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

1. English 441 Dr. Roggenkamp American Visions, American Stories: The Puritan World View and Early American Literature

2. America . . . A Nation of Stories • America built upon “stories” • Not founded on geographical or linguistic unity—immigrant, native experiences • “Stories” or ideologies impart unity to diverse people and experiences • Published works, political rhetoric, press determine which stories become “legitimate” and definitive • Role of colonial, early Republic experience in shaping stories

3. Dominant stories & patterns emerge from European settlement in America • Story of Diversity • Story of Individualism • Story of Expansionism & Colonialism (and Exploitation) • Story of Capitalism • Story of Exceptionalism

4. Dominant stories & patterns emerge from English settlement in America • Story of Diversity: • Not a single experience or single “story” • Diversified socially, religiously, racially, ethnically, etc.

5. Dominant stories & patterns emerge from English settlement in America • Story of Individualism: • America as a place to “go it alone” • Not tied to old European alliances, traditions

6. Dominant stories & patterns emerge from English settlement in America • Story of Expansionism & Colonialism (and Exploitation) • Right & even God-given duty to spread across continent • “Civilize” the wilderness—and anyone who already lives there

7. Dominant stories & patterns emerge from English settlement in America • Story of Capitalism • America as a place where personal wealth available • Reward for leading godly life • Image: John Winthrop, Governor, Massachusetts Bay Company

8. 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)

9. Image: Embarkation of the Pilgrims, Robert W. Weir, U. S. Capitol Building, 1837

10. AND NOW FOR A QUIZ! (adapted from PBS series “Colonial House”) • True or False: • The first European colony in the New World was one founded by the English in what is now Virginia (Jamestown, of Captain John Smith and Pocahontas fame).

11. FALSE • The Spanish founded the first permanent colony at St. Augustine (Florida) in 1565 • The first colony in Virginia was Jamestown, founded by the English in 1607 • The Dutch founded New Amsterdam (New York) in 1608 • English “pilgrims” arrive in Plymouth (Massachusetts) in 1620, and English Puritans in Boston/Salem area 1630 • Image: Map depicting destruction of St. Augustine, 1586

12. True or False? • The Pilgrims and Puritans usually wore black and white clothing

13. False • Black cloth was expensive and hard to obtain, so only wealthier Pilgrims and Puritans owned it, and they saved it for Sundays and special occasions • They usually wore beige, gray, green, red, blue, and purple • The buckles on shoes and hats are an invention of nineteenth-century illustrators • Image: From PBS series “Colonial House”

14. True or False? • English colonists came to the new world seeking religious freedom.

15. Only very partially true. • Some, like Pilgrims of Mayflower fame, came seeking religious freedom as primary objective • But even the Puritans of Salem and Boston had many motivations, not just religious—largely POLITICAL • Most colonists came believing there was money to be made—and investors came to oversee their valuable property • Some came just for adventure • Image: Wealthy English adventurer

16. True or False? • An "Indian princess" named Pocahontas rescued early colonist Captain John Smith from certain death and later fell in love with him.

17. False, but a Fetching Story (Sorry, Walt Disney) • Pocahontas, daughter of Algonquian Indian chief, was 11-12 when the Virginia Company, led by Captain John Smith, arrived to found Jamestown colony • Smith wrote that he was kidnapped by Indians, who took him to their village to club him to death • Pocahontas ran in and saved his life • Kidnapping and mock death threat likely part of tribal adoption ritual • Smith embroidered story about her saving him—reported that Indian women saved his life on other occasions as well

18. Colors of the wind, etc. etc. • Little evidence to suggest romantic relationship between Smith and Pocahontas • Pocahontas later married colonist John Rolfe and traveled to England to meet King James I • Died at the age of 22 and was buried in a churchyard in Gravesend, England • Image: Depictions of Pocahontas

19. True or False? • Early colonists celebrated the first Thanksgiving in November 1621, and it has been an annual holiday in North America ever since

20. False. (Sorry, schoolchildren of America.) • Sometime during fall 1621, the 50% of Pilgrims who survived the first winter in Plymouth Colony held harvest celebration with feasting and games. • Menu: lobster and eel • But not called "Thanksgiving" • Image: 1914 depiction of the "First Thanksgiving"

21. Welcome to Turkey-ville • No one associated the Pilgrims with "Thanksgiving” until William Bradford’s account of the 1621 harvest festival was discovered and published in 1841. • In 1863 Abraham Lincoln proclaimed annual Day of Thanksgiving on the last Thursday of November. • By end of nineteenth century when "Wild West" was settled, white Americans felt comfortable enough with idea of Pilgrim forefathers dining with “friendly Indians,” and the Pilgrims became identified with the holiday.

