Influence-of-Puritanism-on-American-Literature

InfluenceofPuritanismonAmericanLiterature摘要：清教是一种文化现象，它对美国的文化和学术都有着深远的影响。它是一种文化形式，塑造或者正在被塑造着美国的道德和价值。我的论文主要讲述清教的起源，清教徒，以及清教对美国文化的影响。关键词：清教主义，清教徒，美国文化Abstract:puritanismisaculturalphenomenon,whichhasafar-reachingimpactonAmericancultuerandliterature.Ithasbecomeaformofculture,whichhasshapedandisshapingtheAmericanmoralsandvalues.MythesismainlytalktheoriginofPuritanism,thePuritanandtheinfluenceonAmericanliterature.Keywords:Puritanism,PuritanAmericanliteraturePerryMillersaid:“IfwecannotunderstandPuritanism,wecannotunderstandAmerican”.AlthoughoriginatedfromBritain,ithasgreatlychanged,fromcontenttoform,fromnationalculturetospirit,inNorthAmerican,wthmuchgreaterinfluencethanBritishone.Consideredfromtheperspectiveofliterature.Puritanismisasocialforce,aswellasanemotionalone.PuritanismwasareligiousreformmovementthatarosewithintheChurchEnglandinthelatesixteenthcentury.Undersiegefromchurchandcrown,itsentanoffshootinthethirdandfourthdecadesoftheseventeenthcenturytothenorthernEnglishcoloniesintheNewWorld-amigrationthatlaidthefoundationforthereligious,intellectual,andsocialorderofNewEngland.Puritansim,however,wasnotonlyahistoricallyspecifcphenomenoncoincidentwiththefoundingofNewEngland;itwasalsoawayofbeingintheworld---astyleofresponsetolivedexperience---thathasreverberatedthroughAmericanlifeeversince.Doctrinally,PuritansadheredtotheFivePointsofCalvinismascodifiedattheSynodofDortin1619:(1)unconditionalgrace(theideathatGodhaddecreedwhowasdamnedandwhowassavedfrombeforethebeginningoftheworld);(2)limitedatonement(theideathatChristdiedfortheelectonly);(3)totaldepravity(humanity’suttercorruptionsincetheFall);(4)irresistiblegrace(regenerationasentirlyaworkofGod,whichcannotberesistedandtowhichthesinnercontributesnothing);and(5)theperseveranceofthesaints(theelect,despitetheirbackslidingandfaintnessofheart,cannotfallawayfromgrace.ThePuritansfollowedideasofSwissreformerJohnCalvin.FromCalvin’sInsitutesoftheChristianReligiontheyadoptedtheirtheologicaltenets:limitedatonement,thatJesus’ssacrificehadearnedDod’sforgiveness,orgrace,onlyforthefew“elect”,whereasthemassofmenwerecondemnedtohell;ofirresistiblegrace,thattheelectionofanymanwasordainedbyGod,thatnomancouldearnhisgrantedit;andofpredestination,thatatthebeginningoftimeanomnipotentGodhadalleventsandchosenallwhowouldbesaved.OvertheyearsthePuritansbuiltawayoflifethatwasinharmonywiththeirreligion,onethatstressedhardwork,thrift,pietyandsobriety.ThesewerethePuritansvaluesthatdominatedmuchoftheearliestAmericanwriting,includingthesermonsbooks,andthatjournals.PuritanismimpactonAmericanliteratureembodiesasthereaspects:theteachingbeliefs,secularspirit,andethicmorality.Fromthedevotionalperspective,inheritingCalvinistPuritanism’sstressingpirty,aweandabsoluteobediencetoGod,itsdevotionalfoundationis’Originalsin’andfatalism.Andinliterature,theteachingsarepublicized,eulogizingGod,depictingthefallofman,singingthesainsdiligence.Thiskindofworkswasmanyproducedincolonicalperiodin17thcentury.Fromtheperspectiveofsecularity,PuritanismproducedAmericanfeaturedindualism.Andinliterature,Americancreed,Americandreamandcreativityaresunghighpraisefor.Fortheperspectiveofethics,Puritanism“hard-working,intropectionandasceticismifluencedthePuritans”behaviors,andalsofecturedtheirfreethought.Generationsofwritersandhumanity,beliefsandfreedom,originalsinandkindnessandevilsbecomealastingthemeinAmericanliterature.ForeignscholarsdidalotofstudiesonPuritanism,mainlyonreligion,sociology,politics,ect.AndtheydidmuchlessonPuritanisminfluenceonthe17th-19thcenturyAmericanliterature,anddidnotdistinglisnthedifferencebetweenChristinityandPuritanism.Infact,Christinitywentthroughprotestantismandpan-Christinity.Inhishistory,itsteachingsanddemominationsgotweakened,andfinallyreplacedbypan-Christianityattheendof19thcenturyandthebeginningof20thcentury.Therefore,asthemainthoughsystem,PuritansimhadthegeneralfeaturesofChristianity,aswellasitsownspecificnature.SoitisnotaccuratetoneglectthespecificnatureandtocommentonChristianity’simpantonAmericanliterature.Conclusion:ThusineitherwayAmericanliteraturewasfromtheoutestconditionedbythePuritanheritagetowhichAmericanauthorshavebeenthemostcommunicativeheirs.Frommythesis,wecanunderstandPurtanism’sinfluenceonAmericanliterature,andtheessenceofPuritanism.PuritanismnotonlyhasbroughtupthereligioustraditionofAmericanliterature,butistheresourceof“Aericanspirit”Bibliography:【1】《美国文学简史（第三版）》常耀信著第三版南开大学出版社出版人：孙克强出版年：2012年3月第31次印刷页码：635【2】《美国文化选本》杨自伍编1996年12月1版华中师范大学出版社出版发行出版年：1997年3月第二次印刷页码：413【3】《美国文学教程》曹曼主编2007年9月第一版武汉大学出版社出版年：2009年1月第2次印刷页码：672InfluenceofPuritanismonAmericanLiterature姓名：李党会班级：英语本科一班学号：20110201028