Part-1-American-Puritanism-–-Colonial-Period

Part1AmericanPuritanismtoEnlightenment–ColonialPeriodI.AmericanPuritanismII.LiterarySceneinNorthColonies(PuritanandEnlightened)III.SouthernPlantationIV.MiddleColoniesV.AmericanPuritanismandChineseConfucianismI.AmericanPuritanism(northcolonies):i.Puritans:ThesettlementoftheNorthAmericancontinentbytheEnglishbeganintheearlypartofthe17thcentury(“Mayflower”,1620)–onAmerica’snorthernseacoast–NewEngland–thefirstsettleswhobecamethefoundingfathersoftheAmericannationwerequiteafewofthemPuritans.PuritanswereoriginallydevoutmembersoftheChurchofEnglandBythetimeofElizabeth’sreign,thechurchofEnglandwasclearlyProtestantinrespecttoitsseparationfromRome.DuringthereignofQueenMary–immigratingtoAmericasearchingforreligiousfreedomii.IdealofPuritans:Theywereidealiststo“purify”theritualsofthechurch,tolessentheauthorityofbishops,believingthatthechurchshouldberestoredtothe“purity”ofthefirstcenturychurchasestablishedbyJesusChristhimself.–ironically:thetermof“Puritanism”implies,bigotry,austerityoftaste,religiousintolerancekillingjoywayoflife.Why?(Theypersecutedthewitchorthosewhomthecommunitydeemed“hellish”–Hawthorn’sTheScarletLetter)--typicalPuritan’swayoflife–inharmonywiththeirsomberreligion,stressinghardwork,thrift,piety,andsobriety--themostpopularimage–ateetotaler,gaunt,lank-haired,wearingablacksteeplehat–infactadistortion,evokingforatime,antipathyanddisgustiii.Puritanism:Puritanswereagroupofserious,religiouspeople,theyhadtheirowncodeofvalues,aphilosophyoflife,andtheirpointofview.A:Threebasicpuritantenets:God’sabsolutesovereignty--Godisall-powerfulandassertsHisinfluenceineveryeventofhumanlifeOriginalSin–ASaresultofAdamandEve’seatingtheforbiddenfruit,allhumanityiscompletelywicked.Predestination–HumanracesispredestinedbyGod(JohnCalvin)(TenetsofJohnCalvin:Thestateshouldbetheservantofthechurch.--“originaldepravity”,“InAdam’sfall,wesinnedall”–mancannotredeemhisoriginalsinfulness–Redemption,therefore,mustbeafreegiftfromGod.OnlyHeandnooneelsemaydecidewhoistobesavedandwhoistogotohell–“Predestination”–Christ,therefore,didnotdieforall,butonlyforthosewhoaretobesaved)B.Anethicwasdevelopedaroundhardwork:Thedriveformoneyandtheacquisitionofwealththroughworkmaynotbeasteptowardsalvation(sincetherewasnochoice)butperhapsasignthatonewassaved.Iflifewereadiscoveryofwhetherornotsomeonewassaved,theneveryeventwassignificant.Ifoneactedinawaythatwasnotinaccordancewiththisbelief,thenonewassurelynotsavedanddefinitelyathreattotheexistingorder.C.ManywritersregardedthesettlersasGod’sagents,sentunderHis“wonderworkingprovidence”tomakehomesforHischosenandtoconvertordestroytheIndianswhomtheyfeltweresentbythedeviltodisturbtheirprogress.ThewritingbroughthometotheaveragechurchmemberafearandwonderforGod’sworkings–nothingwaswrittenformereamusement–plainstyle,Biblicalallusion(quotation,sermons)iv.AmericanMyth:Americanliteratureisbasedonamyth–theBiblicalmythoftheGardenofEden(anewonehere)AliteraryexpressionofthepiousidealismoftheAmericanPuritanbequest–optimistictoneReligiousandutilitarian--reflectingthosepeople’sstrivingforsalvation,especiallymateriallyv.AmericanDream(basicallyoptimistic)religiouslypiousandpracticalwestlandtoexplore,unlimitedopportunities,forbiddingnaturalsurroundingsthatintriguingpeople’sfightingspirit–TheveryseverityofthefrontierconditionstaughttheAmericanPuritanstobetougher,tobeeveryreadyforanymisfortunesandtragicfailuresthatmightlieinwaitforthem.individualism--individualsuccess“AsupofNewEngland’sairisbetterthanawholedraftofoldEngland’sale”FrancisHigginsonNewEnglan’sPlantation1630)II.LiterarySceneinnortherncolonies(PuritanandEnlightened):i.theme:abouttheirownnewexperiences--voyagetothenewland,aboutadaptingthemselvestounfamiliarclimatesandcrops,aboutdealingwithIndians,aboutthelandwhichstretchedbeforethem–unimaginableandimmense,withrichdenseforestsanddeepbluelakesandrichsoil–allseemedpossiblethroughhardworkandfaithii.form:Englishliterarytraditionimitatediii.languagestyle:notsosophisticatedasthatinoldEngland,fresh,simpleanddirect,plainandhomely,honestrhetoric,Biblicalallusion…iv.representatives:(WilliamBradford,AnneBradstreet,EdwardTaylor,ThomasPaine)A.PhilipFreneau–religiousfreedom–dawningnationalism,Americansubjectmatter,poetofAmericanrevolution--TheWildHoneySuckle--TheIndianBuryingGroundB.JonathanEdwards–religiousecstasy–influenceuponlateryears:Emerson,anticipating18thc.TranscendentalismC.BenjaminFranklin(1706-1790)--oppositeofEdwards:theparadoxofPuritanmaterialismandimmateriality--Jack-of-all-trades,aself-mademan--ThesymboloftheAgeofEnlightenment,ageofReason–leadingtotheAgeofRomanticismPoorRichard’sAllmanacAutobiography–howamanshouldlivehislife,13virtues(temperance,silence,order,resolution,frugality,industry,sincerity,justice,moderation,cleanliness,tranquility,chastity,humility)--aPuritandocument:self-examinationandself-improvement,self-reliance,thefulfillmentofthe“AmericanDream”–senseofoptimismrevolution--romantic--spokesmanfortheneworderof18thc.AmericanEnlightenment:Manisbasicallygoodandfree,bynatureendowedbyGodwithce