American Literature2

HistoryofAmericanLiterature张慧芳Sept.2009AGeneralIntroductionaboutALAlthoughshort,however,stillfullofgloriesandshiningmasterpiecesandwriters.Fromitsfirstimitativeactivitiestocreativeattemptsnowadays,Americanliteraturegraduallygainsitsuniquestyle,themeandform,andbecomesmoreandmoreAmericainitstruesense.10NobelPrizewinnersforliteratureinAmericanliteratureSinclairLewis(1930)EugeneO'Neill(1936)PearlS.Buck(1938)T.S.Eloit(1948)WilliamFaulkner(1949)ErnestHemingway(1954)JohnSteinbeck(1962)SaulBellow(1976)IsaacBashevisSinger(1978)CzeslawMilosz(Poland/USA切斯拉夫·米沃什)(1980)ToniMorrison(1993)ThehistoryofAmericanliteraturecanbedividedinto6partsIColonialPeriod(1607—1765)IIRevolutionaryPeriod(1765—1800)IIITheAgeofRomanticism(1800—1865)IVTheAgeofRealism(1865—1918)VAmericanModernism(1918—1945)VIContemporaryLiterature(1945—)TheLiteratureofEarlyAmericaColonistsdidnotcallthemselves“Americans”beforemid-18thCenturyEnormousdisplacementofNativeAmericancivilizationsacrossthecontinentFrenchsettledalongtheSt.LawrenceRiverSwedessettledalongtheDelawareRiverDutchsettledalongtheHudsonRiverGermansandScots-IrishsettledinNewYorkandPennSpanishsettledinFloridaAfricans(mostlyslaves)wereinNewEngland,MiddleColoniesandthroughouttheSouthNativeAmericanCivilizationsandCulturesExceptforCentralAmericannatives’documents,nowritingsfromNorthAmericabeforecolonizationWithEuropeanscameslaughter,slavery,diseaseslethaltoNatives–Between1492and1617,NativeAmericanpopulationwasreducedto10%oforiginalnumbers–Bytheendofthe17Century,NativepopulationinSoutherncolonieswentfrom200,000tolessthan60,000•Iroquoisformedanalliancetotrytocountercolonialtakeoveroflands•Cherokeesbecameagriculturalinanattempttoassimilate•TribesalignedwithFrenchduringFrenchandIndianWar(1754-1763)tostoptheBritishmovewestwardAmericanPuritanismMartinLuther(1483-1546),aGermanmonk,professoroftheologyatUofWittenbergClaimedtheBibleshouldbethefinalwordofGod,notthePopeJohnCalvin(1509-1564),aFrenchtheologian,mdetailedPuritans’beliefsoforiginalsin,limitedatonement,grace,onlyfromGod,perseveranceofsaints,predestinationCentralideawascovenanttheology=AdamandEvemadecovenantwithGod,thenbrokeitAmericanPuritanism(Cont’d)Puritanswerededicatedtoself-determination,independenceandfreedom,strongtraditionofpreaching,andthuseducationSermonsweremostpopularliteraryformEarlyAmericanliterature,followingthePuritanera,included–Biographies–Secularpoetry–Politicaldocuments/speechesWilliamBradford(1590-1657)OriginalhomeinYorkshire,EnglandOrphanedsonofyeomanfarmerSicklybutintelligentBradfordbeganwritinghistoryofPlymouthPlantationin1630–,finallypublishedin1856Remainedpious,humble,andpersonallypoorAnneBradstreet(1612-1672)FirstpoetofEnglish-speakingNorthAmericaPuritanwhobalancedherrolesofwifeandmotherandpublishedpoetPoemsaddressedvanityofworldlypleasures,brevityoflife,resignationtoGod’swillPoemspublishedposthumouslyin1678showmoredoubtsaboutChristianbeliefs,skepticism,andpoetrywassimpler,morelyricalIn-classReview---awould-be-purifier;----RestoresimplicitytochurchservicesandtheauthorityoftheBibletotheology;---lookuponthemselvesasachosenpeopleandbeintolerantoftheothers;----suspectjoyandlaughterassin;----emphasizetheimageofawrathfulTheDeclarationofIndependenceWarHomework1.TheAmericanCrisis;2.PhilipFreneau’spoetry;JonathanEdwards(1703–1758)ThelastandmostgifteddefenderofNewEnglandCalvinism(apastor)ThemostremarkableAmericanPuritanPersonalNarrative“Shelovestobealone,walkinginthefieldsandgroves,andseemstohavesomeoneinvisiblealwaysconversingwithher.”LiteratureoftheEighteenthCentury18thCentury=AgeofReason,EnlightenmentEuropeanandAfricanpopulationsinNorthAmerica–from250,000in1700to5,000,000in1800ContinuouswestwardexpansiondisplacedNativeAmericanscontrolofmostoftheterritoryeastofMississippiEnlightenmentJohnLocke(1632-1704),Englishphilosopher=moralityiscapableofdemonstrationaswellasmathematicsBenjaminFranklin=advocatedreasonable“scienceofvirtue”ThomasPaine=wroteTheAgeofReason=attackedirrationalityoftraditionalChristianityTheologybecamerational;religionbecamedeisticEnlightenmentDeism=informal,unorganizedreligiousmovementamongupperclassesandintellectuals–Humanitarianism,naturalphilosophy,scientificobservation–Progressbecamedominantconceptoftheage–Movementsaroseforsocialbetterment,prisonreform,sympathyforNativeAmericans,slaves,poorandoppressedEnglightenmentJohnLockewroteTreatisesofCivilGovernment(1690)=governmentsresultedfromagreementsbetweenpeople,notdivinelyordainedfromGodtokingstomen–Enlightenmentwasanageofdissent,revolution–Humanmindisatabularasa=blankslate,thusmanisbornneithergoodnorbad,buttheresultofexperiencesByendof18thCentury=faithinhumanperfectabilityatitsapogeewithwritingsofJean-JacquesRousseau(1712-1778)=“manisnotmerelyfreeofevil—heisnaturallygood.”EnlightenmentThomasPaine=wroteandspokeoftherightsofman(andwoman)ThomasJefferson=“life,liberty,andthepursuitofhappiness”WritersusedtheideaofanewRome/newAthens—neoclassicism—intheirworks,withidealsofclarity,decorum,regularity;exhibited“clearsense”and“mathematicalplainness”–Prose=rhythmofcultivat