The Tremulous Formula: Form and Technique in Godey's Fiction

Abstract

GODEY'S LADY'S BOOK, first successful American magazine to depend primarily on fiction for its content, 1830 inaugurated age of fiction, which Poe, 1836, prophetically observed, in end (not far distant), will be most influential of all departments of letters.1 Although designed originally to appeal to females whose tastes ran to sickly sentiment and mawkish melodrama, Godey's fiction quickly made a general appeal and became model for imitators eager to cash on its popularity. Poe reported Godey's most successful competitor, Graham's Magazine (1839), was so similar that if cover were changed it would not be easy to distinguish one from other.2 And when United States Magazine and Democratic Review 1852 protested incredibly poor quality of magazine fiction, it simply referred to the Triad of Philadelphia Magazines and was confident its readers would recognize them as Godey's, Graham's and Sartain's.3 Many critics felt Godey's and its imitators succeeded spite of, not because of, their fiction. Lowell stigmatized it as thrice diluted trash shape of namby-pamby love tales and sketches.4 And an 1844 critic, after observing periodical literature certainly flourishes this country, acidly commented, The mass of matters is inanity itself and veriest nonsense.5