Characteristics of Puritan Literature Use with Puritan Characteristics
- Slides: 10
Characteristics of Puritan Literature Use with Puritan Characteristics Chart worksheet. Adapted from Vancover Island West School District Powerpoint Greenville Public Schools, Greenville, SC
Characteristics of the Literature ¨ Strenuous and Serious – because life was an unrelenting moral struggle ¨ Serious and Sober – Did not want to show light-mindedness or worldliness. ¨ Rational and Orderly – because God’s creation was logical and harmonious, all verbal representation should exhibit the same traits ¨ Realistic – Attempted in writing to present life exactly as they saw it.
¨ Plain Style – Very distinct and orderly – Used scriptural analogies – Used incidents from daily life and allusions from the Bible ¨ Primary Dramatic Element was the struggle between Christ and Satan – Puritans believed themselves to be God’s predestined champions.
How the power worked ¨ Ministers had “unofficial” authority, but profound importance ¨ Only male members of the church could vote ¨ Outsiders were not welcome – if they wanted to stay they had to convert to Puritanism ¨ Puritans were very nosy, always checking to be sure their neighbors were being “good” Puritans
7 tenets of 17 th Century Puritanism (These go on the worksheet) 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Absolute Sovereignty of God: God rules all things. Predestination: everything has been decided by God beforehand Providence: God directly intervenes in this world Natural Depravity: Since Adam’s fall, all people are born in sin and deserve damnation Doctrine of the Elect: Through God’s mercy a few are saved by God’s grace alone, not by own efforts. Evil is Within: Man needs to reform himself, not institutions God is revealed in the Bible
Other Puritan Beliefs ¨ God is everywhere and in everything ¨ They came to the New World to purify the church from within ¨ They were on a divine mission; they were the “city upon the hill”—articulated by John Winthrop in his sermon called Abella Covenant in 1630 ¨ ". . . for we must consider that we shall be as a city upon a hill, the eyes of all people are upon us; . . . "
¨ Emphasis on moral behavior ¨ Danger of wilderness and nature ¨ Looked UP to God, not OUT in the world ¨ Faith was their rock. Human intellect was valued. ¨ Believed a Spartan (simple) existence led them closer to God ¨ Denied free will (because they believed in predestination)
¨ Promoted education and reading ¨ Must be able to read in order to read the Bible ¨ Against anything the Bible is against: technology, democracy, pride, sleeping during sermons, divorce ¨ Created first college, first bookstore, first newspaper
Misconceptions: Puritans… ¨ …were not somber or sad. ¨ …wore colored clothes. ¨ …had games like horse racing and ninepin bowling. ¨ …had celebrations, partook of “strong waters. ” ¨ …were not opposed to pleasure but saw its regulation as part of a well-ordered society.
Now what ¨ Take all this information, especially the “tenets” and use it to complete the worksheet “Puritan Characteristics. ” Use copies of both texts to help you find your citations.
- Characteristics of puritanism
- Puritan literature characteristics
- Puritanism definition literature
- Puritanism definition literature
- Comment on paradise lost as a puritan age document
- Characteristics of puritan age
- Puritain plain style
- Puritan beliefs
- Puritan values and beliefs
- Puritans religion beliefs
- Puritan ideals