American Visions, American Stories: The Puritan World View and Early American Literature

English 441Dr. Roggenkamp

America . . . A Nation of Stories

America built upon “stories” Not founded on geographical or linguistic

unity—immigrant, native experiences “Stories” or ideologies impart unity to diverse

people and experiences Published works, political rhetoric, press

determine which stories become “legitimate” and definitive

Role of colonial, early Republic experience in shaping stories

Dominant stories & patterns emerge from European settlement in America

Story of Diversity Story of Individualism Story of Expansionism & Colonialism (and

Exploitation) Story of Capitalism Story of Exceptionalism

Dominant stories & patterns emerge from English settlement in America

Story of Diversity: Not a single experience or single “story” Diversified socially, religiously, racially,

ethnically, etc.

Dominant stories & patterns emerge from English settlement in America

Story of Individualism: America as a place to “go it alone” Not tied to old European alliances,

traditions

Dominant stories & patterns emerge from English settlement in America

Story of Expansionism & Colonialism (and Exploitation)

Right & even God-given duty to spread across continent

“Civilize” the wilderness—and anyone who already lives there

Dominant stories & patterns emerge from English settlement in America

Story of Capitalism America as a place

where personal wealth available

Reward for leading godly life

Image: John Winthrop, Governor, Massachusetts Bay Company

Dominant stories & patterns emerge from English settlement in America

Story of Exceptionalism America as an exception to

the normal state of nations—an exceptional people

America as beacon to humanity: a “Peculiar Chosen People—the Israel of our time” (Herman Melville)

Image: Embarkation of the Pilgrims, Robert W. Weir, U. S. Capitol Building, 1837

AND NOW FOR A QUIZ! (adapted from PBS series “Colonial House”)

True or False: The first European colony in the New

World was one founded by the English in what is now Virginia (Jamestown, of Captain John Smith and Pocahontas fame).

FALSE The Spanish founded the first

permanent colony at St. Augustine (Florida) in 1565

The first colony in Virginia was Jamestown, founded by the English in 1607

The Dutch founded New Amsterdam (New York) in 1608

English “pilgrims” arrive in Plymouth (Massachusetts) in 1620, and English Puritans in Boston/Salem area 1630

Image: Map depicting destruction of St. Augustine, 1586

True or False?

The Pilgrims and Puritans usually wore black and white clothing

False

Black cloth was expensive and hard to obtain, so only wealthier Pilgrims and Puritans owned it, and they saved it for Sundays and special occasions

They usually wore beige, gray, green, red, blue, and purple

The buckles on shoes and hats are an invention of nineteenth-century illustrators

Image: From PBS series “Colonial House”

True or False?

English colonists came to the new world seeking religious freedom.

Only very partially true. Some, like Pilgrims of Mayflower

fame, came seeking religious freedom as primary objective

But even the Puritans of Salem and Boston had many motivations, not just religious—largely POLITICAL

Most colonists came believing there was money to be made—and investors came to oversee their valuable property

Some came just for adventure

Image: Wealthy English adventurer

True or False?

An "Indian princess" named Pocahontas rescued early colonist Captain John Smith from certain death and later fell in love with him.

False, but a Fetching Story (Sorry, Walt Disney)

Pocahontas, daughter of Algonquian Indian chief, was 11-12 when the Virginia Company, led by Captain John Smith, arrived to found Jamestown colony

Smith wrote that he was kidnapped by Indians, who took him to their village to club him to death

Pocahontas ran in and saved his life Kidnapping and mock death threat likely

part of tribal adoption ritual Smith embroidered story about her saving

him—reported that Indian women saved his life on other occasions as well

Colors of the wind, etc. etc.

Little evidence to suggest romantic relationship between Smith and Pocahontas

Pocahontas later married colonist John Rolfe and traveled to England to meet King James I

Died at the age of 22 and was buried in a churchyard in Gravesend, England

Image: Depictions of Pocahontas

True or False?

Early colonists celebrated the first Thanksgiving in November 1621, and it has been an annual holiday in North America ever since

False. (Sorry, schoolchildren of America.)

Sometime during fall 1621, the 50% of Pilgrims who survived the first winter in Plymouth Colony held harvest celebration with feasting and games.

Menu: lobster and eel But not called "Thanksgiving"

Image: 1914 depiction of the "First Thanksgiving"

Welcome to Turkey-ville

No one associated the Pilgrims with "Thanksgiving” until William Bradford’s account of the 1621 harvest festival was discovered and published in 1841.

In 1863 Abraham Lincoln proclaimed annual Day of Thanksgiving on the last Thursday of November.

By end of nineteenth century when "Wild West" was settled, white Americans felt comfortable enough with idea of Pilgrim forefathers dining with “friendly Indians,” and the Pilgrims became identified with the holiday.

