Early Colonial Early Colonial LiteratureLiteratureThe Puritan PeriodThe Puritan Period

How did religion shape the How did religion shape the literature of the Puritan literature of the Puritan period?period?

We will look into themes, formats, and We will look into themes, formats, and purposes of the Puritan writers to answer purposes of the Puritan writers to answer this question.this question.

So when was the Puritan So when was the Puritan Part of the Colonial Period?Part of the Colonial Period?

Early 1600s to about 1750 or so.Early 1600s to about 1750 or so. The reason we call this part of the The reason we call this part of the

Colonial Period (which represents all of Colonial Period (which represents all of the time that the British ruled the colonies the time that the British ruled the colonies in North America) the PURITAN period is in North America) the PURITAN period is because of the overarching influence of because of the overarching influence of the Puritans and their specific religious the Puritans and their specific religious practices.practices.

Puritan terms and Puritan terms and influences…influences…

PredestinationPredestination: the idea that God knows : the idea that God knows where each person will end up in eternity. where each person will end up in eternity. The Puritans believed that those who were The Puritans believed that those who were

blessed with wealth and prosperous family blessed with wealth and prosperous family lives were a part of those “elected” to go to lives were a part of those “elected” to go to heaven.heaven.

This concept can be seen in “Sinners in the This concept can be seen in “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” by Jonathan Hands of an Angry God” by Jonathan Edwards.Edwards.

Puritan terms and Puritan terms and influences…influences…

Protestant work ethic: Protestant work ethic: The Puritans The Puritans believed that hard work was a way of believed that hard work was a way of winning God’s favor, and wealth winning God’s favor, and wealth accumulated through hard, honest work accumulated through hard, honest work was seen as a sign of Godliness and was was seen as a sign of Godliness and was encouraged of all Puritans.encouraged of all Puritans. This Protestant work ethic is a major This Protestant work ethic is a major

foundation of the American way of life.foundation of the American way of life.

The Protestant Work The Protestant Work EthicEthic

How is the Protestant work ethic still How is the Protestant work ethic still evident in American’s lives today? What evident in American’s lives today? What are some examples?are some examples?

Puritan terms and Puritan terms and influences…influences…

Genres that the Puritans favored:Genres that the Puritans favored: Sermons, religious poetry, historical Sermons, religious poetry, historical

narratives, and journalsnarratives, and journals THEY DID NOT FEEL THAT LITERATURE THEY DID NOT FEEL THAT LITERATURE

WAS FOR ENTERTAINMENT. Novels and WAS FOR ENTERTAINMENT. Novels and plays were frowned upon, due to a plays were frowned upon, due to a perceived lack of practical religious value.perceived lack of practical religious value.

The New England PrimerThe New England Primer

This text is indicative of how large a role This text is indicative of how large a role religion played in these people’s lives.religion played in these people’s lives.

The religious subtexts began for young The religious subtexts began for young Puritans as early as the time that a child Puritans as early as the time that a child began to learn the ABC s.began to learn the ABC s.

The New England PrimerThe New England Primer

Puritan Writers to Puritan Writers to remember…remember…

William Bradford William Bradford Of Plymouth Plantation Of Plymouth Plantation (JOURNAL)(JOURNAL)

From From The Captivity of Mary RowlandsonThe Captivity of Mary Rowlandson (HISTORICAL NARRATIVE)(HISTORICAL NARRATIVE)

Anne Bradstreet “Upon the Burning of Our Anne Bradstreet “Upon the Burning of Our House,” and “To My Dear and Loving House,” and “To My Dear and Loving Husband.” (POETRY)Husband.” (POETRY)

Jonathan Edwards “Sinners in the Hands of Jonathan Edwards “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” (SERMON)an Angry God” (SERMON)

Puritan terms and Puritan terms and influences…influences…

Plain stylePlain style: William Bradford (: William Bradford (Of Of Plymouth Plantation)Plymouth Plantation) is well known for his is well known for his plain style.plain style. This simply means that his prose is not This simply means that his prose is not

ornamental, and is not intended to be ornamental, and is not intended to be showy.showy.

This falls in line with the Puritan belief that This falls in line with the Puritan belief that one should not call attention to oneself.one should not call attention to oneself.

This is opposite of Shakespeare, whose This is opposite of Shakespeare, whose writing in England was very showy and writing in England was very showy and meant to showcase his skill as a writer.meant to showcase his skill as a writer.

From From A Narrative of the A Narrative of the Captivity of Mrs. Mary Captivity of Mrs. Mary RowlandsonRowlandson By 1665 there were approximately 25,000 By 1665 there were approximately 25,000

Puritans in Massachusetts Bay Colony.Puritans in Massachusetts Bay Colony. The Wampanoag Indians were starving and The Wampanoag Indians were starving and

displaced from their land.displaced from their land. Chief Metacomet (called King Philip by the Chief Metacomet (called King Philip by the

Puritans) led a revolt in 1675 and kidnapped Puritans) led a revolt in 1675 and kidnapped Puritans in order to get ransom money for Puritans in order to get ransom money for much-needed supplies and food.much-needed supplies and food.

Rowlandson Narrative Rowlandson Narrative (continued)(continued)

ToneTone: a writer’s or speaker’s attitude : a writer’s or speaker’s attitude toward the subject matter. A writer’s tone toward the subject matter. A writer’s tone might convey a variety of attitudes such might convey a variety of attitudes such as sympathy, humor, or anger.as sympathy, humor, or anger.

After reading her story, how would you After reading her story, how would you describe Rowlandson’s tone in this describe Rowlandson’s tone in this personal narrative?personal narrative?

