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American Visions, American Stories: The Puritan World View and Early American Literature
English 516
Dr. Roggenkamp
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America . . . A Nation of Stories
America a nation built upon “stories” Not founded on geographical or linguistic
unity—immigrant, native experiences “Stories” or ideologies impart a unity to
diverse land and people Published works, political rhetoric, press
determine which stories become “legitimate” and definitive
Role of colonial, early Republic experience in shaping stories
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Dominant stories & patterns emerge from English settlement in America Story of Diversity: Not a single experience or single
“story”—diversified in terms of race, colonizing nation, religion, social status, motivations, etc.
Story of Individualism: America as a place to “go it alone”—place not tied to old European alliances, traditions
Story of Expansionism & Colonialism (and Exploitation): Right & even duty (God-given) to spread across continent—“civilize” the wilderness
Story of Capitalism: America as place where personal destiny/wealth can be found—reward for leading a godly life
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Dominant stories & patterns emerge from English settlement in America
Story of Exceptionalism: America as an exception to the normal state of nations—an exceptional people
America as beacon to humanity—a “Peculiar Chosen People—the Israel of our time” (Herman Melville)
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Why use Puritanism & New England culture as a base for semester?
Ideal of universal literacy Printing culture Influence of ideology on
early American literature & beyond
Influence of ideology on “national character” today
Establishes several stories of what “America” means—but not THE story!
Image: Still shot from PBS series “Colonial House,”
2004
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Early American Literature as a Challenge . . .
Literature all about challenging way we see world Possible challenges to your assumptions about: American nationhood Religion and spirituality Race and bigotry Sexism and gender roles Politics (In)Tolerance of colonial ancestors History—“History is written by the victors”—but that
never means it’s the ONLY story or the “real” story
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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
People still read such things—but in New England they were IMPORTS until relatively late in 17th century
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Course Timeline—Early American Milestones
Links to keep handy:
http://faculty.tamu-commerce.edu/kroggenkamp/English516.html
http://faculty.tamu-commerce.edu/kroggenkamp/Timeline.htm
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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)
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Image: Embarkation of the Pilgrims, Robert W. Weir, U. S. Capitol Building, 1837
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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
Image: The Puritan, Augustus Saint-Gaudens, Springfield, Mass. 1883.
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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)
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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
Image: St. Mary’s Anglican Church, Northumberland
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Public Notice of Christmas Ban England, 1666
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Puritans: Separatists and Non-Separatists
Most Puritans simply want to PURIFY Church of England, not break with it / separate from it
Simply want to “fix” Church—too close to Catholic roots
Some, though, think Church (and by connection government of England) is beyond fixing
Purify Christianity by separating from established church
Radical political offense! (Pilgrims)
Image: Thomas Smith, Self Portrait, circa 1680
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Basic World View (Theology)
Most Puritans who come to New England in 17th century are CALVINISTS (Congregationalists)
Catholics—Maryland, Virginia, Rhode Island, initially
Anglicans—Virginia, initially John Calvin, Swiss Protestant
reformer, 1509-1564
Image: John Calvin
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Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion (1536)—“TULIP” Total Depravity: Humanity is completely corrupted, as a
result of Original Sin Unconditional Election: Everyone is predestined for
either salvation or damnation (& most will be damned for eternity)
Limited Atonement: Christ gives gift of mercy through crucifixion—but ONLY to those PREDESTINED for salvation (the ELECT)
Irresistible Grace: Nothing can take away God’s grace, offered to the elect—but this grace cannot be earned in any way (nor can it be refused)
Perseverance of the Saints: The righteousness & justification of the elect will win out over all afflictions
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Covenant System
Organization of New England’s Calvinist Puritan society based on system of interlocking COVENANTS
Covenant: Binding agreement made by mutual consent; legal agreement
Word that pervades early American literature—see world in terms of covenant with God and covenant with each other
Image: Geneva Bible, 1560
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Covenant of Works God promised Adam/Eve and all
their descendants eternal life if they obeyed his law; Adam/Eve accepted this promise (covenant)
Humanity thus responsible for earning salvation via works (things they DO / way they ACT)
Adam/Eve broke covenant God totally justified in
condemning all humanity to eternal damnation from that point on
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Covenant of Grace
God totally just, but also totally merciful
New covenant with Abraham in Bible’s Old Testament scriptures: I will be your God and you will be my people.
