The Early American Literature - Essay Example

American Literature The American literature is very rich and covers a myriad of issues that affect American people’s lives from the foundation of the nation and the preceding colonies. The issues pertaining to colonization of the Americas by Britain to formation of the New England and consequently the revolutionary war leading to American independence are entailed in art works such as poetry, novels, books and narratives. Such writings cover early American history to contemporary America. The literary tradition is closely linked to the tradition of English literature since its foundation stems from English writers. Early works were written in English and later translated to other languages. It covers issues related to religion, economics, politics, and social aspects. The early writings mainly comprised issues to do with the religious disputes dominant in Europe especially between puritans and other religious sects who prompted settlement in America hence most early writings were to do with explorations and voyages. After settlement, politics became the order of the day culminating into revolutionary war ending 1783. The post-independence era was dogged with slavery issues leading to civil war of 1861-1865 and thereafter writers concerned themselves with reconstruction issues, civil rights as well as women suffrage and minority issues. Then the WWI and WWII followed and finally the contemporary American literature. The objective of this paper is to discuss the religious and economic dimensions of American literature. The colonial period beginning in 1492 to 1791 was a period full of struggles as explorers engaged in their expeditions to the new found land and began to settle in those lands. Most explorers were motivated by myths about gold and other precious metals present in such areas but as it were, it was just fiction as they eventually found out such minerals never existed. Instead, they were met by hostile climate and hostile tribes whom they referred as savages or Indians (Lemay 80). As such, courage and endurance was needed to carry out such expeditions and settle peacefully amongst the native tribes some of whom were carnivores or human eaters. Though the voyages were economic in nature, the early American literature thus entailed writings on religious matters reflecting the religious ideals followed by early settlers and colonialists. They needed God to guide them in their journeys and help them to endure the hardships on their way and eventually triumph. It was also to thank God for driving them safely to the new land. Some Europeans (puritans) fled from their homeland specifically to avoid religious persecutions hence their settlement aim in America was to practice their faith. The writings of this period thus were much influenced by these puritans as religion became a means of laying down expectations of the new life. Notable literary works includes works by Christopher Columbus, John Smith, William Bradford, John Winthrop, Mary Rowlandson and Cotton Mather among others (Perkins & Barbara). The economics of America is entwined with religion. The first people to discover America were the explorers who then encouraged settlements in areas such as Massachusetts Bay and Plymouth where they practiced their religion. The discovery of America is often credited to Christopher Columbus (1451-1506) in 1492. He made his first voyage in 1492 to the island south east of Florida which he claimed for Spain and named it Indies and its inhabitants as Indians (Perkins & Barbara). He later made three more voyages to areas such as Venezuela, Mexico and Panama. The main reason for his exploration was to discover this new land in Asia which he and others believed was a land of plenty. His expertise in map making enabled him to navigate through the rivers, seas and oceans until he discovered land and recorded his expedition on maps to allow others after him to follow suit. He also produced and appeared in infomercials which were helpful pieces of art for later explorers. These narrative literatures comprised the narratives of early American history and included recordings of what the explorers experienced in their voyages especially the economic and religious life of the Native Americans. For example, these Indians as they were called did not practice farming but lived on wild fruits, fish and corn. Columbus also kept logs of the distance they travelled each day. They also stayed naked irrespective of their sex. Another contributor to early American literature was an Italian explorer Giovanni Da Verrazzano (1485-1528). He travelled through the Atlantic coast of North America between Carolinas and Newfoundland thus discovering the New York Harbor in 1524 (Verrazzano, nap). His expedition was sponsored by King Francis I of France. France felt left out by other nations like Spain and thus needed a route to the pacific to acquire land and riches for itself as its economy was dwindling. Although Verrazzano was killed and eaten by natives of lower Antilles on his second voyage, he made an immense contribution to American literature by adding to the knowledge base of map makers. His was a story of the geography of East coast of North America. The narrative of Alvar Nunez Cabeca de Vaca cannot go unnoticed. His was an eight years voyage from 1528 to 1536 from Spain to the Americas. He and his crew encountered many hardships on the way especially harassment by Indians, hunger, illness and treachery among their ranks (Hodge, chap15). They were taken as slaves by Indians and forced to practice medicine (curing sick people) and hard labor. Though this narrative, an insight into the religion and economics of the natives as well as the explorers is gained. The economic way of life of Indians was very different from that of explorers as according to Cabeca de Vaca, the Indians gathered roots from the ocean to eat. They also ate walnuts for two months in a year and prickle pearls for three months in the year. As such, they practiced a nomadic way of life as they moved from one region to another in seasons to search for food. Most of the times, they went hungry as such food was not available and organized farming was unheard of. The Indians were also traders and Cabeca was forced to become a trader among them for survival