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1、A Concise History of American LiteratureWhat is literature?Literature is language artistically used to achieve identifiable literary qualities and to convey meaningful messages. Chapter 1 Colonial PeriodI. Background: Puritanism1. features of Puritanism(1) Predestination: God decided everything befo
2、re things occurred.(2)Original sin: Humanbeings 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 (seriousand th
3、oughtful) influenced American literature.(2)It led to the everlasting myth. All literature is based on a mythgarden of Eden.(3) Symbolism: the American puritan s metaphorical mode of perception waschieflyinstrumentalin callingintobeinga literarysymbolism whichis distinctly American.(4) With regard t
4、o their writing, the style is fresh, simple and direct;the rhetoricis plainand honest,not withouta touch of nobilityoftentraceable to the direct influence of the Bible.II. Overview of the literature1. types of writingdiaries, histories, journals, letters, travel books, autobiographies/biographies, s
5、ermons2. writers of colonial period(1) Anne Bradstreet(2) Edward Taylor(3) Roger Williams(4) John Woolman(5) Thomas Paine(6) Philip FreneauIII. Jonathan Edwards1. life2. works(1) The Freedom of the Will(2) The Great Doctrine of Original Sin Defended(3) The Nature of True Virtue3. ideas pioneer of tr
6、anscendentalism(1) The spirit of revivalism(2) Regeneration of man(3) Gods presence(4) Puritan idealism1. life2. works(1) Poor Richard s Almanac(2) Autobiography3. contribution(1) He helped found the Pennsylvania Hospital and the American Philosophical Society.(2) He was called “the new Prometheus w
7、ho had stolen fire (electricityin 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 bynone”.Chapter 2 American RomanticismSection 1 Early Romantic PeriodWhat is Romanticism?An approach from ancient
8、Greek: PlatoA literary trend: 18c in Britain (17981832)Schlegel Bros.I. Preview: Characteristics of romanticism1. subjectivity(1) feeling and emotions, finding truth(2) emphasis on imagination(3)emphasis on individualism personalfreedom,no hero worship,naturalgoodness of human beings2. back to medie
9、val, 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 classics3. back to naturenature is“breathing living thing” (Rousseau)II. American Romanticism1. Background(1) Pol
10、itical background and economic development(2) Romantic movement in European countries Derivative foreign influence2. features(1)American romanticism was in essence the expression of“a real newexperience and contained“an alien quality” for the simple reasonthat “the spirit of the place” was radically
11、 new and alien.(2)There isAmericanPuritanism asa culturalheritagetoconsider.American romanticauthorstendedmoretomoralize.Many Americanromantic writings intended to edify more than they entertained.(3)The “newness” ofAmericansas a nation isinconnectionwithAmericanRomanticism.(4)As a logicalresultof t
12、heforeignand nativefactorsatwork,Americanromanticism was both imitative and independent.III. Washington Irving1. 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 literature2. life3. works(1) A History of New Yor
13、k 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
14、 Alhambra4. Literary career: two parts(1) 18091832a. Subjects are either English or Europeanb. Conservative love for the antique(2) 18321859: back to US5. 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 language1. life2. works(1)Precaution(1820, hisfirstnovel, imitatingAu
