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Puritan Literature

Puritan Literature. Themes and Authors Thanks to D. Pogreba. Major Themes of Puritan Lit. Puritans valued education and their writing reflected it. Idea of Predestination Puritans believed that their story was a retelling of the Old Testament– Biblical importance. Use of Jeremiads

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Puritan Literature

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  1. Puritan Literature Themes and Authors Thanks to D. Pogreba

  2. Major Themes of Puritan Lit. • Puritans valued education and their writing reflected it. • Idea of Predestination • Puritans believed that their story was a retelling of the Old Testament– Biblical importance. • Use of Jeremiads • Puritans regularly depicted Native Americans very negatively

  3. William Bradford (1590-1657) • First leader of the Puritan colony • Wrote Of Plymouth Plantation • Believed in the creation of a utopian society • The style of his writing is influenced by: • The writing style of the Bible • Plain style

  4. Of Plymouth Plantation • As we read Bradford’s history, keep notes on the following: • The hardships that the Pilgrims encounter on their journey to America and during their first winter in New England. • The points when Bradford refers to God’s role in the events of the voyage.

  5. Jonathon Edwards (1703-1758) • Considered one of the greatest Puritan thinkers • A well-known and extremist preacher • Straddled two periods of thought: • Modern, secular world • The world of his Puritan ancestors • “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” is his most famous sermon • “Sinners” is associated with one of the Great Awakenings

  6. Themes of “Sinners” • Edwards emphasizes two things: • The absolute power of God • The path to avoiding eternal torment is salvation

  7. Literary Devices in “Sinners” • Central metaphor: God’s hand as the only thing that separates humans from eternal damnation • parallel construction and alliteration • Imagery and extended metaphors: • Wickedness heavy as lead • Earth ready to spew out the sinner • The black clouds of God’s wrath • The damned waters of God’s wrath • The bent bow of God’s wrath • The spider (sinner) held by God over the fire

  8. Mary Rowlandson (1636-1678) • Kidnapped and held for ransom by Wampanoag Indians (1675-76) • Her captivity narrative was extremely well known as it helped shaped the way the Puritans and the English viewed the world • Narrative sensationalized her experience • Narrative helped to create a cultural myth of the savagery of Native peoples

  9. Literary Devices in Narrative • Rowlandson uses repetition (emulating the style of the Old Testament) • Extensive use of allusions • Narrative relies on allegory • Rowlandson’s account is a personal narrative which makes it more evocative and powerful

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