Pen of Iron: American Prose and the King James Bible by Robert Alter

Abstract

This article analyzes Robert Alter's Pen of Iron, which examines the influence of the King James Bible on major American novelists. The paper argues that Alter contends with New Historicism's focus on ideology over linguistic style, advocating for a finer analysis of the 'magic of language' in literature. This study examines Alter's exploration of stylistic traits in works by Melville, Faulkner, Hemingway, Bellow, and McCarthy, tracing the diminishing influence of biblical language in American fiction. The article demonstrates how Alter identifies hallmark traits such as polyphony in Melville, lexicon in Faulkner, paratactic phrasing in Hemingway, and amalgamated styles in Bellow and McCarthy. However, this work investigates the limitations of Alter's approach, noting its lack of engagement with ideological contexts and repetitive focus on parataxis. The significance of this article lies in its evaluation of Alter's contribution to understanding the interplay between biblical text and American literary style.

(The abstract and keywords were prepared retrospectively for indexing purposes using AI-assisted tools and editorial review, based on the original article. They did not appear in the original publication.)