Puritan Literature

Religion Religion dominated their lives and their writings. Belief in predestination = all events are foreknown and ordained by God. Belief in doctrine of election = God chooses who is saved and who is damned. Nagging Puritan question: “Am I among the elected? Am I saved?”

Education Highly valued; education’s purpose was for religious education. Harvard founded in 1636 to train ministers.

Intolerance Error must be opposed and driven out; symptom of Satan’s presence.

Literature Puritans wrote theological studies, hymns, histories, biographies, autobiographies, and poetry. No drama or fiction because they regarded these as sinful. Poetry was a vehicle for spiritual enlightenment. Writing style reflected their lives: simple and straightforward (“Puritan Plain Style”)

Edward Taylor Worked as a teacher in England. Came to Boston to be a minister and physician. Walked 100 miles in the snow to his new home. Tragedy-filled life (5 of his kids and wife died). Regarded as the best colonial poet. Taylor uses apostrophe and comparisons.

Anne Bradstreet At age 18, moved from England to Mass. Bay Colony with her husband ; had 8 kids. Wrote poetry despite the fact that writing was considered “unladylike” in Puritan times. She wrote for herself, never intending to be published. Poems are about everyday life, love, her husband & kids.

Jonathan Edwards By 12, able to speak Latin, Greek and Hebrew Went to Yale at 13 yrs. old and graduated four years later as Valedictorian One of the leaders of The Great Awakening (movement of the 1730s & 1740s) His style of sermons were “fire & brimstone,” but his delivery was usually understated. The power of his words and imagery often drove the congregation into fits of hysteria.