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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 writings.”
Basic qualities of American Writers:
Independent individualistic
Critical innovative humorous
Chapter One
Colonial Period (1607-1775)
林肯纪念堂I. Historical Introduction
1. people:
Indians were native inhabitants.
简笔画彩虹 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)
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
复兴之路观后感* 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.
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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 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.
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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. 泰国甲米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)
2) Puritan values (creeds):
爱心怎么折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 thoug
ht 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.
