Chapter 1 Colonial Period I Background: Puritanism 1. features of puritanism (1)Predestination: God decided everything before things occurred (2)Original sin: Human beings were born to be evil, and this original sin can be passed down from generation to generation (3) Total depravity (4) Limited atonement: Only the elects can be saved 2. Influence (1)A group of good qualities hard work, thrift, piety, sobriety (serious and thoughtful) influenced American literature (2)It led to the everlasting myth. All literature is based on a myth garden of eden (3) Symbolism: the American puritan *s metaphorical mode of perception was chiefly instrumental in calling into being a literary symbolism which is distinctly American (4)With regard to their writing, the style is fresh, simple and direct; the rhetoric is plain and honest, not without a touch of no bility often traceable to the direct influence of the bible lL. Overview of the literature 1. types of writing diaries, histories, journals, letters, travel books, auto biographies/biographies, sermons 2. writers of colonial period (1) Anne Bradstreet
1 Chapter 1 Colonial Period I. Background: Puritanism 1.features of Puritanism （1）Predestination: God decided everything before things occurred. （2）Original sin: Human beings were born to be evil, and this original sin can be passed down from generation to generation. （3）Total depravity （4）Limited atonement: Only the ※elect§ can be saved. 2.Influence （1）A group of good qualities hard work, thrift, piety, sobriety （serious and thoughtful） influenced American literature. （2）It led to the everlasting myth. All literature is based on a myth garden of Eden. （3）Symbolism: the American puritan＊s metaphorical mode of perception was chiefly instrumental in calling into being a literary symbolism which is distinctly American. （4）With regard to their writing, the style is fresh, simple and direct; the rhetoric is plain and honest, not without a touch of nobility often traceable to the direct influence of the Bible. II. Overview of the literature 1.types of writing diaries, histories, journals, letters, travel books, autobiographies/biographies, sermons 2.writers of colonial period （1）Anne Bradstreet
(2) Edward Taylor (3)Roger williams (4) John Woolman (5) Thomas (6) Philip Freneau Ⅲ. Jonathan Edwards 1.life 2 work (1) The Freedom of the will 2) The Great Doctrine of Original Sin Defended (3) The Nature of True virtue 3.ideas pioneer of transcendentalism (1) The spirit of revivalism (2)Regeneration of man (3) God * s presence (4)Puritan idealism Benjamin Franklin life 2. work (1) Poor Richard * s Almanac
2 （2）Edward Taylor （3）Roger Williams （4）John Woolman （5）Thomas Paine （6）Philip Freneau III. Jonathan Edwards 1.life 2.works （1）The Freedom of the Will （2）The Great Doctrine of Original Sin Defended （3）The Nature of True Virtue 3.ideas pioneer of transcendentalism （1）The spirit of revivalism （2）Regeneration of man （3）God＊s presence （4）Puritan idealism IV. Benjamin Franklin 1.life 2.works （1）Poor Richard＊s Almanac
(2)Autobiograph 3. contribution (1) He helped found the pennsylvania Hospital and the american Philoso phical Society (2) He was called xthe new Prometheus who had stolen fire (electricity in this case) from heavens (3) Everything seems to meet in this one man jAck of all trades. Herman Melville thus described him master of each and mastered by none
3 （2）Autobiography 3.contribution （1）He helped found the Pennsylvania Hospital and the American Philosophical Society. （2）He was called ※the new Prometheus who had stolen fire （electricity in this case） from heaven§. （3）Everything seems to meet in this one man ※Jack of all trades§. Herman Melville thus described him ※master of each and mastered by none
Chapter 2 American Romanticism Section 1 Early Romantic Period What is Romanticism? lAn approach from ancient Greek: Plato IA literary trend: 1 8c in Britain (1798-1832) SChlegel Bros L Preview: Characteristics of romanticism 1. subjectivity (1) feeling and emotions, finding truth (2)emphasis on imagination (3)emphasis on individualism personal freedom, no hero worship, natural goodness of human beings 2. back to medieval, esp medieval folk literature (1) unrestrained by classical rules (2)full of imagination (3)colloquial language (4 ) freedom of imagination (5)genuine in feelings: answer their call for classics 3. back to nature nature is breathing living things (Rousseau I. American Romanticism 1. Background
4 Chapter 2 American Romanticism Section 1 Early Romantic Period What is Romanticism? lAn approach from ancient Greek: Plato lA literary trend: 18c in Britain （1798~1832） lSchlegel Bros. I. Preview: Characteristics of romanticism 1.subjectivity （1）feeling and emotions, finding truth （2）emphasis on imagination （3）emphasis on individualism personal freedom, no hero worship, natural goodness of human beings 2.back to medieval, esp medieval folk literature （1）unrestrained by classical rules （2）full of imagination （3）colloquial language （4）freedom of imagination （5）genuine in feelings: answer their call for classics 3.back to nature nature is ※breathing living thing§ （Rousseau） II. American Romanticism 1.Background
