American Literature 17001820

1
American Literature 1700-1820

• The Enlightenment and the
• Age of Reason

2
Lets Party Like Its 1699!

• 18th century was a period of major change in
  American IDEAS and IDEALS
• As with beliefs of Puritans, changes originated
  in England, but took on new spirit and meaning in
  colonies.
• What factors help explain the slow but steady
  movement away from the severe faith of the
  Puritans and the reason of the Enlightenment (Age
  of Reason)?

3
Newton and His Apple (not a fig)

• How did people like Locke and Newton change the
  way we understand the world?
• What are physics and metaphysics?
• To what does reason refer?
• The Enlightenment or Age of Reason
• What was different about Enlightenment worldview?

4
Say What?!?!

• Enlightenment thinkers de-emphasized grace and
  pre-destination in favor of moral choice and
  scientific inquiry.
• virtue, order, reason, sympathy
• How is this a change in everyday thinking?
• How do you think religious figures felt about
  this changing view of the universe and how people
  should function within it?

5
But What About Providence?

• Enlightenment brought a new, exciting way of
  seeing the universe
• universe as an orderly system
• With application of reason, humanity would
  comprehend universe (think of Newtons Laws).
• How might this change the way the common man felt
  about religion and God?

6
Benjamin Franklin Drawing Down Electricity
from the Sky (Benjamin West, ca. 1816)
7
I Just Believe in Science, Okay!

• Know then thyself, presume not God to scan/The
  proper study of mankind is man. (Alexander Pope)
• What does that mean?

8
Deism

• Many of these thinkers (including Jefferson and
  Franklin) called themselves Deists.
• Man can deduce the existence of a supreme being
  from the fact that the universe exists rather
  than because of what the Bible says.

9
What about Fire and Brimstone?

• Deists also thought that a harmonious universe
  proves the beneficence of God.
• How might that be?
• How might all of this reflect on ideas of the
  Puritans?

10
Take Your Buckled Shoes and Shove Em!

• Humankind is naturally good. (What was the
  Puritan stance on this, again?)
• Tabula Rasa

11
And Furthermore

• The more we understand and sympathize with each
  other, the richer our social and spiritual lives
  will be.
• Our business here on Earth is not to know all
  things, but those which concern our conduct.
  (Locke)
• So are these people entirely different from the
  Puritans? Whats similar?

12
Neo-Classicism

• What would be the best way for writers in this
  era to articulate their views?
• What is the function of their writing, and how
  does it differ from the function of Puritan
  writing?
• Are there similarities?

13
Rhetoric Today this term means the art of
speaking or writing effectively (especially
persuasive speaking or writing). In Franklins
time the term meant the same thing, but more
precisely it stood for the study of principles
and rules of composition formulated by critics of
ancient times.
Reason If one is rational, then he has the
ability to reason. What does it mean to reason?
Reasoning is a type of thinking used to seek a
truth through cause and effect and through
drawing conclusions.
Logic A system of rules used to express reasoning
Socratic Method A technique in which a debater
does not argue directly but instead asks a series
of questions, with the result that the opponent
comes either to the desired knowledge by
answering the questions or to a deeper awareness
of the limits of his knowledge.
14
Those Greeks Had It Right

• These writers saw the lit. of the ancient Greeks
  and Romans as the ideal to which all must aspire.
• Emulation of these classical styles and
  traditions
• Restraint rather than emotion
• Dignified, refined and decorous language

15
Should We Be Wearing Togas?

• Writing, especially poetry, was seen as having a
  public function it was not seen as a means for
  private, individual expression.
• A mode through which timeless truths could be
  imparted.
• self-help
• Chicken Soup for the Rational Soul?

16
Artifacts of Different Eras

• Thou hast a house on high erect,
• Framed by that mighty Architect,
• With glory richly furnished,
• Stands permanent though this be fled.
• Its purchased and paid for too
• By Him who hath enough to do.
• A price so vast as is unknown
• Yet by His gift is made thine own
• Theres wealth enough, I need no more,
• Farewell, my pelf, farewell my store.
• The world no longer let me love,
• My hope and treasure lies above.
• (Bradstreet, 1666)

• While virtue warms the generous breast,
• There heaven-born freedom shall reside,
• Nor shall the voice of war molest,
• Nor Europes all-aspiring pride
• There Reason shall new laws devise,
• And order from confusion rise.
• Forsaking kings and regal state,
• With all their pomp and fancied bliss,
• The traveler admits, convinced though late,
• No realm so free, so blessed as this
• The east is half to slaves consigned,
• Where kings and priests enchain the mind.
• (On the Religion of Nature, Philip
  Freneau, 1785)

17
Order and Virtue

• We should organize our lives into an ordered
  sequence of reasoned and virtuous thoughts and
  behaviors
• Aim is human perfection
• How would the Puritans have felt about the
  concept of humans perfecting themselves for
  themselves and by themselves?