Breve recorrido por los comienzos de la literatura Norteamericana

2. Captain John Smith (1580-1631)

7. Elizabeth I Quakers (the Friends)

8. King James I

9. Mayflower Passengers Come
Ashore at Plymouth Harbor (1620)
Native Americans were portrayed as
"savages" in need of salvation.
Conversion to Christianity was the
answer for the Native American.

10. Puritan Family at Prayer
“The Godly”
“Pure” interpretation of the Bible.

11. Religion and Government closely intertwined.
“Theocracy” (the laws of society and religion were the
same)

13. Richard Mather
Increase Mather
Cotton Mather

15. RICHARD MATHERRICHARD MATHER: typical strong Puritan
minister.
INCREASE MATHERINCREASE MATHER: leader of New England
theocracy. “Remarkable Providences” (1684)
psychological environment of the time. Puritans’
strange beliefs.
COTTON MATHERCOTTON MATHER: Prolific writer. “Cotton’s
Diary”: his special relationship with God. “Magnalia
Christi Americana” (1702): description of the Salem
witch trials. His writings: from “plain style” to
complicated language filled with strange words
from Latin.

16. First New England poet.
“Tenth Muse Lately
Sprung Up in America”
(1650): first New World’s
poems published in
England.
Her poems: refuses to sing
of Wars, Captains and
Kings. Simplicity. A look
into the heart of 17th C.
American woman.

17. Travel guides: facts with fantasy
Tales of adventure and excitement
Letters / Diaries / Journals
“Advertisements” to persuade readers to
settle in the New World
Annals about travel, settlements, climate
and prospects for cultivation.
Books full of American promise, of heroic
and divine missions

18. Recorded everything they did
Diff. kind of narration: the voyager was not
the explorer but the Pilgrim
Religious themes.
The plot was providential. God’s guidance.
The Bible as the main source
Deep superstition in religious matters.
New settlings and the forest. Difficulties with
“Indians”. Difficulties with winter and the
land.
Laws and punishments.

19. Nathaniel Hawthorne (1850) / Arthur Miller (1952)