Introduction1. The Youngest National Literature1781 (Independence War) --- 2012= about 200 years2. Great achievement: 1930-1980, nine American writers won the Nobel PrizeThe Periods of American Literature1.The colonial period (约1607 - 1765)2. The period of enlightenment and Independence War (1765-1800)3. The romantic period (1800 - 1865)4. The realistic period (1865 - 1914)5. The period of modernism (1914 - 1945)6. The Contemporary Literature (1945 -)Chapter I Colonial AmericaAmerican Puritanism❖1. The beliefs and practices characteristic of Puritans(most of whom were Calvinists who wished to purify the Church of England of its Catholic aspects)❖2. Strictness and austerity in conduct and religionPuritans’ religio us belief: Calvinism◆John Calvin, the great French theologian.The principal concepts:1) Original sin and total depravity.2) Predestination3) Salvation of selected few❖◆ The Puritans carried with them to America a code of values, a philosophy of life, and a point of view, which, in time, took root in the New world and became what is known as American Puritanism. (p11)The Influence of Puritanism on American Literature1) Idealism（optimism）2) Symbolism3) Simplicity in writingSignificance of Puritanism❖With time passing it became a dominant factor in American life, one of the most enduring shaping influences in American thought and American Literature. To some extent it is a state of mind, a part of the national cultural atmosphere that the American breathes, rather than a set of tenets.Time: From the arrival of the first settlers in the early 17th century to the end of the 18th centuryLiterary Features1. FormsPersonal literature in various forms --- diaries, histories, common books (札记)，journals, letters, travel books, sermons etc.2. Content1) practical matter-of-fact accounts of farming, hunting, travel, etc. designed to inform people “at home” what life waslike in the new world2) highly theoretical discussions of religious questions.3. StyleIn Style, English literary traditions were imitated and transplanted.Early writers in the colonial period❖John Smith, a captain, one of the founders of the colony of Jamestown, Virginia; the writer of A Description of New England.❖William Bradford, the first governor of the Plymouth Plantation, his writing: Of Plymouth Plantation (P16)❖John Winthrop, the first governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, In his famous speech A Model of Christian Charity ,he states that there was a agreement between God and his people of building a new Garden of Eden in the new world. (P17)Therefore let us choose life, 所以，让我们选择生活，that we and our seed 这样，我们和我们的后代，may live by obeying His 可以听从上帝的声音，voice and cleaving to Him, 须臾不离上帝，for He is our life and 因为，上帝是我们的生命，our prosperity. 我们的兴旺___John Winthrop (1588-1649)Major writers in the periodAnne Bradstreet (1612-1672)Thomas Paine (1737-1809)Philip Freneau (1752-1832)Charles Brockden BrownAnne Bradstreet(1617-1672)1. Life and WorksHer first volume: The Tenth Muse Lately Sprung Up in America 《美洲最近出现的第十个谬斯》She was known as the “Tenth Muse”2. Major contents of her poetry❖Description of the early settlers’ life in the new world e.g. “As Weary Pilgrim”❖Poems about the justice of God’s way with His Puritan flock; in search of man’s nature and destiny and his mission in the new world. e.g. “Upon the Burning of Our House”❖Poems to her husband and her children. e.g. “To My Dear and Loving Husband”❖《我侬词》管道升❖你侬我侬，忒煞情多；情多处，热似火；把一块泥，捻一个你，塑一个我。

将咱两个一齐打破，用水调和；再捻一个你，再塑一个我。

我泥中有你，你泥中有我：我与你生同一个衾，死同一个椁。

Characteristics of her poetry❖singularly puritan mode of perception; imitation of Spenser and the French poet Bartas.Contemplations (9)❖The poem P17-18❖Comment on the poem: (p18) When she heard the grasshopper and the cricket sing, she thought of this as their praising Creator and searched her own soul accordingly. It is evident that she saw something metaphysical inhering in the physical,a mode of perception which was singularly Puritan.Edward Taylor❖His poetic style: In his elaborate metaphors, he is like the English metaphysical poets, such as John Donne and George Herbert.❖His poetic content: He was first and last, a Puritan poet, concerned about how his images speak for God.Huswifery《家务》P19❖Metaphor: Spinning wheel in the control of the housewife is just like the Christians in the obedience of God.❖The theme of the poem: If you give your life over to god and make him your center, you will be accepted joyfully into His kingdom.Writers writing for religious freedom and American independenceRoger Williams (1603-1683)“the first rebel against the divine church order in the wilderness” (Cotto n Mather)❖“The Bloody Tenet of Persecution for the Cause of Conscience” (1644): attacking the religious conformity and upholding the spiritual freedom of the individualJohn Woolman (1720-1772)A Quaker(“inner right”—convinced that true religion consisted in inward life); attacking all forms of iniquity, pleading for the rights of all men and for the abolition of the slavery system:❖“some Considerations on the Keeping of Negroes”❖“A Plea for the Poor”❖Journal: recording his spiritual experiences of inward communication with God.Thomas Paine (1737-1809)coming to America at 37 with the letters of introduction from Benjamin Franklin; an unflinching fighter for the rights of man; participating in the French Revolution; die in poverty in NY.