🪶American Literature – Before 1860 Unit 2 – Colonial Literature: Puritan Encounters

Historical Context

• Puritans were English Protestants who sought to "purify" the Church of England from its Catholic practices in the late 16th and 17th centuries
• Faced persecution in England under King James I and King Charles I, leading to their migration to the New World (Massachusetts Bay Colony)
• Established a theocratic government in the Massachusetts Bay Colony where church and state were closely intertwined
• Believed in predestination, the idea that God had already chosen who would be saved and who would be damned
• Emphasized the importance of education and established Harvard College in 1636 to train clergy
• Engaged in conflicts with Native American tribes (Pequot War) and other colonial powers (Dutch, French)
• Experienced religious dissent within their own ranks (Roger Williams, Anne Hutchinson) leading to the founding of other colonies (Rhode Island)

Key Puritan Beliefs

• Believed in the concept of original sin, the idea that all humans are born sinful due to Adam and Eve's disobedience in the Garden of Eden
• Emphasized the importance of personal salvation through faith alone, not through good works or religious rituals
• Viewed the Bible as the ultimate authority and believed in a literal interpretation of scripture
• Stressed the importance of moral discipline and the avoidance of worldly pleasures and temptations
  • Prohibited activities such as dancing, card playing, and celebrating Christmas
• Believed in the concept of a "covenant" or agreement between God and his chosen people
  • Saw themselves as a "city upon a hill" with a special mission to create a model Christian society in the New World
• Emphasized the importance of hard work, frugality, and self-discipline as signs of godliness
• Believed in the subordination of women to men and the importance of maintaining strict gender roles and hierarchy within the family and society

Major Puritan Authors

• William Bradford (1590-1657): Governor of Plymouth Colony and author of "Of Plymouth Plantation," a detailed history of the colony's early years
• John Winthrop (1588-1649): First governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony and author of "A Model of Christian Charity," a sermon outlining Puritan ideals and the concept of a "city upon a hill"
• Anne Bradstreet (1612-1672): First published female poet in colonial America, known for her poems exploring Puritan themes of faith, family, and the natural world
• Edward Taylor (1642-1729): Puritan minister and poet, known for his intricate and metaphysical poetry exploring religious themes and personal devotion
• Cotton Mather (1663-1728): Puritan minister and author of "Magnalia Christi Americana," a comprehensive history of the Puritan colonies in New England
• Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758): Influential Puritan theologian and philosopher, known for his sermons such as "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" and his role in the First Great Awakening religious revival movement

Themes in Colonial Literature

• Religious faith and devotion as central to Puritan life and literature, with works often exploring themes of sin, redemption, and divine providence
• The struggle between good and evil, with the Puritan worldview seeing the world as a battleground between God and Satan
• The importance of community and the social order, with literature often reinforcing Puritan values and hierarchies
• The natural world as a reflection of God's power and providence, with nature often used as a metaphor for spiritual truths
• The dangers of temptation and the need for moral discipline and self-control in the face of worldly pleasures and desires
• The experience of exile and the challenges of building a new society in the wilderness of the New World
• The role of women in Puritan society and the tensions between traditional gender roles and individual expression and agency

Literary Styles and Genres

• Sermons: Religious discourses delivered by Puritan ministers, often exploring theological concepts and moral lessons (John Winthrop's "A Model of Christian Charity")
• Historical narratives: Accounts of the founding and early history of the Puritan colonies, often with a providential interpretation of events (William Bradford's "Of Plymouth Plantation")
• Poetry: Religious and meditative poetry exploring Puritan themes of faith, nature, and personal devotion (Anne Bradstreet's "The Author to Her Book," Edward Taylor's "Preparatory Meditations")
• Captivity narratives: Accounts of colonists, often women, who were captured by Native Americans and later returned to Puritan society (Mary Rowlandson's "The Sovereignty and Goodness of God")
• Jeremiads: Sermons or essays lamenting the perceived decline of Puritan society and calling for a return to religious and moral purity (Jonathan Edwards' "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God")
• Biographies and memoirs: Personal accounts of individual Puritans' lives and spiritual journeys (John Bunyan's "Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners")

Important Texts

• "Of Plymouth Plantation" by William Bradford: A detailed history of the Plymouth Colony's early years, emphasizing the role of divine providence in the Pilgrims' journey and struggles
• "The Bay Psalm Book": The first book printed in British North America, a collection of psalms translated into English meter for use in Puritan worship
• "The Sovereignty and Goodness of God" by Mary Rowlandson: A captivity narrative recounting Rowlandson's experiences as a prisoner of Native Americans during King Philip's War and her ultimate return to Puritan society
• "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" by Jonathan Edwards: A famous sermon delivered during the First Great Awakening, using vivid imagery to describe the fate of unrepentant sinners and the need for spiritual awakening
• "The Day of Doom" by Michael Wigglesworth: A long narrative poem describing the Last Judgment and the fates of the saved and the damned according to Puritan theology
• "Magnalia Christi Americana" by Cotton Mather: A comprehensive history of the Puritan colonies in New England, celebrating the lives and achievements of notable Puritan figures and the role of divine providence in the colonies' growth and development

Cultural Impact

• Puritan values and beliefs had a significant influence on the development of American culture and identity, particularly in New England
• The Puritan emphasis on education and literacy led to the establishment of schools and colleges (Harvard) and a high level of literacy in the colonies
• Puritan work ethic and ideas about self-reliance and individualism became important parts of the American character and mythos
• Puritan religious beliefs and practices (Congregationalism) influenced the development of American Protestantism and the concept of separation of church and state
• Puritan literature and historical accounts played a key role in shaping American national identity and the idea of America as a "city upon a hill" with a special destiny
• The Salem Witch Trials of 1692-1693, a dark chapter in Puritan history, have become a symbol of religious fanaticism and the dangers of mob mentality in American culture
• Puritan attitudes towards Native Americans and the natural world had a lasting impact on American policies and attitudes towards indigenous peoples and the environment

Critical Analysis

• Some scholars argue that Puritan literature and culture were marked by a tension between the ideal of a "city upon a hill" and the realities of life in the New World, with themes of disillusionment and declension appearing in later works
• Feminist critics have examined the role of women in Puritan society and literature, highlighting the ways in which female authors like Anne Bradstreet negotiated the constraints of gender roles and found ways to express themselves
• Postcolonial critics have explored the ways in which Puritan literature and historical accounts justified and reinforced the colonization and displacement of Native American peoples
• New Historicist critics have situated Puritan literature within the broader context of transatlantic cultural exchange and the development of early modern capitalism and imperialism
• Some scholars have challenged the traditional view of Puritans as uniformly strict and repressive, highlighting the diversity of beliefs and practices within Puritan communities and the ways in which individuals negotiated and resisted social norms
• Recent scholarship has also examined the role of race and slavery in Puritan society and the ways in which Puritan religious beliefs and practices both challenged and reinforced racial hierarchies and the institution of slavery in the colonies