Early American Literature: 1600 -1750 The Puritans

Important Dates 1492 Christopher Columbus 1607 Founding of Jamestown 1620 Mayflower on Plymouth Rock 1636 Harvard College founded 1692 Salem Witch Trials 1640’s The Great Awakening 1647 First free public school

Two type of Puritans Separatists Held irreconcilable differences with the Church of England; they thought the church was corrupt and that they must distance themselves from it Were persecuted under various monarchies in England Later, came to found the Plymouth Colony in America in 1620 Non-Separatists Held less extreme views of the Church of England Believed in church reform rather than an overthrow of the church Came to America in 1630 and founded the Massachusetts Bay Colony This group referred to as Pilgrims

Type of Government THEOCRACY- a government ruled by or subject to a religious authority God was the head of the Puritan government How does God speak to man?

Divine Mission “We shall be as a City upon a Hill, the eyes of all people are upon us; so that if we shall deal falsely with our God in this work we have undertaken and so cause Him to withdraw His present help from us, we shall be made a story and a by-word through all the world.” -- John Winthrop, Bay Colony

Core Beliefs Doctrine of Election / Predestination: Man is innately sinful; ORIGINAL SIN means that we are incapable of any depravity Only those who are chosen by God (the elect) are saved; salvation is not based on your beliefs or good works The grace of Christ allows the chosen the strength to follow the will of God The chosen will follow the path of righteousness

Core Beliefs (cont.) No one knew who was or was not saved. Puritans believed that you must have a conversion experience in order to be accepted by God. God’s grace was given to the chosen, and this was demonstrated through one’s behavior. Even though they did not believe good works helped one get into heaven, they believed that living a godly life was evidence of being chosen.

As a result of their belief in predestination, Puritans: Were always looking for signs Scrutinized daily events Thought there was always a reason for everything Felt that God’s hand was in everything, no matter how insignificant

Puritan Beliefs & Values Humans exist only to glorify God. Puritans believed in a literal interpretation of the Bible – the sole expression of the will of God They wanted to keep things simple so that they could concentrate on God They wanted to cleanse the religion of corrupt sinful practices, elaborate ceremonies, and decorations There is a constant struggle between the forces of God and Satan (ORIGINAL SIN) God rewards the good and punishes the wicked Membership in churches was limited to the “visibly godly”

Puritan Ideals Education & Work Ethic Self-improvement: They believed in living a virtuous, self-examined life Hard work: They believed in strict discipline and had a strong work ethic Frugality: They felt that qualities that led to economic success were virtuous Self-reliance: They looked down on debt and handouts.

They valued education Harvard was founded in 1636 to train ministers Children were not allowed to play games; boys were taught to go hunting and fishing, while girls were taught how to run a household Women were considered less capable intellectually, physically, theologically, and morally (Eve was the first sinner)

Literature and Writing They did not write for pleasure or entertainment. The purpose of writing was to be: Instructive Reflective—think through problems and feelings Reinforce authority of: Bible Church

Types of Texts Sermons and other religious documents Diaries and journals Historical documents Letters Poetry (inspired by religious beliefs) Captive narratives

Content /topic Christian utopia Relationship with God Histories Puritan beliefs– reflections on: Community Original sin Hard work

Plain Style Plain Style: a mode of expression characterized by its clarity, accessibility, straightforwardness, simplicity, and lack of ornamentation. Rejecting ornamental flourishes and superfluous decoration as sinful vanity, plain stylists worked to glorify God in their expressions rather than to show off their own artistry or claim any renown for themselves.

Plain Style Does not use the features common to rhetoric of the day– the types of language and devices that were popular with European writers So, Plain style does not make much use of Metaphor “learned” quotations Allusion “decorative” words Most texts, especially sermons, open with a main point, provide clear reasons and close with applications to life