American Literature

AmericanLiteratureTimeTheearlyIndiancivilizationwaspregnantontheAmericancontinentwheretheAmazonRiverandtheAndescrisscrossing.TheIndiansweretheoriginalownerofthiscontinentbeforeColumbusin1492.Theylivedscatteredacrossthismainland,andbelongedtodifferenttribes.TheycreateabrilliantIndiancultureandformedtheiruniqueculturaltraditionsandvaluesthroughthefightswiththenature.IndianculturesCharacteristicsInthelongandarduousstrugglewithnature,theyaccumulatedexperiencethroughlivesandcreateditsownculture,whichmainlyconsistedoffolksinoralformandmythlegend.Indianoralliteraturemainlyincludestribalmyth,folktalesandceremonyspeechesandlaborsinging,etc.Thisliteratureworkswhichincludestheirownculturaltraditionsandvalueswascherishedbythem.IndianculturesForIndians,thesun,earthandothervisibleobjectsarethesymbolsofgodsanddeservehighrespects.Intheireyes,allthingsoneartharethesameashuman,andtheyhavetheirownlifeforce.Everythingbelongstoaharmoniouswhole.Astheresultstheythinkthatanimalsalsohavesouls.Theydevotethemselvesasfoodforhumanbeingsandweshouldbegratefultothem.TheIndiansalsoshowedreverenceandlovetoland.Intheirperspectives,Indiansthinkgodmadetheearthandcreatedallthebenefithumans,thereforeeverythingonearthshouldbesharedbyallhumans.IndianculturesContemporaryscholarshaveclassifiedIndianstoriesintothreetypes:OriginalStorieswhichdramatizetribalinterpretationofhowtheearthoriginatedandhowpeopleestablishedrelationswiththecosmosandwiththeplantsandanimals;TricksterTalesfeaturingtrickstercharacters-peopleintheformofanimals(alsosaidtobehalfanimalandhalfhuman),whooftenexistonthemarginsofthesocialworld,attempttoviolateestablishedrulesandcustomsorengageinsociallyunacceptableacts;HistoricalNarrativesrecordinghistoricalevents,amongwhichmanystoriesrecountEuropeancolonizationfromtheperspectiveofNativeAmericans.IndianculturesBackgroundTheearly1600ssawthebeginningofagreattideofemigrationfromEuropetoNorthAmerica.EmigrationfromEnglandoftenwasnotdirectlysponsoredbythegovernmentbutbyprivategroupsofindividualswhosechiefmotivewasprofit.ThefirstEnglishcolonywasfoundedatJamestown,Virginia,in1607.EarlysettlementsdevelopedinNewEngland,intheMiddleColoniesandtheSouthernColonies.TheLiteratureofColonialAmericaManyofthepeoplewhosettledintheNewWorldcametoescapereligiouspersecution.ThePilgrims,foundersofPlymouth,Massachusetts,arrivedin1620,andfoundedPlymouthColony.PuritanismisamajorinfluenceincolonialAmerica.(插视频五月花号)TheLiteratureofColonialAmericaPuritanismisthepracticesandbeliefsofthePuritans.ThePuritanswereoriginallymembersofadivisionoftheProtestantChurch.ThefirstsettlerswhobecamethefoundingfathersoftheAmericannationwerequiteafewofthem.Astheworditselfhints,Puritanswantedtopuritytheirreligiousbeliefsandpractices.Theyacceptedthedoctrineofpredestination,originalsinandtotaldepravity,andlimitedatonementthroughaspecialinfusionofgracefromGod.Asacultureheritage,PuritanismdidhaveaprofoundinfluenceontheearlyAmericanmind.AmericanPuritanismalsohadaenduringinfluenceonAmericanliterature.TheLiteratureofColonialAmerica约翰·诺克斯（JohnKnox1505-1572）ThefounderofPuritanismLiteraryFiguresinColonialPeriodWritingsinthecolonialperiodaremainlypamphlets,diaries,letters,sermonsandpoetry.Mostofthewrittingduringtheearlyyearsofthecolonist'ssettlementwassomewhatpersonal,seriousandreligious,featuringaplainstyleandreligioussubjectsfocusingonaGod-centeredworld.Inasence,literatureofthecolonialperiodismainlyaliteraryexpressionofthePuritanidealism.TheLiteratureofColonialAmericaCaptainJohnSmithHewasconsideredthefirstAmericanwriter.CaptainJohnSmithledthefirstgroupofimmigrantssettledownanestablishedthefirstBritishcolony(JamestownColony)in1607.HewrotehisadventurestoriesinsuchasATrueRelationofSuchOccurrencesandAccidentsofNoteasHathHappenedinVirginiaSincetheFirstPlantingofThatColony(1608)《在弗吉尼亚发生的真实事件和典型的事故关系》,ADescriptionofNewEngland(1616)《新英格兰概览》TheGeneralHistoryofVirginiaandtheSummerIsles(1624)《弗吉尼亚通史》.CaptainJohnSmith(1580-1631)TheLiteratureofColonialAmericaWilliamBradfordHewasgenerallyregardedasfatherofAmericanhistory.HewasoneofthosewhotookontheMayflowerandenteredPlymouth.From1622untilhisdeath,BradfordwasreelectedthirtytimesasGovernorofthecolony.Hismasterpiece:TheHistoryofPlymouthPlantation(1856)《普利茅斯拓荒记》recordedthehistoryfrom1620to1647.TheLiteratureofColonialAmericaWilliamBradford(GovernorBradford)(1590-1657)JohnWinthropThefirstgovernoroftheMassachusettsBayColony,andservedasgovernorfor12termsandwasconsideredtobeagoodleader.WinthropismostfamousforhisstrongsenseofemigratingtotheNewWorldwerepartofaspecialpactwithGodtocreateaholycommunity,manifestedthepurposeandintentionoftheirjourney.HewasmostfamousforhisworkTheHistoryofNewEngland.《新英格兰历史》TheLiteratureofColonialAmericaJohnWinthrop(GovernorWinthrop)(1588-1649)EdwardTaylorHewasclearlyamanofgreatspiritualpassion,oflargeandliberallearning,withthePuritandream.Mostofhisworkdealtwithreligiousthemesandhisprivaterecordofhisreligiousexperience.HeagainandagainemphasizedthethemesofGod-praising,auto-criticismandsoul-purification.Heholdstheideathatonlythro