17th Century American Puritan Culture

1
17th Century American Puritan Culture

• (And the legacy it has left for us, 400 years
  later.)

2
Early American Protestantism cultural
differences

• Pilgrims
• Landed at Plymouth Rock
• Settled in Cape Cod, south of Boston
• Sought cooperation with Native Americans
• Earliest settlers

• Puritans
• Landed further North
• Settled in Boston, Salem
• Fought evils of Native Americans
• Created City on the Hill concept

3
Early American Protestantsreligious differences

• Pilgrims
• Learned about God through natural surroundings
• Trusted actions of human beings to solve problems
• Separated selves from Church of England

• Puritans
• Followed strict interpretation of the Bible
  (especially Old Testament Calvinism)
• Sola Fide faith alone ruled early
  Protestantism

4
Puritan Religion

• Pre-destinarian Anxiety Puritans believed in
  pre-destination upon birth, an individual is
  either destined for heaven or for hell.
• Universal Literacy Each person had an
  individual relationship with God was
  responsible for guarding his/her own faith
• Plain Style the plainer ones adornment, words,
  and lifestyles, the closer one is to God
  (opposite of Catholicisms huge degree of
  ornamentation art)

5
Core of Calvanist/Puritan Beliefs

• T otal Depravity (original sin unless in City
  on the Hill)
• U nconditional Salvation (no bargaining)
• L imited Atonement (only few heaven)
• I rresistable Grace (Gods call irresist.)
• P erseverance (stay on the golden road)

6
Antinomianism (anti-legal)

• Antinomianism was a situation in which an
  individual believed that God spoke directly to
  him/her.
• This was seen as heresy, because in Puritan
  culture, government was a theocracy.
• If God spoke directly to an individual, then that
  would place that individual outside of both the
  church and the law.
• In The Crucible, John Proctors (and, as Miller
  will show, the judges) sin is that he presumes to
  be guided by laws outside of the law.

7
Ironies of Protestantism

• Each member of the church is responsible for
  reading the Bible making sense of it as
  individuals BUT if they go too far, theyre
  tried for antinomianism
• Each member of the City on the Hill is
  supposedly pre-destined for heaven BUT if
  they believe this, then theyre too smug, and
  therefore, doomed to hell
• Each human contained within him/herself the
  potential for good BUT also, the capacity for
  evil

8
Puritanism the Pathless Path

• Think about it New England 400 years ago. No
  roads, few paths, scary animals, vast wilderness
• Survival rested on the communitys ability to
  stay together.
• Follow the Path whether to God, heaven, or to
  the water well was essential to survival
• Roaming off the Path whether from God, heaven, or
  the water well was a sure path to death/the devil

9
Sinners in the Hand of an Angry God

• Famous sermon by Jonathan Edwards analogical
  devices (humansworms firehell)
• Uses pathos (emotional appeals), strong imagery,
  and fiery diction to convince listeners that
  theyd better shape up because God thinks theyre
  loathsome
• Lays out Puritanical weapon of accusing members
  that theyre disgusting in order to get them to
  stay in line
• This legacy, a deep-seated shame of sin and our
  own awfulness, still resides in much of American
  culture

10

• We find it easy to tread on and crush a worm that
  we see crawling on the earth so it is easy for
  us to cut or singe a slender thread that any
  thing hangs by thus easy is it for God when he
  pleases to cast his enemies down to hell

11

• The wrath of God burns against them, their
  damnation does not slumber the pit is prepared,
  the fire is made ready, the furnace is now hot,
  ready to receive them the flames do now rage and
  glow. The glittering sword is whet, and held
  over them, and the pit hath opened its mouth
  under them

12

• The God that holds you over the pit of hell, much
  as one holds a spider, or some loathsome insect
  over the fire, abhors you, and is dreadfully
  provoked his wrath towards you burns like fire
  he looks upon you as worthy of nothing else, but
  to be cast into the fire he is of purer eyes
  than to bear to have you in his sight you are
  ten thousand times more abominable in his eyes,
  than the most hateful venomous serpent is in ours.