(1) Political background and economic development movement in European countries Derivative foreign influence 2. features manticism was in essence the expre of※ a real ney experience and contained an alien qualitys for the simple reason that xthe spirit of the places was radically new and alien (2) There is American Puritanism as a cultural heritage to consider American romantic authors tended more to moralize. Many American romantic writings intended to edify more than they entertained (3) The xnewnesss of Americans as a nation is in connection with American Romanticism (4)As a logical result of the foreign and native factors at work, American romanticism was both imitative and independent Ⅲl. Washington Irving 1. several names attached to Irving (1) first American writer (2) the messenger sent from the new world to the old world (3) father of American literature 2.life 3. works (1) A History of New York from the Beginning of the World to the End of the Dutch Dynasty
5 （1）Political background and economic development （2）Romantic movement in European countries Derivative foreign influence 2.features （1）American romanticism was in essence the expression of ※a real new experience and contained ※an alien quality§ for the simple reason that ※the spirit of the place§ was radically new and alien. （2）There is American Puritanism as a cultural heritage to consider. American romantic authors tended more to moralize. Many American romantic writings intended to edify more than they entertained. （3）The ※newness§ of Americans as a nation is in connection with American Romanticism. （4）As a logical result of the foreign and native factors at work, American romanticism was both imitative and independent. III. Washington Irving 1.several names attached to Irving （1）first American writer （2）the messenger sent from the new world to the old world （3）father of American literature 2.life 3.works （1）A History of New York from the Beginning of the World to the End of the Dutch Dynasty
(2) The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent. ( He won a measure of international recognition with the publication of this. (3) The History of the Life and Voyages of Christopher Columbus (4 )A Chronicle of the Conquest of granada (5)The Alhambra 4. Literary career: two parts (1)1809~1832 a Subjects are either English or European b. Conservative love for the antique (2)1832~1859: back to us 5.style beauti (1) gentility, urbanity pleasan (2) avoiding moralizing amusing and entertaining (3)enveloping stories in an atmosph (4) vivid and ti (5)humour smiling while reading (6) musical language James fenir 1. life
6 （2）The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent. （He won a measure of international recognition with the publication of this.） （3）The History of the Life and Voyages of Christopher Columbus （4）A Chronicle of the Conquest of Granada （5）The Alhambra 4.Literary career: two parts （1）1809~1832 a. Subjects are either English or European b. Conservative love for the antique （2）1832~1859: back to US 5.style beautiful （1）gentility, urbanity, pleasantness （2）avoiding moralizing amusing and entertaining （3）enveloping stories in an atmosphere （4）vivid and true characters （5）humour smiling while reading （6）musical language IV. James Fenimore Cooper 1.life 2.works
(1) Precaution (1820, his first novel, imitating Austen xs Pride and Prejudice) (2) The Spy (his second novel and great success (3)Leatherstocking Tales (his masterpiece, a series of five novels) The deerslayer, The Last of the Mohicans, The Pathfinder, The Pioneer, The Prairie 3. point of view he theme of wilderness vs. civilization, freedom vs law, order vs change, aristocrat vs democrat, natural rights vs. legal rights 4.style (1)highly imaginative 2) good at inventing tales (3) good at landscape description (4) conservative (5) characterization wooden and lacking in probability (6) language and use of dialect not authentic 5. literary achievements He created a myth about the formative period of the American nation. If the history of the United States is, in a sense, the process of the American settlers exploring and pushing the American frontier forever westward, then Cooper *s Leatherstocking Tales effectively approximates the American national experience of adventure into the west. He turned the west and frontier as a useable past and he helped to introduce western tradition to American literature Section 2 Summit of Romanticism American Transcendentalism I Background: four sources
7 （1）Precaution （1820, his first novel, imitating Austen＊s Pride and Prejudice） （2）The Spy （his second novel and great success） （3）Leatherstocking Tales （his masterpiece, a series of five novels） The Deerslayer, The Last of the Mohicans, The Pathfinder, The Pioneer, The Prairie 3.point of view he theme of wilderness vs. civilization, freedom vs. law, order vs. change, aristocrat vs. democrat, natural rights vs. legal rights 4.style （1）highly imaginative （2）good at inventing tales （3）good at landscape description （4）conservative （5）characterization wooden and lacking in probability （6）language and use of dialect not authentic 5.literary achievements He created a myth about the formative period of the American nation. If the history of the United States is, in a sense, the process of the American settlers exploring and pushing the American frontier forever westward, then Cooper＊s Leatherstocking Tales effectively approximates the American national experience of adventure into the West. He turned the west and frontier as a useable past and he helped to introduce western tradition to American literature. Section 2 Summit of Romanticism American Transcendentalism I. Background: four sources
