美国⽂学chapter1Colonialperiod
Introduction
How to define American Literature
1. American literature is the literature produced in American English by American citizens.
2. “The first American literature was neither American nor really literature. It was not American becau it was the work mainly of immigrants from England. It was not literature as we know it---- in the form of poetry, essay, or fiction---- but rather an interesting mixture of travel accounts and religious wr itings.”
Basic qualities of American Writers:
Independent individualistic
Critical innovative humorous
Chapter One
Colonial Period (1607-1775)
I.Historical Introduction
1. people:
Indians were native inhabitants.
Now Americans are mainly immigrants mostly from
Europe, esp. from England.
2. early history:
1) America was first discovered by Columbus at the end of
the 15th century.
2) In 1607, Captain John Smith led some Englishmen
across the ocean. (Jamestown, Virginia)
苹果电池健康3) In 1620, 102 pasngers sailed on the ship Mayflower
across the a and ttled on the new continent “New
England.” (Plymouth, Massachutts)
3. Why did Puritans come to America?
-to reform the Church of England
- to have an entirely new church
- to escape religious percution慢性腰腿痛
* God’s chon people
* To ek a new Garden of Eden
* To build “City of God on earth”
4.What is the Puritan?
Puritan is English protestant, one division of Protestant (one division of Christianity, appeared in the 16th c, against the ruling Roman Catholic. In England, there were many divisions in protestant,
for instance, Quakers, Baptism). They regarded the reformation of
the Church under Elizabeth as incomplete, and called for its further “purification” from what they considered to be unscriptural and
corrupt forms and ceremonies retained from the unreformed church.
The 17th century American Puritans included two parts: one part of them were the creators of the Plymouth colony, called “Separatists”. They were so suppresd by the church of England
that they sought escape. Tho Separatists first went into exile to
Holland, then were aboard “Mayflower” in 1620 and ttled down in Plymouth. America, therefore, as an infant was born. They
considered that the Church of England had become hopeless and
炒股口诀大全advocated to parate from it since general reform would be uless.
The other part was the Englishmen in the Massachutts Bay
Colony. Though they came later than tho of Plymouth colony, they were richer and better-educated.
5.What is the Puritanism?
Puritanism is a religious and political movement that developed in England about the middle of the 16th century and later spread influence into the New England in America. Puritanism was a logical aftermath of the Renaissance, the Reformation, the establishment of the Church of England, and the growth of Presbyterianism. Through the movements, one es emerging the right of the individual to political and religious independence.
American Puritanism
Puritanism is the practices and beliefs of the Puritans. The
Puritans were originally members of a division of the Protestant Church, who came into existence in the reigns of Queen Elizabeth and King James I. The first ttlers who became the founding fathers of the American nation were quite a few of them Puritans.
Across the pages of American literature Puritanism is written large. It may almost be considered the
ethical mode of American thought. As an extreme form of the Protestant nsibility, Puritanism exaggerated tho protestant traits---especially industry, frugality, hardships. They favored a disciplined, hard, somber, ascetic, harsh life. All the, according to Max Weber and other analysts of social history contributed to the ri of capitalism.
As a culture heritage, Puritanism did have a profound influence on the early American mind. American Puritanism also had an enduring influence on American literature. It had become, to some extent, so much a state of mind, so much a part of the national cultural
atmosphere, rather than a t of tenets.
6. Puritanism in America
1) Doctrines:
- Predestination
- Original sin and total depravity (human beings are basically evil.)
- Limited atonement (or the Salvation of a lected few)草莓折纸
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.
7. Influence
American Puritanism was one of the most enduring shaping influences in American thought and American literature. American literature is bad on a myth, i.e. the Biblical myth of the Garden of Eden.
- Puritanism can be compared with Chine Confucianism. II. Early American Writers and Poets
1. South, Jamestown, Virginia:
Captain John Smith---first American writer; 8 works
Contributions: his description of America were filled with themes, myths, images, scenes, characters
and events that were a foundation for the nation’s literature. He lured the Pilgrims into fleeing here and creating a New land.
2. North, New England, Puritan Writers
William Bradford: first governor of Plymouth,
The History of Plymouth Plantation, simplicity, earnestness, direct reporting, readable, moving.
关于中秋节的诗句佳句John Winthrop: first governor of Boston, The History of New England,
candid simplicity, honesty
3. Two Poets: Anne Bradstreet, Edward Taylor
Features of Colonial Poets
1. They were rvants of God.
2. They faithfully imitated and transplanted English literary traditions III. The Writing Style of Colonial America Literature The writing style of this period is fresh, simple and direct; the rhetoric […ret?rik] is
什么补锌plain and honest, with a touch of nobility often traceable to the direct influence of the Bible. All this has left an
obvious imprint on American writing.