13

• And now you have an extraordinary opportunity, a
  day wherein Christ has thrown the door of mercy
  wide open, and stands in the door calling and
  crying with a loud voice to poor sinners a day
  wherein many are flocking to him, and pressing
  into the kingdom of God. Many are daily coming
  from the east, west, north, and southHow awful
  is it to be left behind at such a day! To see so
  many others feasting while you are pining and
  perishing! How can you rest one moment in such a
  condition?...

14
Contemplations

• Poem by Anne Bradstreet analogical devices
  (sunGods eye riversnatures paths)
• Stands at edge of settlement forest in autumn
  the threshold between nature and society, summer
  winter
• Wonders whether greatness of nature could be
  contained by one God ultimately thinks yes
• Explores paths through the forest until they
  merge with natures paths (i.e. rivers) and end
  in the ocean the ultimate pathless path.

15
Contemplations - excerpts

• Some time now past in the autumnal tide,
• When Phoebus wanted but one hour to bed,
• The trees all richly clad, yet void of pride,
• Were gilded oer by his rich golden head.
• Their leaves and fruits seemed painted, but was
  true,
• Of green, of red, of yellow, mixed hue
• Rapt were my senses at this delectable view.

16
Contemplations, cont.

• Silent alone, where none or saw, or heard
• In pathless paths I led my wandring feet,
• My humble eyes to lofty skies I reared
• To sing some song, my mazed Muse thought meet.
• My great Creator I would magnify,
• That nature had thus decked liberally
• But Ah, and Ah, again, my imbecility.

17

• Under the cooling shadow of a stately elm
• Close sat I by a goodly rivers side,
• Where gliding streams the rocks did overwhelm,
• A lonely place, with pleasures dignified.
• I once that loved the shady woods so well,
• Now thought the rivers did the trees excel,
• And if the sun would ever shine, there would I
  dwell.

18

• Nor ist enough, that though alone mayst slide,
• But hundred brooks in thy clear waves do meet,
• So hand in hand along with thee they glide
• To Thetis house, where all embrace and greet.
• Thou emblem true of what I count the best,
• O could I lead my rivulets to rest,
• So may we press to that vast mansion, ever blest

19

• The mariner that on smooth waves doth glide
• Sings merrily and steers his bark with ease,
• As if he had command of wind and tide,
• And now become great master of the seas
• But suddenly a storm spoils all the sport,
• And makes him long for a more quiet port,
• Which gainst all adverse winds may serve for
  fort.

20

• O Time the fatal wrack of mortal things,
• That draws oblivions curtains over kings
• Their sumptuous monuments, men know them not,
• Their names without a record are forgot,
• Their parts, their ports, their pomps all laid
  in th dust,
• Nor wit nor gold, nor buildings scape times
  rust
• But he whose name is graved in the white stone
• Shall last and shine when all of these are gone.

21
Crucible connections

• Plain style (golden candlesticks Proctor
  thinks theyre excessive Parris wants them).
• Antinomianism Proctor accused of following his
  own law, but judges are constructing an unjust
  law.
• Pre-destinarian Anxiety the girls name
  names, but the whole town points fingers at
  supposed sinners
• Total Depravity basis for assumption that devils
  are inhabiting the village easier than assuming
  that individual chosen ones have sinned.
• Pathless Paths Abigail girls are literally
  caught off the path, but the judges are also
  confused about which is the correct path. Hale
  ends up seeing that their path had been wrong.

22
Red Scare connections

• Americans continue to live with the legacy that
  they are both the chosen ones and inherently
  evil/flawed
• Communism, which seeks to protect the individual
  through total solidarity of communities, seen as
  sinful by a judgmental government
• Political sins punished without credible
  evidence, only by hysterical finger-pointing
  during the McCarthy era.
• Punishment is social (loss of respect, loss of
  good name) rather than criminal very few people
  convicted of treason, but many lives ruined
  because of political connections.

23

• The Salem Witch Trials
• The Red Scare
• The Patriot Act
• All are reflections of our dual identity as
  destined for greatness, yet inherently flawed.
  We some chosen few in our government are
  duty-bound to find and punish those who think
  differently than others. The problem? You
  discuss