Colonial Literature

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Colonial Literature
1620 Pilgrims land at Plymouth
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European Renaissance (1300-1600)
Jamestown 1607
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Major influences of the Renaissance

• Expansion of trade and growth of the middle class
• Agrarian revolution, decay of unions, development
  of the capitalist system
• Creation of modern nation-states
• Birth and development of the individual
• Geographic discoveries

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Characterized by

• The rebirth of learning
• Development of the concept of the free individual
• Throwing off of traditional restraints of
  medieval learning and authority

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Motives for English coming to the New World

• The assertion of British national pride and honor
  against the Spanish, French, and Dutch
• Economic Considerations
• Colonialism was a way to relieve England of some
  social problems
• Propaganda about the New World as a glorious
  place
• Free land, free from social ills
• Desire to start an ideal Christian society
• Zion on the Hill

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ColonialAmerica 1607-1763
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Before a distinctive American Literature could be
written, three conditions had to be met

• Colonist had to be free from their survival needs
  to have time to think and write
• They had to develop a sense of themselves as
  Americans
• They had to develop a way to publish and
  distribute American writing to American readers

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Early American Literature was UTILITARIAN

• Stressing practical usefulness rather than style
  or beauty

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Earlier colonial writing took the form of

• Narratives
• Descriptions
• Observations
• Reports
• Journals and histories

John Smith
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Later colonial writing the emphasis shifts to

• Sermons
• Poetry

Puritan minister breaks up farm house frolic
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The Puritans

• Basic tenets of 17th century Puritanism
• God absolute authority and sovereignty
• The scriptures as the basis of truth and the
  guide to life
• Predestination
• The belief that through Gods decree certain
  people are destined to be saved
• The universal sinfulness of man
• The election and salvation of some by Gods grace

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Characteristics of Puritan Literature

• Strenuous and serious
• Attempts to represent life truly
• Every event represents a double reality
• The event as a natural occurrence
• The event as a significant message from God

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Puritan Influences on American Thought and Culture

• Emphasis on hard work
• A belief in democracy
• The drive toward affluence
• Emphasis on the value of education and science
• A preoccupation with guilt
• The notion of progress

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Early Writing in New England

• More that the southern colonies, the
  circumstances in early New England favored
  literary development. The Puritans had a
  determined and disciplined way of life.

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Characteristics of the Puritan group who settled
Plymouth Plantation and the Massachusetts Bay
Colony area

• More compact settlements
• High degree of industry
• Disciplined enterprise
• A community conscious of experience and purpose
• Determined to make America their home

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Firsts in America

• Facilities for literature were first provided in
  Massachusetts
• First college, Harvard, 1636
• First printing press, Cambridge, 1638
• First commercial press, Boston, 1674
• First successful newspaper, The Boston
  News--Letter, 1704

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Harvard College
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The Planters and the Puritans

• Two contrasting value systems

John Winthrop
William Byrd
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Planters

• Region Virginia
• Founded Jamestown,1607
• Literary Figures John Smith, William Byrd
• Early Government control by landed aristocracy
• Motive money and social position
• Culture shaped by tobacco and by the plantation
  way of life

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Puritans

• Region Massachusetts
• Founded Plymouth, 1620
• Literary Figures William Bradford, Cotton
  Mather, Anne Bradstreet, Edward Taylor, Jonathan
  Edwards
• Early Government Theocracy
• Motive religious freedom
• Culture shaped by religion

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Cultural Characteristics

• Planters
• a desire to continue the English traditions of
  landed aristocracy
• Based on slavery
• Economic inequality
• Conspicuous consumption
• Scattered population with few towns
• Assumption that life was to be enjoyed (dancing,
  horseback riding, gambling, drinking,music)
• Division into upper and lower classes

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Cultural Characteristics

• Puritans
• A cluster of small towns
• Much interchange of ideas
• Rough economic equality
• Emphasis on education and hard work
• Economy based on small trades and crafts, sea
  industry, and farming
• Development of the town-meeting system
• Development of a majority of middle class

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Whipping a Quaker in Boston