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American Literature

American Literature. Colonial Period, the Period of Independence and the 18th Century. Literature of the Colonial Period (1607-1765) religious essays, pamphlets, journals, diaries, poetry John Smith: A Description of New England William Bradford: Of Plymouth Plantation

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American Literature

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  1. American Literature Colonial Period, the Period of Independence and the 18th Century

  2. Literature of the Colonial Period (1607-1765) • religious essays, pamphlets, journals, diaries, poetry • John Smith: A Description of New England • William Bradford: Of Plymouth Plantation • John Winthrop: A Model of Christian Charity • Poets: Anne Bradstreet, Edward Taylor

  3. (1765-1783) struggle for independence • 1. political independence • Thomas Paine: Common Sense, American Crisis (The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph), The Age of Reason, The Rights of Man, • Thomas Jefferson: Declaration of Independence (We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.) • 2. literary independence • Philip Freneau: The Rising Glory of America

  4. The Philosophical Idea in the 18th Century • Newton’s “Mathematical principles of natural philosophy”& Universal gravitation • Rousseau: Social Contract • Deism

  5. Persistent religious belief • Jonathan Edwards • Great Awakening(1730s,1740s)

  6. Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) • scientist, writer, diplomat, printer, philosopher, inventor. • Spokesman of the age of enlightenment, reason • The enlightenment: France, the chief means for improving the society is the enlightenment or education of people • Calvinist background • Poor Candle maker’s family • apprenticed to his half-brother • going to Philadelphia • 1732 Poor Richard’s Almanac

  7. Poor Richard’s Almanac • There are three things extremely hard, steel, a diamond, and to know one's self. • Blessed is he that expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed • Early to bed and early to rise,Makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise. • Love your enemies, for they tell you your faults. • To err is human, to repent divine; to persist devilish. • Fish and visitors stink in three days. • God helps them that help themselves. • Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead. • All things are easy to Industry. All things are difficult to sloth • Diligence is the Mother of Good Luck. • No gains without pains. • Love your Neighbour; yet don't pull down your Hedge. • Lend money to an Enemy, and thou'lt gain him, to a Friend and thou'lt lose him.

  8. Autobiography • Purpose • Style • Self-examination (Puritan) Temperance, Silence, Order, Resolution, Frugality, Industry, Sincerity, Justice, Moderation, Cleanliness, Tranquility, Chastity, Humility. • Illustration of American dream (“the most accomplished American of his age and the most influential in inventing the type of society America would become.”) • Significance for American literature • What can we learn from it?

  9. Having emerged from the poverty and obscurity in which I was born and bred to a state of affluence and some degree of reputation in the world, and having gone so far through life with a considerable share of felicity, the conducing means I made use of, which with the blessing of God so well succeeded, my posterity may like to know, as they may find some of them suitable to their own situations, and therefore fit to be imitated. (与Jonathan Edwards对比)

  10. And now I speak of thanking God, I desire with all humility to acknowledge that I owe the mentioned happiness of my past life to His kind providence, which led me to the means I used and gave them success. • It was about this time I conceived the bold and arduous project of arriving at moral perfection.

  11. The Morning. Question. What good shall I do this day? 5,6,7 Rise, wash and address powerful Goodness! Contrive day’s business, and take the resolution of the day; prosecute the present. 8,9,10,11 Study, and breakfast Work The Noon 2,3,4,5 Work Evening. Question. What good have I done today? 6,7,8,9 Put things in their places. Supper. Music or diversion, or conversation. Examination of the day. Night. 10,11,12,1,2,3,4 Sleep

  12. Different comments on Autobiography • Mark Twain’s “The Late Benjamin Franklin" (1870) provides a less exalted reaction, albeit somewhat tongue-in-cheek (for example, claiming that his example had "brought affliction to millions of boys since, whose fathers had read Franklin's pernicious biography”) • Middle-sized, sturdy, snuff-coloured Doctor Franklin“, “Franklin's attempt at crafting precepts of virtue and at perfecting himself”. (D.H. Lawrence)

  13. gloomy voice amid optimism • Crevecoeur’s Letters from an American Farmer

  14. Questions: 1.What’s the influence of Puritanism on American literature? 2. What are the two poles of puritan personalities for which Jonathan Edwards and Benjamin Franklin are the best representatives? 3. Some laws of the literary evolvement

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