Anne Bradstreet (1612-Anne Bradstreet (1612-1672)1672)

The first American poetThe first American poet Wrote her poems while raising 8 children Wrote her poems while raising 8 children

“on the edge of the wilderness.”“on the edge of the wilderness.” Her poems combined domestic details of Her poems combined domestic details of

her daily life and spiritual details of her her daily life and spiritual details of her religious life. religious life.

Writing was considered an unsuitable Writing was considered an unsuitable occupation for women at the time, and occupation for women at the time, and she assured her readers she did not shirk she assured her readers she did not shirk her responsibilities to write poetry .her responsibilities to write poetry .

““Upon the Burning of Our Upon the Burning of Our House”House”

inversioninversion: changing the usual order of : changing the usual order of words in order to maintain the rhyme words in order to maintain the rhyme scheme and rhythm of the poem.scheme and rhythm of the poem.

Example: “For sorrow near I did not look” Example: “For sorrow near I did not look” instead of “I did not look nearby for instead of “I did not look nearby for sorrow”sorrow”

metaphormetaphor: a figure of speech that : a figure of speech that compares two things by saying that one compares two things by saying that one thing is another. An thing is another. An extended metaphor extended metaphor develops a metaphor by adding more develops a metaphor by adding more details.details.

““Upon the Burning of Our Upon the Burning of Our House” (continued)House” (continued)

narrative poemnarrative poem: a poem that tells a : a poem that tells a story. A narrative poem has characters, story. A narrative poem has characters, conflict, and plot; all of the necessary conflict, and plot; all of the necessary components of a story.components of a story.

““To My Dear and Loving To My Dear and Loving Husband” Husband”

couplet:couplet: two consecutive rhymed lines of two consecutive rhymed lines of poetrypoetry

Example: “I prize thy love more than Example: “I prize thy love more than mines of mines of gold gold / Or all the riches that the / Or all the riches that the East doth East doth holdhold.”.”

lyric poemlyric poem: a poem that expresses the : a poem that expresses the thoughts and feelings of the speaker. A thoughts and feelings of the speaker. A lyric poem does not tell a story.lyric poem does not tell a story.

Jonathan Edwards (1703 – Jonathan Edwards (1703 – 1758)1758)

““I think it is a reasonable thing to fright I think it is a reasonable thing to fright persons away from hell . . . Is it not a persons away from hell . . . Is it not a reasonable thing to fright a person out of reasonable thing to fright a person out of a house on fire?”a house on fire?”

Known for his “preaching of terror.”Known for his “preaching of terror.” Calvinist: preached that God was all-Calvinist: preached that God was all-

powerful and humans had no free will.powerful and humans had no free will. Believed in predestination.Believed in predestination.

Emotional Appeals in Emotional Appeals in Sinners in the Hands of an Sinners in the Hands of an Angry GodAngry God

appeal to fearappeal to fear: designed to persuade by : designed to persuade by invoking fear through threatening invoking fear through threatening people’s safety or happiness if they make people’s safety or happiness if they make the wrong choice.the wrong choice.

Edwards uses Edwards uses vivid imagery and vivid imagery and similes and metaphors similes and metaphors and to scare his and to scare his audience into being saved.audience into being saved.

Emotional Appeals in Emotional Appeals in Sinners . . .Sinners . . . (continued) (continued)

Limited time offerLimited time offer: buy this product (or : buy this product (or make the decision to believe in Godmake the decision to believe in God) now ) now because it is only offered for a short time because it is only offered for a short time (or (or you might die you might die todaytoday and go to Hell! and go to Hell!))..

BandwagonBandwagon: “All of your friends are : “All of your friends are doing it, so you should, too!”doing it, so you should, too!”

Your Persuasive AppealYour Persuasive Appeal You want to persuade someone (a You want to persuade someone (a

parent, friend, teacher, coach, etc.) to parent, friend, teacher, coach, etc.) to make a certain decision.make a certain decision.

In a 1 page, hand-written speech, use In a 1 page, hand-written speech, use vivid imagery vivid imagery and and the three emotional the three emotional appealsappeals we have discussed today to we have discussed today to persuade your audience. persuade your audience.

You may want to use You may want to use similessimiles or or metaphorsmetaphors that appeal to your that appeal to your audience’s deepest fears, as well.audience’s deepest fears, as well.

Persuasive Speech Persuasive Speech Possible TopicsPossible Topics

Don’t text while drivingDon’t text while driving Don’t smoke or dipDon’t smoke or dip Work hard in school and graduateWork hard in school and graduate Give me more playing timeGive me more playing time Buy me a new carBuy me a new car Go on a date with meGo on a date with me

****Remember: All appeals must be based Remember: All appeals must be based on emotion only. on emotion only.

How did religion shape the How did religion shape the literature of the Puritan literature of the Puritan period?period?

Using your notes and your knowledge of Using your notes and your knowledge of what we’ve read and discussed in this what we’ve read and discussed in this unit, ANSWER THE ABOVE QUESTIONunit, ANSWER THE ABOVE QUESTION Answer in complete sentences, and use Answer in complete sentences, and use

specific examples from your notes.specific examples from your notes.

How did religion shape the How did religion shape the literature of the Puritan literature of the Puritan period?period? Religious values were put above all else Religious values were put above all else

in every area of these people’s lives.in every area of these people’s lives. This led to a focus on practical literature This led to a focus on practical literature

(sermons, historical narrative, journals, and (sermons, historical narrative, journals, and poetry with a spiritual message).poetry with a spiritual message).

This also led to a certain style of writing that This also led to a certain style of writing that mirrored the Puritans style of living. (plain mirrored the Puritans style of living. (plain style)style)

Themes were religious in nature and Themes were religious in nature and reflected Puritan values.reflected Puritan values.