PURITANISM

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PURITANISM

• The birth and development of
• a new religious movement

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ORIGINS AND DEVELOPMENT

• Puritanism a protestant movement within the
  Church of England. It developed during
  XVI-XVII century.
• It was founded by some Marian after the
  accession of Elisabeth I, especially influenced
  by Calvinism
• A movement against the corruption of the Catholic
  Church ? its superstitious symbols statues,
  stained-glass windows and sacerdotal vestment

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• It developed especially among the Middle Class
  and anti-royalists people
• Utmost moment of supremacy when Puritans came to
  power (1642) following the English Civil War

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PURITANS AFTER THE CIVIL WAR

• After the victory of the round-heads
  (anti-royalists), in the Civil War (1642)
  Puritanism became a powerful force
• Oliver Cromwell, a Puritan, founded the
  Commonwealth (name based on the idea of
  Puritanism, which believed in common richness)
  bringing moral and religious changes in England

Oliver Cromwell
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• After Cromwells death (1658)
• restoration of monarchy
• Puritans lost their power
• great Persecution of Puritans began
• Most Puritans took refuge in New England (USA)

The Mayflower, ship used by Puritans to escape
persecutions
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NEW TREND OF THOUGHTS

• Main aim purifying the church
• Desire to reach salvation
• The Bible considered as Gods true law
• Belief in the Parable of the Talents
• PURITANS
• predicted austerity
• entertainment considered immoral (theaters were
  closed in 1642)

The Bible
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PARABLE OF THE TALENTS

• The Parable of Talents is one of the well known
  parables
• Main points
• God gives talents to people
• Everybody has to use talents correctly
• He who is unable to bear talents will commit a
  sin as do poor people who cannot exploit them
• He who is able to produce goods and wealth will
  improve his/her social condition and he/she will
  reach Gods blessing (reason why the Middle
  Class was mainly Puritan)

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PURITANISM TODAY

• As a result of persecution, Puritans left England
  and extablished mainly in the New World (USA)
• Puritanism
• based on the idea of the increase of wealth,
• laid the foundations of consumerism in USA
• America became one of the most important world
  powers

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PARABLE OF THE TALENTS IN ARTSParable of the
Rich Man by Rembrant (1627)
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PARABLE OF THE TALENTS IN ARTS JAN LUYKEN
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PARABLE OF THE TALENTS IN ARTS MATTHAEUS MERIAN
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John Milton (1608-1674)

• The most famous Puritan poet and the best known
  poet after William Shakespeare in English
  literature
• Supporter of freedom and republicanism
• He wrote poetry in Latin, Italian and English
  (he received a Classic education)
• His most important works are Paradise Lost and
  Areopagitica

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PARADISE LOST

• Epic poem in blank verse with Biblical references
  (e.g. Adam and Eve)
• It is about the fall of man because of his desire
  to have knowledge
• The main character is Satan, the hero who
  disobeyed God, because he wanted to be more
  powerful than him
• The poem real aim is to celebrate God by making
  references to deeds of the hero (as each epic
  poem)