Charles Brockden BrownCharles Brockden Brown (1771-1810) is widely regarded as the first professional novelist of the United States. A central figure in early American Gothic literature, Brown's works-including Wieland, Ormond, and Arthur Mervyn-explore psychological instbility, political unrest, epidemic disease, and the moral tensions of the early republic. His innovative narrative structures and engagement with contemporary social fears helped establish an American voice within the Gothic tradition. Read More Read Less