick Random, Peregrine Pickle, Ferdinand Fathom—reveal a writer "who did not fret over little realisms." Scott, he notes, is most fantastic with clergymen: "John Halftext the curate, canny Peter Poundtext," and the Presbyterian "Habakkuk Mucklewrath." The analysis is not merely taxonomic; Van Doren uses these patterns to argue that a writer's choices in naming reflect their distance from realism and their comic or satiric intentions. He contrasts Scott's chivalric surnames—Waverley, Redgauntlet, Osbaldistone—with the humble names of servants, suggesting that naming itself encodes social rank.

The Revenge of the Bards and Creative Reading

Two early essays, "The Revenge of the Bards" and "Creative Reading," hint at Van Doren's broader concerns. The first appears to address poets' responses to criticism or neglect, though the excerpts do not reveal its full argument. The second, "Creative Reading," likely advocates for an active, interpretive role for the reader—a stance consistent with Van Doren's own practice as a critic who engages closely with textual details. These pieces, together with the opening manifesto, frame the collection as a defense of criticism that is neither purely evaluative nor purely historical, but rather a form of creative engagement with literature.

Three of Our Conquerors: Lincoln, Whitman, and the Uniform

The second section examines three figures who "conquered" American culture: Abraham Lincoln, Walt Whitman, and the anonymous soldier in uniform. In "The Poetical Cult of Lincoln," Van Doren likely scrutinizes the mythologizing of Lincoln in poetry. "Whitman in His Crises" probably traces Whitman's personal and artistic struggles. "The Lion and the Uniform" may contrast the heroic ideal with the reality of military service. These essays suggest Van Doren's interest in how cultural icons are constructed and how they function in the national imagination. The excerpts do not provide full texts, but the titles indicate a critical approach that demystifies without debunking.

Nooks and Fringes: Provinces, Fathers, and Folk-Lore

The fifth section, "Nooks and Fringes," collects essays on marginal or neglected subjects: "On Hating the Provinces," "What the Fathers Read," "The Kind Mother of Us All," "Mocha Dick," "Folk-Lore in Kentucky," "Paul Bunyan Goes West," "The Worst American Book," and others. Van Doren's range is striking—from the whaling legend Mocha Dick (a precursor to Moby-Dick) to regional folklore and forgotten bestsellers. The essay "Good Names" likely continues his interest in nomenclature. This section demonstrates his commitment to exploring literary byways rather than only canonical works, and his tone is consistently analytical rather than celebratory.

Readers approaching The Roving Critic for the first time will find it helpful to start with the opening essays, which establish Van Doren's critical principles, and then sample the later sections according to interest. The collection rewards attention to its recurring preoccupations—the politics of naming, the construction of literary reputations, and the value of peripheral texts. Van Doren's prose is direct and unpretentious, and his judgments are grounded in specific evidence rather than abstract theory.

I keep returning to Van Doren’s quiet way of tracing how writers carry their own histories into every name they choose. The History of Freedom, and Other Essays — Context and Discussion evokes that same lingering feeling—not arguments, but the slow weight of what freedom meant to different lives. It stayed with me long after, like a half-remembered conversation. Just a thought I wanted to share.