Faculty of Humanities and Social Science > English

American Visions, American Stories: The Puritan World View and Early American

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Gopa B. Caesar:
Early American Literature as a  Challenge . . .

Also a challenge because of genre
For all colonists, “literature” meant history, personal narratives, diaries, sermons, letters, trial transcripts, religious & political tracts, broadsides—as well as poetry & eventually fiction
But Puritans VERY suspicious of “all products of the flawed human imagination” (Emory Elliot 35)
Disdained any literature that distracted attention away from spiritual world
Not true for southern English colonists (e.g. Virginia, Maryland)
People still read secular things—but in New England these books were IMPORTS until relatively late in 17th century

Gopa B. Caesar:
Before the Puritans . . .

Native American cultures: pre-contact, approx 300 million people, 300+ separate indigenous cultures, 800 languages spoken
Mostly oral literature—but where “American Literature” really does begin
Colonizing by Spanish, French, Dutch, and English, in both South (Virginia) and North (New England)
First permanent European settlement on North American continent: Spanish at St. Augustine (Florida, 1565)
English: Jamestown (Virginia) 1607
Literature produced by colonists and printed in colonies begins 1639, with press set up by Puritans of Massachusetts Bay (Boston)

Gopa B. Caesar:
What does “Puritan” mean?

Originally meant as an insult: label for those who opposed compromises Queen Elizabeth I made with Catholic church
Both a religious, theological label and a political, cultural label
Way of grouping together very diverse set of belief systems – religious, political, social
Not a single, stable, static group of people
Most common context: Congregationalists, Calvinists

Gopa B. Caesar:
Puritanism – Roots

Label “Puritan” emerges 16th century
European Protestant reformation of Christianity – reform Roman Catholic Church (THE Christian Church)
1530s England – Henry VIII parts with Catholic Church to form Church of England (Anglican)
His government still a POLITICAL THEOCRACY—belief in government by divine guidance
One official state religion, intolerant of others (crime of heresy)

Gopa B. Caesar:
Puritanism – Roots, 2

Believe Henry and successors haven’t gone far enough in wiping out Catholic influence in England / Church of England
Purify Church of England – get back to basics of what they think Christianity is about, including:
Follow only the Christian Bible
Destroy influence of educated priesthood—individual path to God without intercession of priest (literacy)
Ban Catholic sacraments / rituals
Ban altars, images, priesthood, convents, etc.
Ban “pagan” holidays like Christmas, Easter

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