Puritan Religion And The Writers example essay topic

Many writers in colonial America had religious and non-religious motives that greatly influenced the literature of the time. Some of the earliest American literature was written by puritan writers, which was greatly influenced by religion. Religion, just as it dominated the lives of Puritans, dominated their writing and was a major influence to all Puritan writers. The Puritans saw the purpose of writing as to provide spiritual insight and instruction. As a result almost of writings of the Puritans had a great deal to do with religion.

The writings were greatly influenced by the Puritan religion in that most of their writings were moral instruction that was taught through their religion. Most of the books written during the time were religious works that were completely influence by the religion and beliefs of the writer and readers. This religious influence effected early literature in that it caused most writings at the time to be more instructional pieces that were valued for its meaning rather than its literary style. An example of a religiously influenced writing from the time is the Bay Psalm Book, which was the standard hymnal of the time. The Bay Psalm Book was one of the first books printed in the American colonies. This book was greatly influenced by the Puritan religion and the writers' religious motives were a large effect on the outcome of the book and the writing of the time.

The poem "Upon the Burning of Our House" written by Anne Bradstreet also had a religious motive in writing it. Ann Bradstreet describes her emotions as she contemplates her burned home, and in the end finds solace in God's teaching that all is vanity in this world and that God has a rich mansion waiting for her in Heaven. The poem sends the message that spiritual wealth is much more important than material goods and all the goods are God's to begin with. The poem sends a very religious message and was influenced by Bradstreet's strong religious upbringing and Puritan beliefs. Edward Taylor's "Huswifery" is a poem that was written also with an obvious religious motive. "Huswifery" relates the granting of God's grace to the making of cloth in which the author is asking to be made an agent of God.

This poem was greatly influenced by Taylor's Puritan religion and was written to provide insight of Puritan views and beliefs to readers. Many of the writers that were not influenced by religion were influenced by experiences they had and their motives were to tell people of these experiences. Many writers that wrote about experiences they had in the New World hoped to get people to understand what life was like living there and possibly persuade others to move to settle in the New World. Telling people of their experiences was a common motive for writers in colonial America.

This motive cause some literature at the time to be exaggerated or one sided because I was told from first hand experience. An example of a story by a writer who was influenced by his experiences was General History of Virginia by John Smith. In this Smith tells of an experience he had when he was taken prisoner by a group of Native Americans while he was in the New World settling Jamestown. The story has many exaggerated parts and shows some bias toward himself. Also of Plymouth Plantation is an example in which William Bradstreet tells of his experience as he and the Pilgrims first settle in the New World.

This is another example of a writer whose motive was to inform people of his own personal experience. Informing and teaching people of religious ideas and of personal experiences of some people were two motives writers had for writing literature in colonial times. Because of these motives the writing was not usually written for its literary style but rather for its meaning and message, which therefore cause the literature at the time to be less focused on technique and more focused on content.