Early American Literature - 2012 Words

American Literature begins in the early 1600s with the written works of the new settlers coming from Europe to the New Land of America. Although the Indians lived in America before the first Europeans arrived; their literature was somewhat neglected due to it being transmitted orally with no written works. The American writings of the early seventeenth century possess no great artistic value; they are mainly valuable as a study in origins and understanding Americas early experience. During its early history, America was a series of British colonies on its northern coast. Therefore, its literary tradition followed European models of style. However, it was somewhat modified by the new environment. The first Puritan colonists who†¦show more content†¦Edward was the son of a yeoman farmer, and went to Harvard for higher education in divinity. In 1671, he became a pastor in Westfield, Massachusetts, where he stayed there until his death. Taylors poems were not discovered until 1 937 and not published until 1939. Most critics today rate Edward Taylor as the best of the Puritan poets. His best poetry appears in Preparatory Meditations, which were a collection written for his church. He intended the poems to prepare his mind to preach and to celebrate Communion. In Gods Determination, Taylor used a debate between good and evil to emphasize Gods mercy for people. His works show the influence of the complex style of the English metaphysical poets of the 1600s. Like them, he blended everyday words and incidents with Biblical language and complex metaphors. Meditation 8 is an example of this kind of metaphysical poetry. The characteristics of this poem are its use of strong language and powerful images. The poem opens with Taylors musings about the vastness and wonder of creation and the unspeakable glories that must lie behind it. Belonging to the colonial and puritan era (1620 Ââ€"1745), Taylor usually discussed religious themes just as in these lines: I kenning through Astronomy Divine The Worlds bright Battlement, wherein I spy A Golden Path my Pensill cannot line, From that bright Throne unto my Threshold ly. And while my puzzled thoughts about it pore I finde the Bread of LifeShow MoreRelatedEarly American Literature Essay1511 Words   |  7 Pagesthat the search for a native literature became a national obsession. Then with the triumph of American independence, many at the time saw this as a divine sign that America and her people were destined for greatness. Greatness came with a strong nation and thousands of poems and stories that still shape our nation. The recent revolution greatly expressed the heart of the American people. However, it would take another fifty years of development throughout American before it produced the firstRead MoreThemes in Early American Literature Essays1568 Words   |  7 PagesThemes of Early American Literature Early American literature does a tremendous job of revealing the exact conditions and challenges that were faced by the explorers and later by the colonists of the New World. From early shipwrecks to the later years of small colonies barely surviving through dreadful winters, the literary works of the time period focus on some very recognizable themes. The theme of any given work – being simply the unifying subject or idea – is a very important element of anyRead MoreChildhood During Early American Literature1447 Words   |  6 PagesChildhood in early American literature: In the early part of American history literature played a significant role in defining on how America would be shaped and molded. For the Puritans, coming to America provided the opportunity to express their opinions and beliefs. This opportunity was what they had been striving for and finally had the chance to implement. The Puritans took full advantage of this opportunity and utilized literature to provide values and rules to be followed. The literature writtenRead MoreEarly American Children s Literature1490 Words   |  6 PagesEarly American children’s literature was intended to provide children with religious, social and moral education. Puritans were one of the first groups to create a large body of children s books, their doctrine of original sin assumed that all children were damned until they were converted to Christianity (Susina ). The Puritans believed that reading the Bible was important to achieving salvation, therefore teaching children to read was a priority for that matter. The New England Primer, An AlphabetRead MoreEssay on Values In Early American Literature1346 Words   |  6 PagesValues in Early American Literature We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their creator with inherent and inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, says the Declaration of Independence. This phrase encompasses three major values shown throughout early American literature. The strong belief in religion, freedom, and a strong will for a better life. Each piece had one or more of these themesRead MoreEssay about Early American Literature1044 Words   |  5 PagesEarly American Literature (1620-1820) In the first half of the 17th century the New World found two groups of people colonizing. The first group, the Puritans, had left England after years of exile due to their lack of faith in the Church of England. 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The Revolutionaries, the Transcendentalists, and theRead MoreEssay Role of Religion in Early American Literature619 Words   |  3 PagesRole of Religion in Early American Literature American Literature, especially of the early settler and colonial period is marked by a deep sense of religion and a stress upon writing about matters related to religion. The development of early American literature thus can be seen to be a reflection of the religious ideals followed by the early settlers and colonists and it became a means of promoting a moral and ethical way of life. Early American literature is filled with an obvious expressionRead MoreEssay on The Role of Religion in Early American Literature1218 Words   |  5 PagesThe Role of Religion in Early American Literature 1) The role of religion played a major role in early American literature. Many different authors form a variety of time periods incorporate religious ideas and philosophies into their writings. A few authors from different time periods that did this were Johnathan Edwards, Anne Bradstreet, and Henry David Thoreau. Anne Bradstreet was a Puritan. Much like all the other Puritans of her time she examined her conscience daily and that theyRead MoreEvolution Of The Witch From Early American Literature1609 Words   |  7 PagesThe Evolution of the Witch from Early American Literature to Contemporary Film Over time there have been many different stories and adaptations about the monster that is the witch. From one folktale, to a book, to a movie there are slight differences that make each interpretation very unique. The stereotype is, people think that witches have green skin, big noses, and that they fly on brooms with pointy hats. However, if we completely examine the different texts such as The Conjuring or The Crucible