and to find a way of escaping as well as new lands in the process (Hodge chap 15-16). He used to trade in shells, sea-beads, medicine-beans, skins and ochre. They first settled at Malhedo where they were mistreated by Indians and also faced danger of death due to diseases. In healing the sick, they used their Christian faith whereas the Indians used their native traditional methods. In return, they were given rewards and treated well by Indians. The main reason why Cabeca and his group set off for America was the stories they heard of rich minerals present there but all they got were little turquoise, few emeralds and small copper bells (Hodge chap 12). Amidst all these difficulties, all they could do was to sit and pray and recite Ave-Maria to ask God to see them through the journey and for their triumph. They eventually managed to escape and leave Malhado where they were mistreated although most of them succumbed to death due to harsh weather and sickness. After exploration came the establishment of colonies and settlement. This exercise represents the interactions of economic and religion in early American history as settlers though motivated by economic reasons; they were guided in their actions by faith and religion. It was also a time to thank God for their triumphant work and to ask Him to see them through the awaiting hardships such as hunger and hostilities from natives. One of the first people to help establish a permanent English settlement in North America was John Smith (1580-1631). He was an admiral of New England, a soldier, explorer as well as an author (Lemay 45-50; Smith 1624, 276-281). Through his numerous works: the general histories of Virginia, New England and the summer Isles 1624; a map of Virginia in 1612; A description of New England 1616 and A true relations of such occurrences and accidents of note as happened in Virginia in 1608, Smith contributed enormously to early American literature. He recorded accounts of all the happenings from exploration to settlement in New England both religious and economic views. Smith was the leader of Virginia colony named Jamestown and helped to explore Chesapeake Bay and gave the new land the name “New England.” As relates to economics, the area was rich and could be useful for farming but only if people worked hard. As such, Smith emphasized on strong work ethic and taught the settlers how to farm and work but the problem was the Englishmen were very lazy (Smith 1616, 283). The settlers who settled in Jamestown were sponsored by South Virginia Company of London. Smith felt this company was not managing its affairs well hence advised the Massachusetts Bay Company not to follow the management style of the Virginia Company. For Smith, the economy of New England was driven by monetary opportunities in form of industry and not minerals as expected. These industries included: fishing, farming, fur trading and ship building. He acknowledged that the land was very fertile for farming and had abundant resources but only those who were willing to work hard could prosper. William Bradford (1590-1657) was also a notable figure in the establishment of colonies. In his book Of Plymouth Plantation, Bradford enumerates the economic and religious life of settlers and the natives. His was a story of the journal of pilgrims from 1608 when they settled on Dutch republic, mayflower voyage until 1647. He was the second governor of Plymouth after John Carver. The pilgrims went to Plymouth to escape religious persecutions in England aboard a ship named mayflower and settled at Cap-Codd (Bradford 83). These pilgrims believed in God’s providence and everything for them was done according to God’s will. Before embarking from the ship, the pilgrims thought it necessary to live peacefully as God so required hence avoiding any disagreements, they entered an agreement as to how their government was to function and be managed. This covenant is referred as the Mayflower compact of 1620 (Bradford 90). It was for better ordering of society and promises of obedience and submission were made. Religion thus took center stage in this new found land and a thanksgiving was even arranged to thank God for their triumph. When they arrived, they fell down on their knees and prayed to God who had brought them over. In this new habitation, they encountered difficulties but with God as their leader, they were able to endure all. As for the economy, they engaged in farming but had to introduce new English crops such as wheat and Pease through trial and experience. They also planted corn and beans and also relied on fish. The colonies were also characterized by emergence of Puritanism as most of them fled England to settle in the colonies. Puritanism was a form of religion based on equality. For puritans, all humans are equal and as such deserve equal treatment. The puritans thus were friendly to the natives and sought to work with them. In this case, religious disputes that prompted settlement were important in the early writings. For example, John Winthrop wrote about the religious foundations of Massachusetts Bay colony in the History of New England and A model of Christian Charity. He was the first governor of Massachusetts in 1630s. He often talked of the ideal society which he and his group were to establish based on religious ideals (Baym 100-102). Edward Taylor was also instrumental in this period especially in the early years of mayflower arrival. Mayflower arrived in 1620 and its occupants settled in Massachusetts Bay colony and were very religious. Roger Williams (1603-1683) also advocated for separation of the church and state while Thomas Morton cared less about the church. For him, the natives were better off than the British hence could survive on their own (Perkins and Barbara). Cotton Mather (1663-1728) was another actions early American writer concerned with conflicts and interactions with native Indians. He viewed puritan leaders as great men since they were guided by Christian faith and condemned Indian witchcraft. Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) on the other hand, believed organized religion was unnecessary and could be dispensed with though studying and responding to natural world (Baym 123). The period after settlement in the colonies was followed by clamor for independence. Though the colonies reflected Britain in many ways, America was also unique and in the early years, governments established in these colonies were representative governments as opposed to monarchy. This is reflected in mayflower compact of 1620 whereby all agreed to form such kind of body politick led by a governor (Bradford 90). It was also an age of enlightenment and rationalism characterized by romantic literature. Advancements had been made in regards to scientific, economic, social and political spheres and increased democracy. The colonies were thus agitating for independence to escape from the harsh treatment they got from England. Notable writers in this period included: Jonathan Edwards, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Paine, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. Benjamin Franklin’s autobiography was very popular during this period as it talked of his experiences in the colonies. The Declaration of Independence in 1776 written by Thomas Jefferson and others has been very influential in American history as it is the guide to American life. The declaration enumerates the values that guide Americans and declares them as self-evident truths. It states that all men are equal and have inalienable rights to life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. As such, all humans should be treated equally as God so desired thus there is a religious inclination to this declaration. Thomas Jefferson also through his inaugural address and other speeches stipulated the economic and political undertakings of U.S. For him, the Republican form of government was the only one suitable to bring about economic prosperity for all (Jefferson, nap). The federalist essays of Alexander Hamilton and James Madison also emphasized on republican values in post-independence America. Hamilton had a very ambitious economic reconstruction program which emphasized on centralized government, payment of state debts by the federal government and role of national bank. This economic program was disputed by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison who emphasized on agriculture as the mainstay of American economy and viewed national bank as unnecessary evil which only furthered interests of the wealthy class. The fact that the constitution embraced values of equality of opportunity brought about conflicts as regards the issue of slavery. The colonies thrived through slavery and it was time to abolish it. Influential writers in this regard included: John Greenleaf Whittier, Harriet Beecher, Frederick Douglass, Harriet Jacobs, Abraham Lincoln, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and others. The Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Beecher was very influential in the abolitionism movement as it showed the struggles slaves went through. Most appealing also were the narratives of Frederick Douglass, an American slave which described the hardships and struggles of slaves in southern states. Slaves were whipped, murdered, subjected to hard labor and separated from their families all in the name of prospering the economy of the south which relied on plantation farming (Douglass chap IX-X). Harriet Jacobs Incidents in the life of a slave girl also revealed the experiences of slave women in the southern plantations. The southern economy thus thrived on slavery. The slaves were not allowed to practice any religion and even the white’s religion only thrived to strengthen the institution of slavery. This is as revealed by the narratives of Douglass and Jacobs. Slavery thrived until 1863 during the civil war when Abraham Lincoln emancipated them and the institution abolished in America in 1865 through the thirteenth amendment to the constitution. The century also saw the fight for civil rights and women rights by led by individuals such as Elizabeth Stanton in the declaration at Seneca Falls in 1848 thus beginning the women’s rights movement. This is on the basis that women are also contributors to the economy especially as evidenced in their contribution to the two world wars. Contemporary American literature thus entails the fight for civil rights by blacks and minority races as well as for women rights. Conclusion The early American literature was dominated by religious and economic issues as it was a narrative of the founding of American colonies to their independence and post-independence. Early writings mostly featured issues of religious conflicts that drove settlers away from England to the Newfound land especially the puritans. Explorers such as Columbus, Verrazano and Bradford also detail economic life of the natives and how it was transformed by the settlers. Then followed the issues of independence and slavery with notable writers as Douglass narrating their experiences as slaves. Jefferson’s works also influenced economic thought as well the papers by Hamilton and Madison. Literary work included narratives, poetry, drama and written pieces in books and novels as well as government publications. The American literature is thus very rich. Works Cited Baym, Nina (ed). The Norton Anthology of American Literature. New York: W.W Norton, 2007. Print Bradford William. History of Plymouth Plantation. Edited by Charles Deane. Boston: Harvard College Library, 1856. Douglass Frederick. The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass. Boston: Anti-Slavery Office, 1845. Jefferson, Thomas. Thomas Jeffersons First Inaugural Address. 4 March 1801. Hodge, Frederick H. The Narrative of Alvar Nunez Cabeca De Vaca. In F. Hodge., Theodore Lewis and James Franklin(eds). Original Narratives of Early American History, 2013. Lemay J Leo. The American Dream of Captain John Smith. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia. Perkins George and Barbara Perkins. The American Tradition in Literature. 12 ed. McGraw-Hill Education, 2009. Smith John. A Description of New England. The Heath Anthology of American Literature. 6ed. Boston: Houghton Miffin Harcourt, 2009 [1616]. Smith John. The General Histories of Virginia, New England, and the Summer Isles. The Heath Anthology of American Literature. 6ed. Boston: Houghton Miffin Harcourt, 2009 [1624]. Verrazzano De Giovanni The Biography. A & E Television Networks, 2014. Web. 06, June 2014. http://www.biography.com/people/giovanni-da-verrazzano-9517737 Read More