Bible’s New Testament: Christ’s death fulfills God’s end of covenant – crucifixion atones for damnation of humanity
Image: Rembrandt, The Angel Stopping Abraham from Sacrificing Isaac to God, 1835
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Covenant of Grace, 2 Puritans: God offers salvation not
to all humanity per se, but to select group: “the elect”
No one knows who is elect and who is not
Must have more than “intellectual” faith that you MAY be elect – must have spiritual, emotional, moving faith, total devotion to God, church, state
Constantly watch for signs that you’ve been offered the covenant of grace
Doctrine of “preparationism”
Image: Last Judgement, Sanctuary Notre-Dame des Fontaines, La Brigue, France
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Social Covenant
Idea of covenant organizes Puritan civic life:
King/Queen of England not in charge of church governance
Individual church congregations enter into own covenants with each other and govern themselves
Church and government of colonies also enter into covenants—theocracy
Extremely threatening to English monarchy
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Social and religious congregationalism
Organizational system known as congregationalism
Not the way things run in England
Conformity in all aspects of life: “Here’s our contract with God and each other.”
Quashes dissent: break covenant & you’re out of church, land, community
Image: General Laws and Liberties of the Massachusetts Colony, 1672
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Why bother? What’s in it for me?
Those not Puritan definitely not elected
Be part of exceptional group Belief world about to end—
Puritans to “make way” for return of Christ
Emotional charge – extremely charismatic religion
Social pressures – economic pressures
Not just about religion – also all about politics and social order
Sense of order and community in totally disordered / fractured world
Image: Richard Mather
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Massachusetts Coast (modern)
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Of Pilgrims and Puritans: What’s the difference?
All Pilgrims are Puritans, but not all Puritans are Pilgrims
Most Puritans are happy to keep the Church of England–simply want to PURIFY it by working from within
Pilgrims are radical Puritans—Church of England has to go—beyond salvation
Image: Facsimile of Bradford’s manuscript for Plymouth Plantation
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Of Pilgrims and Puritans, 2
“Separatists” – Separate from Church of England and therefore from England itself
Social outcasts – radical, subversive, persecuted
Of Mayflower and First Thanksgiving fame (a myth)
Image: First Thanksgiving, Jean Louise Gerome
Ferris, early 20th C.
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William Bradford, 1590-1657
Separatist Puritans (Pilgrims) to Plymouth, 1620
Group most persecuted in England
Most radical, extreme views
Images: William Bradford; contemporary
reconstruction of Plymouth Plantation homes
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John Winthrop, 1588-1649
Member of English landed gentry; attorney
1629 joins other investors to organize trading company—Massachusetts Bay Company
Unlike most other colonial enterprises, this one not just about making profit
Leads “Great Migration” to New England (1630-1650)
Image: John Winthrop
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Winthrop and 17th-Century Puritanism: The Ideal and the Real
What are Winthrop’s and Bradford’s ideals all about?
What reality does Winthrop’s private journal and Bradford’s history show in contrast to “the ideal?”
Image: Royal Charter, Massachusetts Bay Company,
1629
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Figures and typology Puritan literature explicates
prophecies of Biblical Old Testament as foreshadowing of events and people—first in the New Testament, then in contemporary life (by 1640s)
Biblical forecasts of current events
E.g.: Atlantic journey of Puritans is “antitype” of Exodus of Israelites, the “chosen people” (the “type”). Image: The First Thanksgiving, Jenny Brownscombe,
Pilgrim Hall Museum, 1920.
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Figures and typology: Story of American Exceptionalism
Individuals are “chosen”—the elect But COMMUNITY as whole is “people chosen
of God” as well New Israelites (Puritans) sent on errand into
the wilderness to establish the new Jerusalem in anticipation of Christ’s return