Early American Literature早期美国文学

Part1EarlyAmericanLiterature:ColonialPeriodto1815I.TheLiteratureoftheNewWorlda.ChristopherColumbus(1451-1506)b.CaptainJohnSmith(1580-1631)CaptainJohnSmith(1580—1631)Arealadventurer,hehadfoughttheTurksinHungary,wherehewaswoundedandtakenprisoner.Hewassoldasaslaveandescapedbykillinghismaster.In1607,hehelpedtosetupJamestown,thefirstEnglishcolonyinAmerica.SmithsentalettertotheVirginiaCompanyinLondon,defendingthehandlingofthesettlementandproclaimingthemeritsofthenewland.In1608,mostpartofhisletterwaspublished,underthetitleATrueRelationofSuchOccurrencesandAccidentsofNoteasHathHappenedinVirginiaSincetheFirstPlantingofThatColony.Thus,CaptainJohnSmithbecamethefirstAmericanwriter.TrueRelationofVirginia(1608)DescriptionofNewEngland(1616)ForwardGeneralHistoryofVirginia,NewEngland,andtheSummerIsles(1624)CaptainJohnSmith(1580----1631)HisdescriptionsofAmericawerefilledwiththemes,myths,images,scenes,characters,andeventsthatwereafoundationasalandofendlessbounty.HisvisionhelpedtolurethePilgrimsandthePuritanswhosawthemselvesasnewsaintswithaspiritualmissiontofleetheOldWorldandcreateaNewIsrael,aNewPromisedLand.Wecanlookonhisdescriptionasakindoffascinating“advertisements”whichtrytopersuadethereadertosettleintheNewWorld(1).TrueRelationofVirginia(1608)DescriptionofNewEngland(1616)ForwardBackCaptainJohnSmith(1580----1631)GeneralHistoryofVirginia,NewEngland,andtheSummerIsles(1624)TwogreatstoneswerebroughtbeforePowhattan(theIndian“king”):thenasmanyascoulddraggedhim(Smith)tothem,andthereonlaidhishead,andbeingreadywiththeirclubs,tobeatouthisbrains,Pocahontas,theKing’sdearestdaughter,gothisheadinherarms,andlaiddownherown(head)uponhistosavehimfromdeath:whereattheKingwascontentedheshouldlive.Backa.OriginStoriesb.SongsAcharacteristicoriginstoryistheEarth-Diverstorythattypicallytellsofagreatfloodwhichoncecoveredtheearth.Originstoriesarethosedramatizingtribalinterpretationsofhowtheearthoriginatedorofhowpeopleestablishedrelationshipswithplants,animalsandthecosmos.SincemostNativeAmericanstorieswereorallypassedon,thesetalesthenhaveaperformativedimension:theyarenotonly“told”,theyarealso“sung”aschantsandsongs,anddramatizedinritualdances.DiscussionA.WhatisAmericanPuritanism?Howwasitformed?WhatisitssignificanceinAmericanliteratureandAmericanspirit?B.WhatarethecharacteristicsofthecolonialAmericanliterature?II.TheLiteratureofColonialAmerica:1620-1763A.AmericanPuritansThefirstsettlerscametoAmericaoutofvariousreasons:1.religiouscontroversy;2.anurgeforreligiousfreedomanddetermination;3.fleeingfromreligiousandpoliticaloppressionandpersecution;4.humanthirstforgreatereconomicopportunity,forland,andforadventure.B.AmericanPuritanismAmericanPuritanismpredestinationoriginalsintotaldepravitylimitedatonementfromGod’sgrace.Thefirstsettlerswerecalled“Puritans”,sonamedafterthosewhowishedto“purify”thereligiouspracticeinthechurch.TheysoonestablishedtheirownreligiousandmoralprinciplesknownasAmericanPuritanismwhichbecameoneofthemostenduringinfluencesinAmericanthoughtandAmericanliterature.hardworkthriftpietysobriety“Originalsin”God&AdamAdamwastoenjoyeternalhappinessintheGardenofEdenontheconditionthatheshouldcompletelyobeyGod.“grace”God&AbrahamThepuritansbelievedthattheyweredescendantsofAbraham:theywerethe“elect”groupredeemedbythesufferingofJesusChristandchosentoreceiveGod’s“grace”.a.Puritanismisahighlystrictreligiousdoctrine.ThePuritansweredeterminedtofindaplaceonthenewcontinentwheretheycouldworshipGodinthewaytheythoughttrueChristiansshould.b.Puritanismalsohasitspracticalaspect.ThePuritanshadtoworkhardinordertomakealivingandbereadyforanymisfortunesandtragicfailuresthatmightlieinwaitforthem.C.CharacteristicsoftheColonialAmericanLiteraturea.Americanliterature,inasense,wasaliteraryexpressionofthepiousidealismofthePuritanrequest.b.ThePuritans’metaphoricalmodeofperceptionbroughtAmericanliterarysymbolismintobeing.c.ThePuritanstyleofwritingwascharacterizedbysimplicity.Theuseofmetaphorswasonlytoexplainthewriter’sopinionsratherthantodecorate.D.Representatives:a.WilliamBradford(1590—1657)thePilgrimGovernorofMassachusettsOfPlymouthPlantation(spiritualpursuitinAmerica)b.AnneBradstreet(ca.1612—1672)thefirstnotablepoetinAmerica“domestic”poemsContemplationsc.EdwardTaylor(ca.1642—1729)meditativepoetmeditativepoetryisacontemplationofselfandexpressionofhoped-forunionwithGodorwithatranscendentreality.MeditationsHuswiferyUponaSpiderCatchingaFlyForward1.AnneBradstreet(1612-1672)thefirstnotedpoetessincolonialperiod1.AnneBradstreet’sWorks“SomeversesontheBurningofOurHouse”“TheSpiritandtheFlesh”TheTenthMuseLatelySprungUpinAmerica2.AnneBradstreet’sLife*ShewasbornandeducatedinEngland.*Attheageof18,shecametoAmericain1630withherfatherandhusband.*Shehad8children.*Shebecameknownasthe“TenthMuse”whoappearedinAmerica.thefirstcollectionpublishedbyEnglishcolonistslivinginAmericaAnneBradstreet(1612----1672)TheCompleteWorksofAnneBradstreetTenthMuseLatelySprungUpInAmerica(1650)SeveralPoemsCompiledwithGreatWitandLearning(1678).“ToMyDearandLovingHusband”Ifevertwowereone,thensurelywe.Ifevermanwerelovedbywife,th