The Little Review, November 1914 (Vol. 1, No. 8)

In Short

This issue of The Little Review serves as a vibrant, defiant snapshot of early twentieth-century modernist thought in the face of global violence. Published in Chicago in November 1914, the collection gathers radical essays, one-act plays, literary criticism, and avant-garde verse that confront the collapse of traditional morality, the hypocrisies of industrial capitalism, and the evolution of artistic form. It endures as a vital artifact of American literary radicalism, recording the precise historical moment when the old Victorian social order crumbled and modernism took hold.

The Story

The issue opens in a reflective, artistic space with lyric poetry by Scharmel Iris, establishing a sharp contrast between timeless aesthetic beauty and the stark reality of human grief. This quiet beginning swiftly shifts to direct socio-political critique as Clarence Darrow dissects the economic realities of warfare, arguing that industrial society operates on hand-to-mouth exploitation and that wartime destruction merely exposes the inherent flaws of a system driven by profit rather than human need.

The narrative moves into dramatic representation through Lawrence Langner’s social comedy Wedded, set in a cheap Brooklyn parlor. The play exposes the rigid tyranny of middle-class morality as a grieving mother desperately begs a clergyman to forge a marriage certificate for her dead fiancé, willing to compromise truth simply to shield her unborn child from public shame and social ostracism.

Transitioning into biographical and philosophical portraiture, the publication explores the radical spirit of anarchist Emma Goldman. It frames her not as the violent agitator vilified by mainstream society, but as a deeply sensitive visionary striving to elevate individual consciousness above the vulgarity of mass politics. This examination of radical individualism leads into literary debate, where Eunice Tietjens warns against the spiritual and intellectual decay observed in poets who abandon traditional form for free verse, singling out Ezra Pound's venomous, self-aggrandizing outbursts as evidence of cultural degeneration.

As the text progresses, the ongoing war in Europe shapes every discussion. George Burman Foster advocates for the restorative power of inner silence amid the deafening clamor of militarism and scandal, while an editorial analysis dissects the psychological reasons behind the German Socialists' submission to state-sponsored mobilization, citing ingrained habits of obedience over individual conscience. Reports from London describe a stagnant literary market where writers trade their pens for military drills, while theatrical reviews from Chicago examine how popular art fails when it lacks bold ideas.

The volume culminates in a lively, unvarnished dialogue between the magazine and its readership. In the closing review and correspondence sections, readers and critics battle over the merits of experimental literature—such as Gertrude Stein’s abstract prose—and debate whether the magazine should remain a secluded tower for pure aesthetics or serve as a militant weapon for socialist revolution.

How It Unfolds

The aesthetic opening Scharmel Iris presents delicate verses depicting celestial landscapes and intimate human tragedy, setting an initial tone of heightened emotional and artistic sensitivity.

The economic reality Clarence Darrow delivers a stark analysis of war, asserting that modern society lives from hand to mouth and that destruction merely reveals the structural flaws of production built for profit rather than use.

The parlor tragedy Lawrence Langner’s play Wedded portrays a young woman and her mother facing social ruin after the sudden death of her fiancé, highlighting how rigid religious dogma values public respectability over human compassion.

The radical portrait An essay defends anarchist Emma Goldman, depicting her as a misunderstood artist of life who champions individual spiritual liberation against the mob's hostility and societal hypocrisy.

The poetic feud Eunice Tietjens critiques the rise of vers libre, using the vitriolic, posturing writings of Ezra Pound to illustrate how artistic freedom can degenerate into empty self-indulgence.

The wartime silence George Burman Foster meditates on the necessity of internal quietude, contrasting the superficial noise of political demagogues and military conflict with the quiet heroism that drives true human progress.

The subscriber debate Letters to the editor expose the deep rift among readers, with purists begging the magazine to remain an elevated sanctuary for beauty while revolutionaries demand direct attacks on the capitalist order.

The People

Clarence Darrow The famed attorney seeks to dismantle popular misconceptions regarding the economic benefits of peace and war. He contends that industrial capitalism naturally keeps working people impoverished, viewing societal destruction as a byproduct of a system that prioritizes private profit over human necessity.

Janet Ransome A young, unwed pregnant woman in Brooklyn whose fiancé dies hours before their wedding. She initially resists the manipulative pleas of her mother and the local minister, refusing to fake a religious marriage entry, but ultimately yields under the crushing weight of social stigma and fear for her child's future.

Mrs. Ransome Janet's mother, who wants above all else to preserve her family's social standing in a judgment-prone neighborhood. Driven by panic over public disgrace, she aggressively pressures her daughter and begs the clergyman to forge the church register.

Reverend Mr. Tanner A local minister who prioritizes institutional principles and moral dogma over genuine mercy. He rejects initial pleas for help as forgery, only agreeing to intercede once he secures Janet's total submission and apparent spiritual repentance.

Emma Goldman Anarchist activist portrayed as a deeply sensitive, uncompromising visionary. She aims to quicken the individual human consciousness rather than construct rigid ideological systems, enduring public vilification while maintaining a profound dedication to artistic and personal freedom.

Ezra Pound An expatriated American poet cited as a cautionary figure whose transition from delicate, sensitive verse to hostile, self-aggrandizing free verse demonstrates the intellectual dangers of unbridled ego in modern art.

In Its Own Voice

"True, the Guilotin was doing its deadly work day after day, but its victims were very few."

— A commentary on historical perceptions of violence and economic life during national upheavals.

"I loved her more than moon or sun— / There is no moon or sun for me..."

— Scharmel Iris depicts the sudden, desolate silence left by loss in his opening poetry.

"A tiny word that sinks down into the deep of the soul, and quietly does its work there of germinating and sprouting—this means infinitely more for the world than the 'alarum' of all the professional and unprofessional bawlers."

— George Burman Foster reflects on the supreme value of quiet spiritual conviction over noisy political rhetoric.

What It's Really About

The issue centers on the conflict between individual integrity and collective authority. Across its essays, plays, and reviews, the text repeatedly questions whether the human spirit can maintain its autonomy when confronted by state power, religious conformity, industrial exploitation, and the overwhelming mob mentality of wartime patriotism.

It also explores the fundamental purpose of art during times of crisis. The contributors debate whether literature should serve as a pristine, secluded sanctuary for abstract beauty or act as an aggressive, revolutionary force aimed at tearing down corrupt social structures.

Finally, the work investigates the nature of truth and hypocrisy, showing how modern institutions consistently sacrifice genuine human compassion in order to preserve superficial moral appearances and institutional power.

Why Read It Today

This publication offers a raw, unfiltered window into the American intellectual landscape at the exact moment the modern world was being reshaped by global conflict. Readers interested in the history of radical thought, literary modernism, and anti-war activism will appreciate its fierce intellectual energy and unvarnished debates. The writing feels remarkably immediate, capturing the urgent voices of thinkers wrestling with questions of state control, economic inequality, and artistic freedom that remain intensely relevant today.

Reading the issue requires navigating period-specific stylistic experiments and dense, polemical prose that reflects the intense ideological battles of 1914. Its abrupt shifts between delicate lyrical poetry, legal analysis, theatrical drama, and reader complaints can feel jarring. Yet this very fragmentariness creates a vivid, immersive atmosphere. The collection leaves the reader with a lasting impression of a brave, unyielding editorial voice determined to champion free expression and critical thought, even as the world around it descended into chaos.