America’s First
Writers
1607-1750
In order to really
understand people, you
must understand the
time in which they lived.
Questions you should answer:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Why did people explore and then settle
America?
What 2 groups did the early settlers fall
into and what characterizes each group?
What were the basic Puritan beliefs?
What was the typical Southern
gentleman like?
What are the differences between the
literature of the South and the North?
Why did people explore and then
settle America?
Religious
freedom
Adventure
Financial gain
_____________?
_____________?
What could make you
leave your homeland?
Should a place of
worship be fancy or
plain? WHY?
Religious freedom, WHY?
 King
Henry VIII split w/Catholic
church and formed the Church of
England a.k.a. Anglican Church—
WHY?
 Some Anglican church people
thought the Church was still too
much like the Catholic church
Puritans—Who are they?
 Called
themselves “Saints”
 Others called them “Separatists”
 They thought the Church of England
was still too much like Catholic
church and needed reforming—no
stained glass, fancy robes, etc.
 They didn’t like attending the Church
of England
King James I
Attend
or Jail
Church of England
What would you do?
Puritans Left England
 Went
1st to Holland
 1620 Headed for New England on
Mayflower
Mayflower
½
full of Saints (Pilgrims)
 ½ full of “Strangers” non-Pilgrams
mainly out for adventure or financial
gain.
Why care about the Puritans?
Virtually
all early American
literature significantly
influenced by Puritanism
Puritan beliefs still
reflected in modern
American society
Puritan Beliefs
 Plainness—simplicity
is better than
fanciness
 Divine Mission—God was calling them
to make a heaven on earth in New
England
 Grace—look for God’s grace in your
life
Are humans basically
good or basically evil?
Puritanism: Sin and Guilt 101
1.
Total depravity:
Through Adam’s fall we
sinned all. Every
human is born sinful.
A.K.A. “original sin.”
Is life after death
possible? If so, how?
Puritanism: Sin and Guilt 101
2. The Doctrine of Election:
God freely chooses those
He saves and those He
damns eternally.
Puritanism: Sin and Guilt 101
3. Predestination: Only
a few are selected for
salvation.
Puritanism: Sin and Guilt 101
4. Limited atonement:
Jesus died for the chosen
only, not for everyone.
Puritanism: Sin and Guilt 101
5. Irresistible grace:
God’s grace is freely
given. It can’t be
earned or denied.
Puritanism: Sin and Guilt 101
6.
Perseverance of the
“Saints”: Those elected
by God have full power
to interpret the will of
God. Puritans freely told
other how to live their
lives.
Which of these Puritan
beliefs are still
prevalent in today’s
society?
Puritan Writings
 Sermons
 Religious
poems
 Religious tracts
 Interpretations of God’s doings on
earth
 Diaries and journals about religious
experiences
Anne Bradstreet’s
Poems
1612-1672
Who is Anne Bradstreet?
Devoted
–Wife
–Mother
–Grandmother
Who is Anne Bradstreet?
Came
to America at age
18 with her husband
Mother of 8
Significant Because:
st
1
Volume of American
Poetry Published in
England
st
One of the 1 volumes
of English poetry written
by a woman.
Significant Because: (cont)
It
won her modest
acclaim
What is your
poetry about?
Bradstreet’s Poetry is about:
Love
Home
life
Thoughts/feelings about
God
To My Dear and Loving
Husband
Written
in iambic
couplets
WHAT’S
THAT?
Iambic Couplet
Couplet-
2 lines that
rhyme
Iambic pentameterunstressed followed
by a stressed syllable
Edward Taylor’s
Poetry
1645?-1729
Who is E. Taylor?
Man
of Conservative
religious beliefs
Teacher in England
Minister in America
Who is E. Taylor? (cont.)
Best
American poet
th
of 17 century
Unpublished during his
lifetime.
When was he
published?
About 200 years after
his death.
Over 200 of his poems
have been found in
some old books.
His poems are
mystical—focused on
his religious beliefs.
Huswifery
A
Conceit—a type of
metaphor comparing
2 things in a
surprising way
Is this a conceit?
Comparing
rain falling
crying to
NO
It’s a rather
predictable
metaphor
Is this a conceit?
Comparing
traffic flow.
crying to
YES
It’s both
unexpected and
complex.
What 2 things is
Taylor comparing
in “Huswifery”?
A complex
comparison
between cloth
making and God’s
grace
Which of the 3 basic
Puritan beliefs does
Taylor focus on in
“Huswifery”?
GRACE
Read “Huswifery” and
Answer
What
images does Taylor
use in the poem?
How can the images be
categorized?
Any repetition? If so,
what? Why?
Read “Huswifery” and
Answer
What
is the main point of
each poem?
How is God portrayed in
the poetry?
See “Literature and
Your Life” on p. 97
Jonathan Edwards
1703-1758
Who is Jonathan Edwards?
Born
in Conneticut
Went to Yale
Married Sarah
Became a preacher in
Mass.
Who is Jonathan Edwards?
Well
known preacher
during the “Great
Awakening” –revival from
1735-1742
Call to return to
conservitive ways of past
“Sinners in the Hands of
an Angry God”
More
harsh than Edward’s
typical sermons.
Excellent example of
persuasive writing
techniques
Persuasive Writing
Techniques in “Sinners”
Logical
arguments
Appeal to past traditions &
authorities *
Emotional appeal*