Philip Freneau

Texts by Philip Freneau

•  "Ode"

Resources about Philip Freneau

1. “Democratic Origins and Revolutionary Writers, 1776-1820.” Outline of American

Literature. December 2006. 31 May 2007. < http://usinfo.state.gov/products/pubs/oal/lit2.htm >

This source gives Philip Freneau (1752-1832) the title of “The Poet of the American Revolution.” The website states that he rebelled against his conservative Harvard friends and embraced liberal and democratic causes, fitting him nicely into the mold of a questioning Enlightenment author. The website gives some vital, personal information on the life of Freneau, mentioning that he edited a number of journals during his life, “always mindful of the great cause of democracy.” Freneau actually went on to be the first “crusading newspaper editor,” according to the website, after having founded the National Gazette with Thomas Jefferson. The website’s credibility is certain, being a government regulated website dealing mainly with historical figures. The site actually places Freneau among other prominent Enlightenment authors, listing the liberal, democratic ideals found in his poetry as a main criterion.