❖His great gift as a stylist was “plainness”: It is my design to make those who can scarcely read understand.❖Common Sense❖American Crisis❖Rights of Man❖The Age of ReasonPhilip Freneau (1752-1832)❖“Poet of the American Revolution’’the first professional American novelist❖The first American-born poet (the most significant poet of eighteenth-century America);❖notable mainly for two things: using his poetic talents serving the national independence; advocating nationalism inAmerican literature.❖Works:❖The Rising Glory of America(1772)❖The Jamaica Funeral❖The British Prison Ship(1781)❖To the Memory of the Brave Americans (1781)❖The Wild Honey Suckle (1786)❖The Indian Burying Ground (1788)❖Charles Brockden Brown (1771-1810)❖Wieland (1798), Edgar Huntly (1799), Arthur Mervyn (1799-1800), and Ormond (1799),❖Subjects about the new world❖Description of his characters’ inner worldEarly American FictionModes of early American fiction:❖Epistolary fiction: The Power of Sympathy (1789) William Hill Brown❖Sentimental fiction: Charlotte Temple (1791) Susanna Rowson❖Picaresque and adventure fiction: Modern Chivalry (1792-1815) Hugh Henry Brackenridge❖Gothic fiction: Wieland (1798) Charles Brockden Brown (1771-1810)Conclusion：❖In all, as to the development of American literature, the following two centuries since the arrival the Mayflower were stilla process of groping for literary expression of the national experiences. The literary scene still looked bleak and barren,however, the 18th century saw the emergence of two famous writers who would exercise seminal influence on the maturity of American literature, Benjamin Franklin, Jonathan Edwards.Chapter Two Period of Enlightenment1. Historical Background⑴ American Revolution(2)Enlightenment (启蒙运动)Originated in Europe in the 17th centuryResources: Newton’s theory; deism（自然神教派，）; French philosophy (Rousseau, Voltaire)DeismGod --- the Creator of the world, then leaving it to operate according to natural law.The best way to worship God --- Study man and nature instead of God, to do good things to mankind.Man is by nature good and free. Man could “perfect himself” and could decide his own destiny.Basic principles: stressing education; stressing Reason (Order) ；employing Reason to reconsider the traditions and social realities; concerns for civil rights, such as equality and social justice.Significance: accelerating social progress; freeing people from the limitations set by prevailing Puritanism; making spiritual preparation for American RevolutionRepresentatives: Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Paine, Thomas Jefferson etc.Jonathan Edwards (1703—1758)（the first modern American and the country’s last medieval man）In 1716, at the age of 13, admitted to Yale, graduated four years laterIn 1723, took his M.A. in YaleIn 1729, after 3 years assistant to his grandfather, named to be the minister of the church of NorthamptonInstrumental in bringing about the “Great Awakening” from1730s to 1740sDied of a smallpox inoculation in 1758“never to lose one moment of time, but to improve it in the most profitable way”Major WorksThe Freedom of the Will (1754)The Great doctrine of Original Sin Defended (1758)The Nature of True Virtue (1765)Personal NarrativeAnalysisInfluenced by the new ideas of Enlightenment, such as empiricismStill a pious PuritanHis sense of God’s overwhelming presence in nature and in soul anticipated the Transcendentalism.First modern American and the coun try’s last medieval manBenjamin Franklin (1706-1790)Life—Jack of all tradesBorn in a poor candle maker’s family in BostonNo regular educationBecame a apprentice of a printer when he was 12A editor of a newspaper and published lots of essays when he was 16Went to Philadelphia when he was 17A successful printer and publisherRetired when he was 42A scientist with lots of inventions and a famous experimentA famous statesman (the only America who once signed all the four documents that created the new country) (P33)An example who made American Dream come trueLiterary worksPoor Richard’s Almanac《穷查理的年历》He kept publishing it for 25 years.A popular almanac with poems, essays and a good many of sayingsHe made good use of his own wit and wisdom in the borrowed statements.➢Maxims（谚语，格言）and axioms（哲理，格言）➢Lost time is never found again.➢ A penny saved is a penny earned.➢God help them that help themselves.➢Fish and visitors stink in three days.➢Early to bed, and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.➢Eat not to dullness. Drink not to elevation.➢Diligence is the Mother of Good Luck.➢One Today is worth two tomorrow.