True or False?

Early English colonists developed strict laws and harsh punishments for those who broke them.

Wickedly True Elaborate system of laws, fines,

punishments, public humiliations to keep order

Plymouth Colony: could be put to death for murder, witchcraft, arson, rape, adultery, sodomy

Public whipping or being placed in public stocks

Fines for cursing, missing church, lying, defying parents

Offenders could be forced wear badges or cloth letters identifying crimes (The Scarlet Letter, anyone?)

True or False?

The Puritans and Pilgrims viewed alcohol and tobacco as instruments of the devil and banned them from the colonies. And they NEVER engaged in (ahem) “adult relations” before marriage!

False, now pour me another one

EVERYONE (even children) drank alcoholic beverages—unpurified water could cause illness and death

But frowned upon excessive consumption and public drunkenness (might lead to having to wear red “D” [for drunkard] around his neck for a year)

Smoking also wide-spread, though dangerous (fire)

Up to 40% of Puritan babies were conceived before the ring was on the finger

http://www.history.org/foundation/journal/holiday07/court.cfm

True or False?

Early English colonists such as the Pilgrims and Puritans introduced Christian holidays such as Christmas and Easter to North America.

They would be HORRIFIED to know that many people today think this is true!

Only three holidays “approved”: Sabbath, days of thanksgiving, and fast days

Christmas and Easter viewed as pagan in origin (technically true—both holidays drew upon and incorporated pagan rituals and symbols), and as holidays constructed by the Church of England and the Roman Catholic Church

In addition, marriage viewed as a civil union, not a religious sacrament

True or False?

Enslaved Africans arrived in Colonial America before the Mayflower did.

True In 1619 a Dutch ship carrying 20

Africans to be sold arrived in Jamestown (Virginia)

Additionally, the majority of America's first colonists were white indentured servants (voluntarily came to the colonies, signing a contract pledging four to eight years of servitude in exchange for passage to New World)

Image: Eighteenth-century etching of slave ship Brookes, detailing packing of human "cargo"

Why use Puritanism & New England culture as a base for semester?

Ideal of universal literacy Printing culture Influence of ideology on

early American literature & beyond

Influence of ideology on “national character” today

Establishes several stories of what “America” means—but not THE story!

Image: Still shot from PBS series “Colonial House,” 2004

Before the Puritans . . . Native American cultures: pre-contact, approx

300 million people, 300+ separate indigenous cultures, 800 languages spoken

Mostly oral literature—but where “American Literature” really does begin

Colonizing by Spanish, French, Dutch, and English, in both South (Virginia) and North (New England)

First permanent European settlement on North American continent: Spanish at St. Augustine (Florida, 1565)

English: Jamestown (Virginia) 1607 Literature produced by colonists and printed in

colonies begins 1639, with press set up by Puritans of Massachusetts Bay (Boston)

What does “Puritan” mean?

Originally meant as an insult: label for those who opposed compromises Queen Elizabeth I made with Catholic church

Both a religious, theological label and a political, cultural label

Way of grouping together very diverse set of belief systems – religious, political, social

Not a single, stable, static group of people

Most common context: Congregationalists, Calvinists

Image: The Puritan, Augustus Saint-Gaudens, Springfield, Mass. 1883.

Puritanism – Roots

Label “Puritan” emerges 16th century

European Protestant reformation of Christianity – reform Roman Catholic Church (THE Christian Church)

1530s England – Henry VIII parts with Catholic Church to form Church of England (Anglican)

His government still a POLITICAL THEOCRACY—belief in government by divine guidance

One official state religion, intolerant of others (crime of heresy)

Puritanism – Roots, 2 Believe Henry and successors

haven’t gone far enough in wiping out Catholic influence in England / Church of England

Purify Church of England – get back to basics of what they think Christianity is about, including:

Follow only the Christian Bible Destroy influence of educated

priesthood—individual path to God without intercession of priest (literacy)

Ban Catholic sacraments / rituals Ban altars, images, priesthood,

convents, etc. Ban “pagan” holidays like

Christmas, EasterImage: St. Mary’s Anglican Church, Northumberland

Puritans: Separatists and Non-Separatists

Most Puritans simply want to PURIFY Church of England, not break with it / separate from it (Non-Separatist Puritans)

Simply want to “fix” Church—too close to Catholic roots

Some, though, think Church (and by connection government of England) is beyond fixing (Separatist Puritans, or “Pilgrims”)

Purify Christianity by separating from established church

Radical political offense! Image: Thomas Smith, Self Portrait, circa 1680

Basic World View (Theology)

