Puritans
The Puritan (or Colonial) Period (page 134)
The time period most often associated with
Puritan (or Colonial) literature is about 16071776. This is about from the founding of
Jamestown all the way until the American
Revolution.
http://www.mce.k12tn.net/colonial_america/jamestown.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/95/Washington_Crossing_the_Delaware_by_E
manuel_Leutze,_MMA-NYC,_1851.jpg/300pxWashington_Crossing_the_Delaware_by_Emanuel_Leutze,_MMA-NYC,_1851.jpg
The Puritan People
Puritans are often stereotyped as black-clad selfrighteous moralists. Usually, calling a person a
Puritan is not a compliment.
However, this Negative Image is mostly brought
about by the sterotypes of the 16th Century
Puritans. This Negative Image is actually Largely
Untrue.
http://cteawiki.wikispaces.com/file/view/puritans12.png/92499160/puritans12.png
The Truth about the Puritans
• They valued Hard Work and Self-Sacrifice.
• They viewed Wealth as a reward for a virtuous life.
• They valued family life, community, service, art, and
literature.
• They were the first in the colonies to establish
printing press, free public grammar schools, and a
college (Harvard).
http://www.harvard.edu/
In Regards to their Religion…
• Puritans were Arrogant in their religious faith.
• They were completely intolerant of viewpoints (and
religions) and were different from their own.
• They focused on Other Christians in an effort to
root out the Devil
• Harshly punished others for their beliefs (including
with execution).
http://0.tqn.com/w/experts/U-S-History-672/2009/09/PURITAN-WHIPPING.jpg
Key Beliefs of the Puritans
• Human beings are inherently evil and so must
struggle to overcome their sinful nature.
• Personal salvation depends solely on the
grace of God, not on
individual effort.
(Predestination)
http://peacewanderer.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/baloo-predestination.jpg
Key Beliefs of the Puritans (cont)
• The Bible is the supreme authority on earth.
– Bible governs moral/spiritual life
– Bible also governs church and society as a whole
– Result= Churches more democratic (congregationcentered)
– Result= Repressive political system &intolerant of
others.
Poems of Anne Bradstreet
http://www.poetsgraves.co.uk/images/anne_brad
street.jpg
http://www.poets.org/images/media/155_Anne
Bradstreet.JPG
http://www.poemofquotes.com/annebradstreet/annebradstreet.jpg
Anne Bradstreet
• Anne Bradstreet wrote Puritan Poetry.
• She lived from 1612 until 1672 and she was the first
notable American Poet in the colonies.
• She was born in England, married in 1628, and by
1630 she was sailing to Massachusetts Bay with her
Husband.
• Despite her domestic (she had 8 kids) and religious
responsibilities she managed to fund time to write
some Puritan Poetry.
mainstreetmallonline.com
Anne Bradstreet (cont)
• Most poetry in the 17th
century New England was
mostly devotional in nature.
• Bradstreet’s poems were
unusual due to the personal
subject matter of them.
– They focused on the realities of
life.
– They also viewed life in spiritual
(Puritan) context.
• This is because she never
planned for these poems to be
published! Her brother-in-law
published them without her
knowing.
http://www.brooklynmuseum.org/eascfa/dinner_party/wiki/images/
631.130.jpg
Some terms you need to know (pg 138)
• Meter: 1) the repetition of a regular rhythmic unit
in a line of poetry.
– each unit is known as a foot. Each foot has 1 stressed
syllable (̒) & 1 (or 2) unstressed syllables (˘)
• “In silent night when rest I took” (from “Upon the
Burning of Our House)
• Iambic Tetrameter (“Husband”=Iambic Pentameter)
–Iambic Tetrameter=unstressed-stressed / # of feet
=4
–Iambic Pentameter=unstressed-stressed / # of
feet = 5)
More word you need to know
• Archaic Language: Words that were once
commonly used in the past, but are now out-ofdate
Examples Include:
Thee
Ye
Thou
All of these mean…
You.
Last word... For these notes at least
(promise)
• Inverted Syntax: Reversal of expected order of
words
– For example: Bradstreet says “when rest I took”
instead of “When I took rest”
Now Lets Read!
• Turn to page 139 in your book. Follow along.
http://www.sidedoorkey.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/maymorning.jpg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbQRMbJmx5g&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_
mode=1&safe=actives.
Question time.
• What would be a summary of what we just read?
• What is valued more than gold in this poem?
• What do you think Bradstreet is saying in the last
two lines of this poem?
More Questions
• What emotions does Bradstreet express toward her
husband?
• What relationship is seen between earthly love and
eternal life (lines 9-12)?
Now Lets Read Some More!
• Turn to page 140 in your book. We can either
read as a class or can listen/watch the youtube
video.
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TO3oUZWn3Gc/R97PDvS7zBI/AAAAAAAAAJI/a0P6RqijnCQ/s320/burning+house.JP
G
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7bEKzp4Bpc&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode
=1&safe=active
Question time.
• What would be a summary of what we just read?
• What does she conclude about the reason for the
fire?
• What does Bradstreet miss about her house?
More Questions
• What is Bradstreet comparing to a house in lines
43-54? What literary term is this?
• Where does she expect to find a permanent home?