Appearance
Excerpt
Excerpt from The Man of Letters as a Man of Business, by William Dean Howells
by
William Dean Howells
I think that every man ought to work for his living, without exception,
and that when he has once avouched his willingness to work, society
should provide him with work and warrant him a living. I do not think
any man ought to live by an art. A man's art should be his privilege,
when he has proven his fitness to exercise it, and has otherwise earned
his daily bread; and its results should be free to all. There is an
instinctive sense of this, even in the midst of the grotesque confusion
of our economic being; people feel that there is something profane,
something impious, in taking money for a picture, or a poem, or a
statue. Most of all, the artist himself feels this. He puts on a bold
front with the world, to be sure, and brazens it out as Business; but
he knows very well that there is something false and vulgar in it; and
that the work which cannot be truly priced in money cannot be truly
paid in money. He can, of course, say that the priest takes money for
reading the marriage service, for christening the new-born babe, and
for saying the last office for the dead; that the physician sells
healing; that justice itself is paid for; and that he is merely a party
to the thing that is and must be. He can say that, as the thing is,
unless he sells his art he cannot live, that society will leave him to
starve if he does not hit its fancy in a picture, or a poem, or a
statue; and all this is bitterly true. He is, and he must be, only too
glad if there is a market for his wares. Without a market for his
wares he must perish, or turn to making something that will sell better
than pictures, or poems, or statues. All the same, the sin and the
shame remain, and the averted eye sees them still, with its inward
vision. Many will make believe otherwise, but I would rather not make
believe otherwise; and in trying to write of Literature as Business I
am tempted to begin by saying that Business is the opprobrium of
Literature.
Explanation
Detailed Explanation of the Excerpt from The Man of Letters as a Man of Business by William Dean Howells
Context of the Work
William Dean Howells (1837–1920) was a prominent American realist writer, editor, and literary critic, often called the "Dean of American Letters." His essay The Man of Letters as a Man of Business (1903) critiques the commercialization of literature and the tensions between art and commerce in late 19th- and early 20th-century America. During this period, industrialization and capitalism were reshaping society, turning even creative work into a market-driven enterprise. Howells, who had experienced both literary success and financial struggles, writes from a position of deep ambivalence about the professionalization of writing.
Themes in the Excerpt
The Moral Conflict Between Art and Commerce Howells argues that art should not be a means of livelihood but rather a "privilege" earned through other honest labor. He sees the monetization of art as inherently corrupting, suggesting that true artistic expression cannot be reduced to a financial transaction.
The Hypocrisy of the Marketplace The passage highlights the tension between the artist’s public posture (pretending that selling art is just "business") and their private shame. Howells suggests that artists rationalize their commercialization by pointing to other professions (priests, doctors, lawyers) that also charge for services, but this justification does not erase the underlying "sin and shame."
The Vulnerability of the Artist in a Capitalist Society Howells acknowledges that artists must sell their work to survive, yet he laments that this necessity forces them to cater to public taste rather than artistic integrity. The market dictates what is valuable, not inherent artistic merit.
The Profanity of Pricing Art The idea that art cannot be "truly priced in money" reflects a Romantic and idealistic view of creativity as something sacred, beyond material valuation. Howells suggests that society intuitively recognizes this, even if it participates in the commercialization of art.
Literary Devices & Rhetorical Strategies
Paradox & Contradiction
- Howells presents a paradox: artists must sell their work to live, yet doing so is morally compromising.
- "He is, and he must be, only too glad if there is a market for his wares. Without a market for his wares he must perish..." → This underscores the artist’s trapped position.
Irony & Satire
- The phrase "Business is the opprobrium [disgrace] of Literature" is a biting indictment of commercialization.
- The comparison of artists to priests, doctors, and judges is ironic—while these professions also charge for services, their work is seen as more socially legitimate.
Repetition for Emphasis
- "Something false and vulgar... something profane, something impious" → The repetition of "something" intensifies the moral weight of his argument.
- "He is, and he must be" → Reinforces the inevitability of the artist’s dilemma.
Metaphor & Imagery
- "The averted eye sees them still, with its inward vision" → Suggests that even when people ignore the moral problem, their conscience still recognizes it.
- "Grotesque confusion of our economic being" → Paints capitalism as absurd and distorting.
Appeal to Pathos (Emotional Argument)
- Howells evokes sympathy for the artist’s plight ("society will leave him to starve") while also expressing disgust at the system that forces this choice.
Significance of the Passage
Critique of Capitalism’s Effect on Art Howells’ essay reflects broader anxieties about industrialization turning all labor—even creative work—into a commodity. His argument anticipates later critiques of "selling out" in modern art and literature.
The Artist’s Dilemma: Integrity vs. Survival The passage captures a timeless tension: Should artists create for money or for pure expression? Howells suggests that the two are fundamentally at odds, a debate that continues today in discussions about patronage, crowdfunding, and the gig economy for creatives.
Realism vs. Romanticism As a realist writer, Howells often depicted the harsh realities of modern life, yet this passage reveals a Romantic idealism—art should be "free to all," untainted by commerce. This duality reflects his own conflicted relationship with the literary marketplace.
Influence on Later Literary Criticism Howells’ ideas foreshadow later thinkers like Theodor Adorno (who critiqued the "culture industry") and modern discussions about the ethics of artistic labor in a capitalist system.
Close Reading of Key Lines
"I do not think any man ought to live by an art."
- Howells’ opening declaration is radical—he rejects the very idea of professional artists, suggesting art should be a side pursuit, not a career. This reflects his belief that true art is incompatible with financial motivation.
"People feel that there is something profane, something impious, in taking money for a picture, or a poem, or a statue."
- The words "profane" and "impious" frame art as almost sacred, implying that monetizing it is a kind of blasphemy. This aligns with the Romantic view of the artist as a quasi-religious figure.
"The work which cannot be truly priced in money cannot be truly paid in money."
- A philosophical claim: art’s value is intrinsic and subjective, not quantifiable. This challenges the capitalist assumption that all labor (and all products) have a market price.
"Business is the opprobrium of Literature."
- The strongest condemnation in the passage. "Opprobrium" (deep disgrace) suggests that commercialization is not just unfortunate but morally corrupting to literature itself.
Conclusion: Why This Matters
Howells’ excerpt remains relevant because it articulates a fundamental tension in creative fields: Can art retain its purity in a market-driven world? His argument is both a lament and a provocation—acknowledging that artists must engage with commerce while insisting that doing so is a kind of moral compromise. The passage challenges readers to consider:
- Should society support artists in ways that don’t require them to "sell out"?
- Is there a way to reconcile artistic integrity with financial survival?
- How does capitalism shape (or distort) cultural production?
Howells doesn’t offer easy answers, but his passionate critique forces us to confront the uncomfortable realities of art in a commercial age.