3.3 Puritan Themes and Literary Devices

Puritan literature delves into sin, redemption, and divine providence. These themes shaped early American writing, emphasizing humanity's fallen nature and the need for salvation through faith. Puritans believed in God's absolute control over all events.

Their influence extended to later literary movements. Transcendentalism focused on personal spirituality, while Dark Romanticism explored the human psyche's darker aspects. Realism and Naturalism depicted life's harsh realities, echoing Puritan concerns with human struggles and moral consequences.

Puritan Literature: Themes

Themes in Puritan literature

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• Sin
  • Inherent sinfulness of humanity due to the fall of Adam and Eve (original sin)
  • Individual responsibility to confess and repent for personal transgressions
  • Earthly suffering and eternal damnation as consequences of unrepented sin
• Redemption
  • Attainment of salvation solely through faith in Jesus Christ as savior
  • Divine grace freely bestowed by God, unearned by human merit
  • Necessity of genuine conversion experience and lifelong spiritual development
• Divine Providence
  • Absolute power and control of God over all creation and events
  • Manifestation of God's will in all circumstances, including trials and hardships
  • Predetermined plan of God for each person's life path and ultimate destiny

Puritan influence on American literature

• Transcendentalism
  • Focus on cultivating personal spirituality and self-reliance (Ralph Waldo Emerson)
  • Celebration of the purity and divinity within nature and human soul
  • Departure from rigid religious doctrines in favor of intuitive spiritual experiences
• Dark Romanticism
  • Probing the sinister depths of human psyche and supernatural forces (Edgar Allan Poe)
  • Preoccupation with guilt, moral transgressions, and their dire repercussions
  • Utilization of symbols and allegorical elements to impart profound truths
• Realism and Naturalism
  • Unflinching depiction of life's grim realities and common people's hardships (Stephen Crane)
  • Analysis of societal, financial, and natural forces shaping individual lives
  • Incorporation of precise, impartial details to establish credibility and authenticity

Puritan Literature: Literary Devices

Typology and biblical allusions

• Typology
  • Interpreting Old Testament figures and events as foreshadowing Christ and the Gospel
  • Casting contemporary persons and occurrences as reflections of biblical archetypes
  • Highlighting the unfolding of God's redemptive plan across the ages
• Biblical Allusions
  • Incorporating references to scriptural passages, personalities, or narratives
  • Employing the diction and imagery of the Bible to articulate spiritual realities
  • Presuming readers' familiarity with and reverence for the sacred text

Metaphors in Puritan writing

• Metaphor
  • Drawing implicit comparisons between dissimilar entities (the soul and a garden)
  • Concretizing intangible spiritual notions through metaphorical language
  • Evoking God's attributes with vivid metaphors (a consuming fire)
• Simile
  • Comparing distinct objects or concepts using "like" or "as" (the world and a stage)
  • Crafting descriptive similes to accentuate resemblances and paint mental pictures
  • Conveying intensity of emotion through simile (love and a red, red rose)
• Allegory
  • Fashioning elaborate metaphorical narratives with symbolic characters and events (The Pilgrim's Progress)
  • Embedding spiritual messages and moral instruction within allegorical tales
  • Personifying abstract virtues and vices as archetypal figures (The Four Elements)