Write a critical note on the ideology of Puritanism reflected in
American literature.
Introduction
Puritan
literature is a genre created by the Puritans, a religious movement which
fought to remove the remnants of the Catholic Church from the Church of
England. This led to conflict in England and to the founding of several
colonies in the Americas, including settlements in Connecticut, New Hampshire,
Maine, and other parts of New England. The movement began in 1530 and lasted
well into the 17th century. Religion was the central tenet of Puritan life. The
movement began as a way to reform the Church of England, and its practitioners
believed in creating a covenant with God and being humble. Their communities
were governed by religious doctrine, a concept which clashed with the emerging
modernity of science and reason. For example, during the Salem Witch Trials, a
famous Puritan and author named Cotton Mather urged the court to not simply
accept hearsay as evidence for the charge of witchcraft and instead rely on
hard evidence. Puritan literature is the result of this movement and lifestyle.
Much of it is in the form of letters and journals written by Puritans regarding
their experiences. Puritan writing is primarily made up of sermons, poetry, and
historical narratives, but Puritan writers created very little fiction. Much
like their lifestyles, Puritans used simple, straightforward sentences when
writing.
Puritan Authors
Puritan
authors preferred to write in first person and in as plain a style as possible.
While they believed in sharing their experiences and beliefs, they also wanted
to avoid drawing unwanted attention to themselves, hence the simple style which
contrasted the more elaborate style popular in Europe. Writing was a major part
of their lives, and even simple letters were treated
as though
they were instructive. Puritans did not believe literature was meant for
entertainment. Major Puritan writers produced works that have also become major
works appreciated as literature and not just religious writings. This, of
course, is highly ironic, as the idea of famous Puritans is antithetical for
the concept of not drawing attention to oneself.
Colonial times in America
The man
sometimes called the first American writer was Capt. John Smith. He was a
soldieradventurer who came to Virginia in 1607 and wrote pamphlets describing
the new land. His first, A True Relation of Virginia (1608), aimed at
attracting settlers and winning financial support for the colony. His General
History of Virginia (1624) elaborates on his experiences. In it he tells how
his life was saved by Pocahontas. Smith was an able leader and an interesting
reporter. His books are valued because he was the first person to write about
the English settlements. the ideology of Puritanism reflected in American
literature. Colonial life in Virginia was best described by William Byrd, owner
of Westover, an estate of almost 180,000 acres (73,000 hectares) on the James
River. The beautiful house is a showplace today. Educated in England, Byrd
returned home to lead the life of a country gentleman. He worked hard managing
his affairs. His most notable public act was to survey the boundary between
Virginia and Carolina, fighting his way through the great Dismal Swamp. He
described this adventure of 1728–29 in History of the Dividing Line, published
in 1841. He told, often amusingly, of settlement life in the backcountry.
Byrd’s Secret Diary, discovered in 1940, gives intimate glimpses of colonial
times and helps bring to life this refined and witty colonial gentleman. the
ideology of Puritanism reflected in American literature.
The influence of puritanism
For more
than 100 years after the Pilgrim landing in 1620, life and writing in New
England were dominated by the religious attitude known as Puritanism. To
understand colonial life and literature one must understand Puritanism, one of
the major influences in American life. the ideology of Puritanism reflected in
American literature.
The early
settlers in New England were Protestants. England had become a Protestant
country when Henry VIII broke away from the Roman Catholic church. Some Englishmen,
however, felt that the break was not complete. They wanted to “purify” the
church of Catholic features; they were therefore known as Puritans. Another
group, the Separatists, wanted to separate, or break away entirely, from the
Church of England. These were the Pilgrims. Both groups came to the New World
in order to worship God in their own way and to escape persecution by English
authorities. They felt they had a divine mission to fulfill. It was the will of
God, they believed, that they establish a religious society in the wilderness.
This belief must have helped them endure the hard life they faced as colonists.
the ideology of Puritanism reflected in American literature. In the Puritan
view, God was supreme. The Puritans held that He revealed His will through the
Bible, which they believed literally. Clergymen interpreted the Bible in
sermons, but each man and woman was obliged to study it for himself too. The
people had to be educated in order to read the Bible, to discuss it, and to
write about it. Harvard College was founded in 1636 partly to meet this demand
for an educated populace. Other colleges and public schools followed. Indeed,
the intellectual quality of New England life, which later influenced other
parts of the country, is traceable to the Puritans’ need for a trained and
literate population.
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