1. Unitarianism (1)Fatherhood of god (2)Brotherhood of men (3) Leadership of Jesus (4) Salvation by character (perfection of one *s character (5) Continued progress of mankind (6) Divinity of mankind (7) Depravity of mankind 2. Romantic Idealism Center of the world is spirit, absolute spirit (Kant 3.Oriental mysticism Center of the world is※ oversouls§ 4. Puritanism Eloquent expression in transcendentalism ll. Appearance 1836, *Natures by Emerson Features spirit/oversoul 2. importance of individualism 3. nature symbol of spirit/God
8 1.Unitarianism （1）Fatherhood of God （2）Brotherhood of men （3）Leadership of Jesus （4）Salvation by character （perfection of one＊s character） （5）Continued progress of mankind （6）Divinity of mankind （7）Depravity of mankind 2.Romantic Idealism Center of the world is spirit, absolute spirit （Kant） 3.Oriental mysticism Center of the world is ※oversoul§ 4.Puritanism Eloquent expression in transcendentalism II. Appearance 1836, ※Nature§ by Emerson III. Features 1.spirit/oversoul 2.importance of individualism 3.nature symbol of spirit/God
garment of the oversoul 4. focus in intuition (irrationalism and subconsciousness IV. Influence 1.It served as an ethical guide to life for a young nation and brought about the idea that human can be perfected by nature. It stressed religious tolerance, called to throw off shackles of customs and traditions and go forward to the development of a new and distinctly American culture 2. It advocated idealism that was great needed in a rapidly expanded economy where opportunity often became opportunism, and the desire to get ons obscured the moral necessity for rising to spiritual height 3. It helped to create the first American renaissance one of the most prolific period in American literature V. Ralph Waldo emerson 1. life 2. works () Nature (2) Two essays: The American Scholar, The poet 3.point of view (1) One major element of his philoso phy is his firm belief in the transcendence of the oversouls (2)He regards nature as the purest, and the most sanctifying moral influence on man, and advocated a direct intuition of a spiritual and immanent God in nature
9 garment of the oversoul 4.focus in intuition （irrationalism and subconsciousness） IV. Influence 1.It served as an ethical guide to life for a young nation and brought about the idea that human can be perfected by nature. It stressed religious tolerance, called to throw off shackles of customs and traditions and go forward to the development of a new and distinctly American culture. 2.It advocated idealism that was great needed in a rapidly expanded economy where opportunity often became opportunism, and the desire to ※get on§ obscured the moral necessity for rising to spiritual height. 3.It helped to create the first American renaissance one of the most prolific period in American literature. V. Ralph Waldo Emerson 1.life 2.works （1）Nature （2）Two essays: The American Scholar, The Poet 3.point of view （1）One major element of his philosophy is his firm belief in the transcendence of the ※oversoul§. （2）He regards nature as the purest, and the most sanctifying moral influence on man, and advocated a direct intuition of a spiritual and immanent God in nature
(3)If man depends upon himself, cultivates himself and brings out the divine in himself, he can hope to become better and even perfect This is what Emerson means by※ the infinitude of man§. (4) Everyone should understand that he makes himself by making his world and that he makes the world by making himself. 4.aesthetic ideas (1) He is a complete man, an eternal man (2) True poetry and true art should ennoble (3) The poet should express his thought in symbols (4) As to theme, Emerson called upon American authors to celebrate America which was to him a lone poem in itself 5.his influence I. Henry David Thoreau 1.life 2 works (1)A Week on the Concord and merrimack River (2) Walden (3)A Plea for John Brown (an essay) 3.point of view (1) He did not like the way a materialistic America was developing and was vehemently outspoken on the point. (2)He hated the human injustice as represented by the slavery system
10 （3）If man depends upon himself, cultivates himself and brings out the divine in himself, he can hope to become better and even perfect. This is what Emerson means by ※the infinitude of man§. （4）Everyone should understand that he makes himself by making his world, and that he makes the world by making himself. 4.aesthetic ideas （1）He is a complete man, an eternal man. （2）True poetry and true art should ennoble. （3）The poet should express his thought in symbols. （4）As to theme, Emerson called upon American authors to celebrate America which was to him a lone poem in itself. 5.his influence VI. Henry David Thoreau 1.life 2.works （1）A Week on the Concord and Merrimack River （2）Walden （3）A Plea for John Brown （an essay） 3.point of view （1）He did not like the way a materialistic America was developing and was vehemently outspoken on the point. （2）He hated the human injustice as represented by the slavery system