Revolutionary Period (1775-1783)
“The Age of Reason”
“American Enlightenment
I. Historical Background
1. Relation between England and Colonies
2. The Boston Tea Party
3. The First Continental Congress
4. The Second Continental Congress
Independence War(1776-1783):
the industrial growth led to inten strain with Britain. The British government tried to suppress their growth economically, and ruled them from abroad politically and levied heavy tax on them. The aroud bitter rentment in colonies. Constant conflicts resulted in American revolutionary war.
5. In the 18th century, people believed in man’s own nature and the power of human reason. With Franklin as its spokesman, the 18th century America experienced an age of reason.
Words had never been so uful and so important in human history. People wrote a lot of political writings. Numerous pamphlets and printings were published. The works agitated revolutionary people not only in America but also around the world.
The 18th-century American Enlightenment was a movement marked by an emphasis on rationality rather than tradition, scientific inquiry instead of unquestioning religious dogma, and reprentative government in place of monarchy.
Enlightenment thinkers and writers, such as Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Paine, were devoted to the ideals of justice, liberty, and equality as the natural rights of man.
The colonists who would form a new nation were firm believers in the power of reason; they were ambitious, inquisitive, optimistic, practical, politically astute, and lf-reliant.
In this period with the exception of outstanding political writing, such as Common n, Declaration of Independence, The Federalist Papers and so on, few works of note appeared. Even if there appeared poetry and fiction, they were full of imitativeness and vague universality. So most Americans were painfully aware of their excessive dependence on English literary models. The arch for a native literature became a national obssion.
II.Leading writers and their works
女的笔顺笔画Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) The Autobiography
Thomas Paine(1737-1809): Common Sen (1776)
Thomas Jefferson(1743-1826):The Declaration of Independence (1776) Philip Freneau (1752-1832)“The Wild Honey Suckle”
Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790)
An inventor, scientist, printer, political statesman, diplomat, exemplary lf-made man, revolutionary hero, author.
1) Life
(1) a poor candle-maker’s family. had very little educationbut he was a voracious reader.
(2) At 12, he was apprenticed to his elder half- brother, a printer.
(3) He t himlf up as an independent printer and
publisher. In 1727 he founded the Junto club.
2) Major Works
(1) The Autobiography《⾃传》
(2) Poor Richard’s Almanack《格⾔历书》
The Autobiography
a. It is perhaps the first real post-revolutionary American writing as well as the first real autobiography in English.
b. It gives us the simple yet immenly fascinating record of a man rising to wealth and fame from a state of poverty and obscurity into which he was born, the faithful account of the colorful career of A
merica’s first lf-made man.
c. First of all, it is a puritan document. The most famous ction describes his scientific scheme of lf-examination and lf-improvement.
d. It is also an eloquent elucidation of the fact that Franklin was spokesman for the new order of eighteenth century enlightenment, and that he reprented in America all its ideas, that man is basically good and free, by nature endowed by God with certain inalienable rights of liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
e. It is the pattern of Puritan simplicity, directness, and concision. The plainness of its style, the homeliness of imagery, the simplicity of diction, syntax and expression are some of the salient features we cannot mistake.
Poor Richard’s Almanac Maxims（谚语，格⾔）and axioms（哲理,⾔）
(a) Lost time is never found again.
(b) A penny saved is a penny earned.
(c) God help them that help themlves.
(d) Fish and visitors stink in three days.
(e) Early to bed, and early to ri, makes a man
healthy, wealthy, and wi.
(f) Ale in, truth out.
(g) Eat not to dullness. Drink not to elevation.
(h) Diligence is the Mother of Good Luck.
(i) One Today is worth two tomorrow.
wps删除空白页怎么删
(j) Industry pays debts. Despair increas them.
3)Franklin’s Contributions to Society
(1) He helped found the Pennsylvania Hospital.
(2) He founded an academy which led to the University of Pennsylvania.
(3) And he helped found the American Philosophical Society.
4) Franklin’s Contributions to Science
(1) He was also remembered for volunteer fire departments, effective street lighting, the Franklin stove, bifocal glass and efficient heating devices.
(2) And for his lightning-rod, he was called “the new Prometheus who
had stolen fire from heaven.”
5) Franklin’s Contributions to the U.S.
He was the only American to sign the four documents that created the United States:
(1) The Declaration of Independence,
(2) The Treaty of Alliance with France,
(3) The Treaty of Peace with England,
(4) The Constitution
6) Why Franklin is admired and read widely?
(1) He is a typical American, model of the lf-made man, a cultural hero who life exemplified the American dream of the poor boy who made good.
(2) He stresd the importance of working hard to make money, happiness depending in the first place on economic success and optimistically believed that every American could do so.
(3) He was convinced that no man could be virtuous or happy unless he did his best to improve the life of his society and his own life.
7) Summary
---- Having faith in human accomplishment and Progress.
---- Believing that an individual with industry and thrift will improve himlf and his community, a lf-mad man and an archetypal American success story that has since become part of American popular
culture.
---- Almost the first example of achieving the “American Dream”.
Philip Freneau 菲⼒浦·弗瑞(1752-1832)
Poet of the American Revolution;
Father of American Poetry;