Most Puritans who come to New England in 17th century are CALVINISTS (Congregationalists)

Catholics—Maryland, Virginia, Rhode Island, initially

Anglicans—Virginia, initially Quakers—Pennsylvania (late 17th

c.) John Calvin, Swiss Protestant

reformer, 1509-1564 Theology: about an interlocking

system of COVENANTS (laws, legally binding agreements between God and humanity)

Image: John Calvin

Covenant of Works

God promised Adam/Eve and all their descendants eternal life if they obeyed his law; Adam/Eve accepted this promise (covenant)

Humanity thus responsible for earning salvation via works (things they DO / way they ACT)

Adam/Eve broke covenant God totally justified in

condemning all humanity to eternal damnation from that point on

Covenant of Grace

God totally just, but also totally merciful

New covenant with Abraham in Bible’s Old Testament scriptures: I will be your God and you will be my people.

Christian Bible’s New Testament: Christ’s death fulfills God’s end of covenant – crucifixion atones for damnation of humanity

Image: Rembrandt, The Angel Stopping Abraham from Sacrificing Isaac to God, 1835

Covenant of Grace, 2

Calvin: God offers salvation not to all humanity per se, but to select group: “the elect”

No one knows who is elect and who is not

Must have more than “intellectual” faith that you MAY be elect – must have spiritual, emotional, moving faith, total devotion to God, church, state

Constantly watch for signs that you’ve been offered the covenant of grace

Doctrine of “preparationism” Image: Last Judgement, Sanctuary Notre-Dame des Fontaines,

La Brigue, France

Social Covenant

Idea of covenant organizes Puritan civic life:

King/Queen of England not in charge of church governance

Individual church congregations enter into own covenants with each other and govern themselves

Church and government of colonies also enter into covenants—theocracy

Extremely threatening to English monarchy

Conformity in all aspects of life: “Here’s our contract with God and each other.”

Quashes dissent: break covenant & you’re out of church, land, community

Image: General Laws and Liberties of the Massachusetts Colony, 1672

The Appeal; or, What’s In It For Me?

Covenant system very delicately balanced—inherent drama

Those not Puritan definitely not elected

Be part of exceptional group Belief world about to end—

Puritans to “make way” for return of Christ

Emotional charge – extremely charismatic religion

Social pressures – economic pressures

Not just about religion – also all about politics and social order

Sense of order and community in totally disordered / fractured world

Image: Richard Mather

Massachusetts Coast (modern)

Of Pilgrims and Puritans: What’s the difference? In some sense, all Pilgrims

are Puritans, but not all Puritans are Pilgrims

Most Puritans are happy to keep the Church of England–simply want to PURIFY it by working from within (Winthrop, Bradstreet, Boston/Massachusetts Bay Co., est. 1630)

Pilgrims are radical Puritans—Church of England has to go—beyond salvation (Bradford, Plymouth Plantation, est. 1620)Image: Facsimile of Bradford’s manuscript for Of Plymouth Plantation

Of Pilgrims and Puritans, 2

“Separatists” – Separate from Church of England and therefore from England itself

Social outcasts – radical, subversive, persecuted

Of Mayflower and First Thanksgiving fame (a myth)

Image: First Thanksgiving, Jean Louise

Gerome Ferris, early 20th C.

William Bradford, 1590-1657

Separatist Puritans (Pilgrims) to Plymouth, 1620

Group most persecuted in England

Most radical, extreme views

Images: William Bradford; contemporary reconstruction of Plymouth Plantation homes

John Winthrop, 1588-1649

Member of English landed gentry; attorney

1629 joins other investors to organize trading company—Massachusetts Bay Company

Unlike most other colonial enterprises, this one not just about making profit

Leads “Great Migration” to New England (1630-1650)

Image: John Winthrop

Winthrop and 17th-Century Puritanism: The Ideal and the Real

What are Winthrop’s and Bradford’s ideals all about?

What reality does Winthrop’s private journal and Bradford’s history show in contrast to “the ideal?”

Image: Royal Charter, Massachusetts Bay Company, 1629

Figures and typology

Puritan literature explicates prophecies of Biblical Old Testament as foreshadowing of events and people—first in the New Testament, then in contemporary life (by 1640s)

Biblical forecasts of current events

E.g.: Atlantic journey of Puritans is “antitype” of Exodus of Israelites, the “chosen people” (the “type”). Image: The First Thanksgiving, Jenny Brownscombe, Pilgrim Hall Museum, 1920.

Figures and typology: Story of American Exceptionalism

Individuals are “chosen”—the elect But COMMUNITY as whole is “people

chosen of God” as well New Israelites (Puritans) sent on

errand into the wilderness to establish the new Jerusalem in anticipation of Christ’s return