➢Industry pays debts. Despair encreaseth them.The Autobiography— first of its kind in literatureWriting when he was 65An introduction of his life to his own sonIncluding four parts written in different time (1771. 1784, 1788, 1790)Puritanism’s influence, such as self-examination and self-improvement (timetable, thirteen virtues, life style) Enlightenment spirits (man’s nature good, rights of liberty, virtues includes “order”)A brief analysis of Autobiography1) as a Puritan document with a record of self-analysis and self-improvementeat not to dullness, drink not to elevation; avoiding trifling conversation; let all your things have their places; lose no time; wastes nothing; resolve to perform what you o ught; use no deceit; wrong none…13 virtues1. Temperance2. Silence3. Order4. Resolution5. Frugality6. Industry7. Sincerity8. Justice 9. Moderation 10. Cleanliness 11. Tranquility 12. Chastity 13. Humility2) as an elucidation of Franklin’s identity as a spokesman for the Age of EnlightenmentMan by nature is good and free; a record of the fulfillment of the American dream;the spirit of self-reliance and self-improvement .3)as an exemplary illustration of American style of writing simplicity, directness, concision, lucid narrative, etc.CrevecoeurCrevecoeur’s idea of “new man” in America.(p37-38), the fulfillment of the American DreamThe illusory nature of the DreamAmerican RomanticismIntroduction•Time: From the end of the 18th century throughout the outbreak of the Civil war•(The Sketch Book by Irving---Leaves of Grass by Whitman)Reasons for the rising of American Romanticism1. The internal cause1) The optimistic mood of the nation following the national political independence inspired the romantic feeling and criedfor literary expression.2) The fertile literary milieu. A media for people to express their opinions.2. The external causeThe influences of the European romanticism (Walter Scott, Wordsworth, Byron, etc.)Features of American Romanticism•Both imitative and independent1. American Romanticism is imitative.1) American romantic writing was modeled on English and European works (Writers of imitative school: Irving and NewEngland poets p43)2) Common features due to foreign influences: Emphasis upon the imaginative and emotional qualities of literature,individualism, interest to the past, love of nature, etc.3) The favorite themes: home, family and children, nature, and idealized love. indifferent to the major problems American life…(p43)2. American Romanticism is Independent.Distinct features of its own1) New spirit and alien qualityThe exotic landscapeWestward expansionThe Indian civilizationThe new spirit of the new men(p38 Crevecoeur’s idea of new man)2) Puritan influence (p42)American Romantic authors intended to moralize more than entertain the readersTaboos in American works--- e.g. sex and loveThe mark of Calvinistic view of original sin and the mystery of evil in some works3) Writers of independent school (p44)A calling for the creation of a native American culture and literature (Emerson, Thoreau, Whitman, etc.)Washington Irving (1783-1859)Father of American LiteratureBiographical Notes•New York merchant family (1783)•first book (1809)•England (1815)•American diplomatic attaché to Spain (1826-1829)•Secretary of the United States Legation in London (1829-1832)•Returne d to America (1932) and began to live in his “Sunnyside” to the rest of his life•died in 1859Historical significance of Irving (p45)1. Father of American literature2. The author of the first American short stories3. His The Sketch Book marked the beginning of American RomanticismTwo periods of literary careerA. The 1st period (1809-1832)Predominantly “English”, writing about subjects either English or European; found value in the past and in the traditions of the old world, depicted “ruins” and objects of antiquity.Major works of the 1st periodA History of New York (1809)The Sketch Book (1815)The History of the Life and Voyages of Christopher Columbus (1825)A Chronicle of the Conquest of Granada (1829)The Alhambra (1832)B. The 2nd period (1833-1859)Found new spirit of America, writing about the American beauty and experience, such as westward expansion Major works of the 2nd periodA Tour on the Prairies(1835);Astoria(1836);Adventures of Captain Bonneville (1837)Life of GoldsmithLife of WashingtonFeatures of Irving’s Writings (p47)•Avoid moralizing; write to amuse and entertain•Rich atmosphere•Vivid characterization•American humor•The musical language (the American Goldsmith)Rip Van Winkle•The Story (p48)•Characterization of Rip Van Winkle (p47)How to read?•Three aspects:•1. a story about a hen-pecked husband.•2. a story about time, change and identity.•3. a story about the independence war; a political reading.3. AnalysisThe theme of escapement: in the request of an ideal place to liveThe conservative attitude of Irving: change--- and revolution--- upset the natural order of things•nostalgia for the unrecoverable past“山中方一日，世上已千年”•晋朝时，有位名叫王质的樵夫，进到位于今浙江省衢州城东南的石室山伐木，遇见几位仙童对弈、吟曲。