1. …and their contributions to American Literature
PURITANS
…and their contributions to American Literature

2. Who are the Puritans?
Colonists/settlers from Europe who came to America in the 1600s for religious freedom
Religious reformers that did not withdraw from the Church of England who intended to reform the Church from within

3. How are they different from Pilgrims?
Pilgrims were also religious reformers, however, they withdrew from the Church of England and became known as “Separatists”

4. What was the Puritans’ Purpose?
Hoped to establish the Massachusetts Bay Colony as a “city upon a hill,” a model community guided in all aspects by the Bible
Their form of government was a theocracy, a state under the immediate guidance of God
Idea of contract between people and government stems from that Puritan idea of covenant between God and people.
Felt that the “saintly elect” should have great influence in politics.

5. What were the Puritans’ Central Beliefs?
Human beings exist for the glory of God
The Bible is the sole expression of God’s will
Man is basically evil
Predestination: God has already decided who will achieve salvation and who will not
Continual hard work and discipline
Education (for religious purposes)

6. How does predestination work?
No one knows if they are “chosen” so, all devout Puritans searched their souls with great rigor and frequency for signs of grace
The “elect” that will be saved mustn’t take election for granted, thus everyone must live as if they know they were elected

7. Puritan Ideals Today Hard work (“Puritan Ethic”) Frugality
Self-improvement
Self-Reliance
Education
…are all values inherited from the Puritans as basic American virtues

8. How did the Puritans contribute to American literature?
Wrote theological studies, hymns, histories, biographies and autobiographies with the purpose of spiritual insight and instruction
Fiction and Drama = Sin
Puritans did write poetry as a vehicle for spiritual enlightenment

9. Puritan Writing Sole purpose = moral instruction
The writing style of the Puritans reflected the plain style of their lives – spare, simple, straightforward = Puritan Plain Style  characterized by short words, direct statements, and references to ordinary, everyday objects

10. Major Authors of the Puritan Period - 1600’s-1800
William Bradford
Mary Rowlandson
Anne Bradstreet
Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz
Edward Taylor
Jonathan Edwards

11. Anne Bradstreet 1612-1672 Published in England without her knowledge.
Explores religion and personal relationship with God.
Difference - Use of metaphor in writing.
Bradstreet, as other Puritan women, believed that men were superior to women
She felt it improper for a woman to appear in print
Too bad for her beliefs…she is considered the 1st American poet.

12. Edward Taylor 1642-1729 The Poetical Works of Edward Taylor
Differed from other Puritan writers - use of metaphor in writing.
Explored how his identity was shaped by “God’s Grace”.

13. Jonathan Edwards 1703-1758 Fire and brimstone imagery.
Tyrannical pastor - extreme and strict - humans “lowly sinners.”
The last Puritan