YEAR III - PURITANISM

PURITANISM has its seeds under Elizabeth I and later with James I (her successor)

These are the people we imagine as strict, with hats, wearing buckles, dour, more concerned about morals and conforming to the will of God … as described by Nathaniel Hawthorne in The Scarlet Letter… written centuries later but perfectly descriptive.

Puritanism lasted about 150-200 years, spanning two continents,  and multiiple theological views/ ecclesiologies

Puritans went to AMERICA in search of freedom  on MAYFLOWER— exiled and persecuted

BELIEFS
Believed everyone was born sinful
Predestination
God saves a select few
Life is constant struggle against sin
Literal interpretation of Bible

Literature highlights:
themes correspond with puritan religious themes
the bible was a huge influence
new works reflected current events
lots of symbolism to present people at the times
it stressed in both politics and religion both PRAGMATISM AND IDEALISM
It was a strict society. It definitely stressed order in the colony
it required life of blessedness and religiousness
there was not a real line between religious and secular law
stressed Jesus’s coming on Doom’s day. Sinners are to be punished.
THEY FELT SURROUNDED BY SIN - THEY FEARED THE INDIANS

FAMOUS AUTHORS
William Bradford -

wrote about the good Puritan lifestyle


Rodger Williams -

Writer and founder of Rhode Island, exiled to found a new colony because he sympathized with the aboriginal people

Puritan Influence - Nathaniel Hawthorne (AMERICAN) -

influenced by Puritan upbringing in 19th cent
The Renaissance is over, and the years don’t sync up …. there is overlap
monarch in charge
1620-30-40s
Puritans who went to america came from holland, but they first escaped from England to be able to practice their faith !
Puritans caused the civil war, in England, fracturing of the monarchy, the king was dissolved, and the parliament put in charge,

James I -

Elizabeth’s successor, (who Macbeth was written for)
upheld divine right of the King - belief that regent derives power from GOD
Parliament starts to question all this power that the king has… James refuses to give up any power
When he died, parliament was hoping his son Charles I  was going to be different… give more power to parliament than his father did
But Charlie was just like daddy…. that’s where the break occurred and civil war broke out
he disregarded parliament opinion on economic spending
Puritans are starting to have things imposed on them
puritans against charles, puritans take over, puritans win (Oliver Cromwell)
Charles II goes away (he's about 20 at the time, flees to France),

Olver Cromwell

becomes lord protector of the country….since he led the assault against charles I
upon winning, commonwealth says you should be in charge -
AMONG OTHER ATROCITIES, Cromwell forbade celebration of Christmas!