People
Indians were native inhabitants (aborigines). Now Americans are mainly immigrants mostly from Europe, esp. from England.
People of America
They were the Puritans who wanted to reform the Church of England but later were persecuted by English government and church. They were called Puritans because they aimed to purify the church of Protestantism. When they came to America, they brought Puritanism to this new continent on which only primitive Indians originally settled. But at the very beginning, they met great difficulties and setbacks and they were helped by Indians. The experiences were recorded by them in travel accounts, sermons and poems, which were the earliest forms of American literature. (based on the reference book: Highlights of American Literature)
Influence of Puritanism on American Literature
(4) Simplicity characterizes the Puritan style of writing. With regard to their writing, the style is fresh, simple and direct; the rhetoric is plain and honest, not without a touch of nobility often traceable to the direct influence of the Bible.
The Significance of Puritanism
American Puritanism was one of the most enduring shaping influences in American thought and American literature. Without some understanding of Puritanism, there can be no real understanding of America and its literature.
Influence of Puritanism on American Literature
(5) Fired with a sense of mission, the Puritans looked the worst of life in the face of tremendous optimism. The optimistic Puritan has exerted a great influence on American literature. Early American literature were mainly optimistic because they believed that God sent them to the new continent to fulfill the sacred task so they would overcome all the difficulties they met at last. Gradually Americans found that their dreams would not be successful, so lots of pessimistic literary works were produced.
Puritanism
3. Aims (Why did Puritans come to America?): - to reform the Church of England - to have an entirely new church - to escape religious persecution * God’s chosen people * To seek a new Garden of Eden * To build “City of God on earth”
Puritanism
2. Puritan values (creeds): Hard work, thrift, piety, sobriety, simple tastes. Puritans are more practical, tougher, and to be ever ready for any misfortune and tragic failure. They are optimistic.
Three major poets in colonial period
Anne Bradstreet: the first noted poetess in colonial period Michael Wigglesworth: the most popular poet in American Colonial Period : Edward Taylor: the most gifted (finest) of the Puritan p1672)
General Features of the Colonial Literature
Humble origins: diaries, histories, journals, letters, autobiographies/biographies, travel books, sermons etc. In content: serving either God or colonial expansion or both In form: imitating and transplanting English literary tradition faithfully
Influence of Puritanism on American Literature
(3) Symbolism: Lots of American writers liked to employ symbolism in their works. To the pious Puritan the physical, phenomenal world is nothing but a symbol of God. (typical way of Puritans who thought that all the simple objects existing in the world connoted deep meaning.) Symbolism means using symbols in literary works. The symbol means something represents or stands for abstract deep meaning.
Puritanism
They follow the ideas of the French reformer and theologian (神学家)John Calvin 1. Doctrines: (1) Predestination: God decided everything before things occurred.宿命论，得救预定论（上帝已预 先选定某些得救者，余者者受诅咒） (2) Original sin and Total depravity : Human beings were born to be evil, and this original sin can be passed down from generation to generation. (3) Limited atonement赎罪: Only the “elect” can be saved.
American Literature
Colonial Period(1607-1750)
Major Points
Puritanism Anne Bradstreet Edward Taylor
Teaching Material
Supplemented by the lecturer (note-taking by the students)
Influence of Puritanism on American Literature
(1) A group of good qualities – hard work, thrift, piety, sobriety (serious and thoughtful) influenced American literature. (2) It led to the everlasting myth. All literature is based on a myth – garden of Eden.
People of America
The first settlers who became the founding fathers of the American nation were quite a few of them Puritans. They were a group of serious, religious people, advocating highly religious and moral principles. They carried with them to America a code of values, a philosophy of life, a point of view which, in time, took root in the New World and became what is popularly known as American Puritanism.