22. True or False? • Early English colonists developed strict laws and harsh punishments for those who broke them.

23. Wickedly True • Elaborate system of laws, fines, punishments, public humiliations to keep order • Plymouth Colony: could be put to death for murder, witchcraft, arson, rape, adultery, sodomy • Public whipping or being placed in public stocks • Fines for cursing, missing church, lying, defying parents • Offenders could be forced wear badges or cloth letters identifying crimes (The Scarlet Letter, anyone?)

24. True or False? • The Puritans and Pilgrims viewed alcohol and tobacco as instruments of the devil and banned them from the colonies. And they NEVER engaged in (ahem) “adult relations” before marriage!

25. False, now pour me another one • EVERYONE (even children) drank alcoholic beverages—unpurified water could cause illness and death • But frowned upon excessive consumption and public drunkenness (might lead to having to wear red “D” [for drunkard] around his neck for a year) • Smoking also wide-spread, though dangerous (fire) • Up to 40% of Puritan babies were conceived before the ring was on the finger • http://www.history.org/foundation/journal/holiday07/court.cfm

26. True or False? • Early English colonists such as the Pilgrims and Puritans introduced Christian holidays such as Christmas and Easter to North America.

27. They would be HORRIFIED to know that many people today think this is true! • Only three holidays “approved”: Sabbath, days of thanksgiving, and fast days • Christmas and Easter viewed as pagan in origin (technically true—both holidays drew upon and incorporated pagan rituals and symbols), and as holidays constructed by the Church of England and the Roman Catholic Church • In addition, marriage viewed as a civil union, not a religious sacrament

28. True or False? • Enslaved Africans arrived in Colonial America before the Mayflower did.

29. True • In 1619 a Dutch ship carrying 20 Africans to be sold arrived in Jamestown (Virginia) • Additionally, the majority of America's first colonists were white indentured servants (voluntarily came to the colonies, signing a contract pledging four to eight years of servitude in exchange for passage to New World) • Image: Eighteenth-century etching of slave ship Brookes, detailing packing of human "cargo"

30. 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

31. 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)

32. 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.

33. 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)

34. 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

35. Puritans: Separatists and Non-Separatists • Most Puritans simply want to PURIFY Church of England, not break with it / separate from it (Non-Separatist Puritans) • Simply want to “fix” Church—too close to Catholic roots • Some, though, think Church (and by connection government of England) is beyond fixing (Separatist Puritans, or “Pilgrims”) • Purify Christianity by separating from established church • Radical political offense! Image: Thomas Smith, Self Portrait, circa 1680

36. 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 • Quakers—Pennsylvania (late 17th c.) • John Calvin, Swiss Protestant reformer, 1509-1564 • Theology: about an interlocking system of COVENANTS (laws, legally binding agreements between God and humanity) Image: John Calvin

37. 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

38. 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. • Christian 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

39. Covenant of Grace, 2 • Calvin: 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

40. 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 • 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

41. The Appeal; or, What’s In It For Me? • Covenant system very delicately balanced—inherent drama • 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

42. Massachusetts Coast (modern)

43. Of Pilgrims and Puritans: What’s the difference? • In some sense, 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 (Winthrop, Bradstreet, Boston/Massachusetts Bay Co., est. 1630) • Pilgrims are radical Puritans—Church of England has to go—beyond salvation (Bradford, Plymouth Plantation, est. 1620) Image: Facsimile of Bradford’s manuscript for Of Plymouth Plantation

44. 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.

45. 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

46. 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

47. 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

48. 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.

49. 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