ii. literature of colonial america (1620-1776) puritanism captivity narratives benjamin franklin

II. Literature of Colonial America (1620-1776)

• Puritanism

• Captivity Narratives

• Benjamin Franklin

Puritanism

• Beliefs

• William Bradford

• John Winthrop

• Salem Witch Trials

• The Great Awakening

Puritan Beliefs

• Natural depravity

(original sin)

• Predestination

(no free will)

• God acts in the world

• Typology

Puritanism

• Search for God’s grace

• Self-examination

• History important

William Bradford

• Led Pilgrims for first 30 years

• Wrote Of Plymouth Plantation—a history of the Plymouth colony.

-typology (meaning of New England)

-documents community & changes in ideals

-audience = ”backsliders”

John Winthrop

• Led Puritan ”Great Migration” in 1630

• Not the same as Pilgrims

• Delivered sermon on ship before landing—”A Modell of Christian Charity”

Winthrop - 1630

”that men shall say of succeeding plantacions: the lord make it like that of New England: for wee must Consider that wee shall be as a Citty upon a Hill, the eies of all people are uppon us; soe that if wee shall deale falsely with our god in this worke wee have undertaken and soe cause him to withdrawe his present help from us,”

”City Upon A Hill”

• Example to rest of world

• Interpretation of ”mission into the wilderness”

• Survives to this day

Salem Witch Trials – 1692

• 19 people executed• 1 dies during

interrogation• Most victims female• Most victims around

40 years old.• Wealthier than in

previous witch hunts

Causes of witch trials?

• Anti-women?

• Crusade against wealth?

• Repressive religious environment?

• Mass hysteria?

• Symptom of decline in Puritanism

The Great Awakening

• Religious revival sweeps colonies

• 1720s, 30s, 40s• Reaction to ”backsliding”• Helps unify colonies

(common experience)• Religious renewal• Democratic tendencies• Salvation now in man’s

hands

Captivity Narratives

What are they?

Captivity Narratives

• Whites captured by Indians

• Tale told as spiritual trial or test

• Advocates particular interpretation of Indians (=devils)

• New literary genre

• ”Narrative of Mary Rowlandson”

What Captivity Narratives reveal (and conceal)

• Racial attitudes

• Role of women

• Not everyone wanted to return

• Reversal of ”Pocahontas” myth

Captivity Narratives

Legacy of Captivity Narrative

• ”The Searchers” (1956)

• Later used as exploration of racial attitudes

Modern Captivity Narrative

• Search for a mission

• Test of moral strength

• Search for home

Benjamin Franklin

• Born 1706

• Died 1790

• Famous for?

Benjamin Franklin

• Businessman• Printer• Inventor• Diplomat• Writer• Founding Father

Printer

• Published Poor Richard’s Almanck• Introduced sayings into language

• ”Early to bed, early to rise….”• ”A penny saved is a penny earned”• ”Time is money”• ”Fish and visitors stink after three days”• ”There was never a good war or a bad peace”

Inventor

• Experiments with electricity

• Wood stove• Swimming fins• Bifocal glasses• Lightning rod• Folding chair• Daylight savings

time?

Statesman

• Signed all major documents creating American state

Declaration of Independence

Alliance with FranceTreaty of ParisConstitution

Writer

• Satire

• Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

Autobiography

• Conscious attempt to give country an ideology

• First articulation of American Dream—the self-made man

• Self-help manual

• Poor boy goes to new city

• Combats hardships, works hard

• Succeeds

• Same as Puritan/Pilgrim story

• Same as immigrant story

• Same as Hollywood story

American Dream

• Leave the old world behind– Persecution/poverty

• Recreate oneself– Godly life/hard work

• Reward in end– Heaven/material wealth

Autobiography

It was about this time I conceiv'd the bold and arduous project of arriving at moral perfection. I wish'd to live without committing any fault at any time; I would conquer all that either natural inclination, custom, or company might lead me into. As I knew, or thought I knew, what was right and wrong, I did not see why I might not always do the one and avoid the other.

Autobiography• 1. TEMPERANCE. Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation.• 2. SILENCE. Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling

conversation.• 3. ORDER. Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have

its time.• 4. RESOLUTION. Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you

resolve.• 5. FRUGALITY. Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i.e., waste

nothing.• 6. INDUSTRY. Lose no time; be always employ'd in something useful; cut off all

unnecessary actions.• 7. SINCERITY. Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak,

speak accordingly.• 8. JUSTICE. Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty.• 9. MODERATION. Avoid extreams; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think

they deserve.• 10. CLEANLINESS. Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, cloaths, or habitation.• 11. TRANQUILLITY. Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or

unavoidable.• 12. CHASTITY. Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dulness,

weakness, or the injury of your own or another's peace or reputation.• 13. HUMILITY. Imitate Jesus and Socrates. . . .

Importance

• Articulation of American Dream

• Rags-to-riches images

• Move from religious to secular

-virtues maintained

-good works

-material reward for virtue

• Calling → career

Era characteristics

• Puritanism and its decline in North

• First new genre: captivity narratives

• Shift from religious to political writing

Key terms

• Puritanism

• ”City upon a Hill”

• Mary Rowlandson

• Franklin’s Autobiography

Next week:

• Literature of the New Republic

• Read ”Young Goodman Brown”