overview

1. 18th century Enlightenment
and Rationalism
Impact on America and ‘Americans’
(note concepts that begin to emerge and apply them to the literary experiences)

2. • The thrust of Enlightenment was to search for natural explanations
for things in a scientific. The idea of supernatural becomes something
of a scandal, something of a great difficulty (Mather, the wonders of
the invisible world). The universe is like a giant clock and God is the
master clock maker. In this period clocks were emblematic of the
universe. One could tell time by the way the planets moved around
the sun. They’re only in this position every so many years. Based on
that, if you’ve been out time traveling and you come flying into the
Solar System, you can take a snapshot of where the planets are and
figure out when it is. It moves like a giant clock and they were
discovering this. These aren’t random or odd motions up in the sky,
they are very regular.
•

3. So God created a world that operates according to laws, natural law.
This means that He did not need to intervene – basic Deistic
belief. That is it’s based on observation of what we can see. Another
element of this Enlightenment is the idea that we should be able to see
the evidence for ourselves and judge it for ourselves – results in a
movement away from authority. Before, if one wanted to prove a
scientific theory, one would consult Hypocrites and Aristotle. In
religious matters, one quoted the Bible, and the Bishops, and the
theologians, the proper authorities. Now the philosophy was to move
toward individual ability. We see that somewhat also in the early
stages of the Puritan movement, but this is expressed very differently.

4. Era of Transition:
Major changes in American ideas and ideals: Refashions existing
Puritan ideas in response to intellectual and scientific questions of Age
of Reason
• 16th & 17th century explorers become 18th century travelers:
• i.e. Sarah Kemble Knight, Hector Crevecoeur, Ben Franklin
• Puritan Spiritualism gives way to materialism and secularism
• Eastern cities become more gentrified, aristocratic, and cosmopolitan
• Western frontier becomes more expansive, independent, and
individualistic

5. Knowledge:
Lockian empiricism, through senses and reason –
Rely on senses as way of knowing - Scientific
method as a way of knowing
•Beliefs proven through repeated
experimentation
•No longer accept dictates or authority of church
•Eliminate need for supernatural intervention -

6. World view:
natural laws are discoverable, Deism (celestial clockmaker)
• Turn from religion as explanation to science and reason as way of life
• Newton and Locke: Rely on recognized authority
• Laws of the Universe are discoverable & repeatable –
• Angels do not move celestial bodies
• God as prime mover – sets events in motion then steps away
• (Deism – kind of natural religion based on what can be observed)
• American experience is interpreted in light of moral naturalism,
liberalism, and progress.

7. Social view: democracy, common man is more moral, closer
to truth, Constitution is "machine" to set government in
motion
• Locke – Government rests on popular consent –
rebellion permissible when government subverts the
ends for which it was established
• Rousseau – Common man & natural man – more moral
and closer to the truth – society is original sin that
corrupts man (romantic notion)
View of ‘self’: Social - member of a community, be a good
citizen, social works, Trust in self
View of Nature: mechanical, scientific, follows laws/rules,
hierarchical separation of God, Man, Nature

8. Literary Forms and expression:
• Early part of 18th century literature remains mostly in forms of
journals and diaries
• Mid century – literature comes in forms of political writings –
pamphlets, treatises, newspaper and periodicals
• American writing/literary experiences about American subjects only
emerge at end of century
• Recognition of the uniqueness of the American experience leads to a search
for things that are “American”
• The “Howling Wilderness” metaphysic of Bradford and Rowlandson changes
to one of a ‘Promising Garden’ in which all things are possible in the fertile
soil of the “New World.”

9. American Literary Experiences
• Metaphysic conceived in discourse between European Enlightenment
thinkers/philosophers – Newton, Burke, Locke, and Rousseau and
American potential – in the decay of Europe they saw the future in
America – promise of the future. Country became the place in which
to create a new social order, new social, government, and economic
structure – replace corrupt systems of Europe. (Jefferson/Declaration)
• New metaphysic of American experience merges man with terrain –
as portrayed by Crevecoeur’s letters – suggests how a new nature and
new social order create a new kind of man and close the open circle
of civilization on American Soil – Embody in Franklin