The Colonial Period in American LiteratureEnglish 11Mrs. Bozinko

The Time Period

Mid 1600’s – 1750Colonization and survivalReligious thought Moral judgment

Northern Settlers: The Pilgrims

Led by William BradfordFall of 1620 landed in

Plymouth, MASpring of 1621 only 50

survivorsReligious reformersWithdrew from church of

EnglandNickname: Separatists

(protestant)

The Puritans: A Social and Cultural Force

Led by John WinthropEstablished Massachusetts Bay

Colony 1628Religious ReformersStayed within Church of

England to PURify from withinTHEOCRACYRadicalConservativeNickname: Calvinists

The PuritansMost important in American

LiteratureWell educatedPrimarily middle classGrounded in religious beliefsBelieved in Pre-Destination and

electionWanted ideal societyIs there somewhere better than

here?

Pre-Destination

THE SAVED• The prominent

• The clergy• The wealthy• The healthy

THE DAMNED• The poor• The sick• The lower class

Puritan Beliefs

Believed in omnipotent God Believed in unmerciful God

Believed in the Bible Believed in Original Sin

Believed in Pre-Destination Believed in Education for men AND women

Believed in daily workings of God Believed in Puritan work ethic

Puritan Beliefs God

Community

Self

Great Awakening

1730’s Led by Jonathan

Edwards and clergyBring Puritans backSeries of tent meetingsGreater importance on

individual and spiritual experience

Covenant Theology

Second religious movementSoften idea of pre-destinationGives controlMust do TWO things:

Believe in deityDo good deeds on earth

The Literature of the Puritans

NO novelsNO short storiesNO dramaLittle poetryMostly ALL nonfiction!Anne Bradstreet, Edward Taylor,

Jonathan Edwards

The Function of Puritan Writers

1. To instruct people about secular things on a religious level

2. To make God more relevant to the universe.

3. To glorify God.

Subject and Style

RELIGION AND GODDaily lifeSimple style of writing

What did they write?

JournalsDiariesHistoryBiography

AutobiographyReligious studiesHymnsSermonsSome metaphysical poetry

Metaphysical PoetryEngland had romantic poetryDifficult and thought provokingShows man’s place in universePuritan’s plagiarized English

Metaphysical poetryPuritan Poetry = English

Metaphysical Poetry

Characteristics of Metaphysical Poetry

1. Follows a logical pattern; poem as argumentPOET VS. GODPOET VS. LOVERPOET VS. HIMSELF

2. Can be intellectual, analytical, psychological3. Theme: physical death, religion, physical love4. Diction: Simple word choice5. Deals with IMAGERY: common place, ordinary6. Conceit = extended metaphor

The Puritan Legacy

The Real Puritan Legacy

First free public schoolFounded Harvard and YaleSet up first printing press in coloniesThe need for moral justification for private,

public, and governmental acts. The Questing for FreedomThe Puritan work ethic. fascination with death. The city upon the hill