大家帮帮忙，有个学术性问题：清教主义思想在美国文学中的意义。

2025-02-08 18:54:22

推荐回答（2个）

回答1：

Literary analysis: Puritan ethics as depicted in early American literature

Puritan ethics are prevalent throughout early American literature, stemming from the Puritans themselves, and continuing into and beyond 19th century literature. Puritans and Pilgrims believed that God had a preordained plan for everyone, and that hard work, spiritual health, and self-discipline would lead to salvation.

These religious beliefs would later become known as the Puritan ethic, and would continue to influence the authors of early American literature, including Nathaniel Hawthorne and Herman Melville.
Early literary works of America were written primarily to teach, preach, praise and examine religion. John Winthrop, William Bradford, and Anne Bradstreet were among the first American writers that would influence the authors of future generations.

John Winthrop was the leader of the Puritans at the Massachusetts Bay Colony. In 1630, Winthrop wrote and delivered the most famous lay sermon in history, while still aboard the Arabella. Winthrop's sermon, A Model of Christian Charity, describes how the Puritans are preordained by God to plant a new society in a perilous environment. He emphasizes the importance of unity and describes the future colony as a "City upon a hill" that would set an example for others.

William Bradford was the leader of the Pilgrims in Plymouth, Massachusetts. In 1651, Bradford wrote Of Plymouth Plantation, that described what life was like in the New World. He also encourages the New Englanders to expect God's approval of their endeavors. Bradford states, "Their ends were good and honorable; their calling lawful, and urgent; and therefore they might expect the blessing of God in their proceeding".

Bradford also describes Thomas Morton of Merrymount, who was stepping outside the boundaries of proper moral conduct, and was persecuted for it. He described Morton as an immoral man, who "fell into great licentiousness, and led a dissolute life". Bradford uses Morton as an example in order to teach other "good" Christians that morality and self-discipline is important for the survival of the colony.

Anne Bradstreet was the first woman to be officially published in America. She originally shared her poetry with just her intimate friends, but her brother gathered her poems without her knowledge and had them published in England in 1650.

Bradstreet's poetry shows that she is deeply imbued with the Puritan belief of predestination. In her poem, "Upon the Burning of Our House, July 10th, 1666" she describes how her house was burned because an all-knowing God wanted it to burn. She knew that, as a Puritan, it was her place to behave morally and rationally.

Nathaniel Hawthorne based many of his works on Puritanism, and commonly examined the conflict between good and evil in human nature and, particularly, the problem of public goodness and private wickedness.

Hawthorne's short story, "Young Goodman Brown" is about a man who meets the Devil in the forest, and discovers that many of his fellow "good Christian" townspeople are meeting the Devil as well, including his wife Faith. He cries out to Faith to resist the Devil, but he wakes up and no one is there. He lives the rest of his life suspicious of everyone, including Faith.
In his story, Hawthorne explores the nature of religion. This story makes the reader question whether having "faith" is enough to have a happy life, and how people who claim to be "Christian" may not necessarily be good people.

In Moby-Dick, Herman Melville created a work that was jam-packed full of Biblical references and religious meaning. The white whale is the embodiment of evil, for Ahab, and must be hunted down and dispensed with. This is the same thought process many Puritans had for those who did not conform to the Puritan beliefs, such as Thomas Morton of Merrymount.

By the end of Melville's tale, the reader questions whether the real evil is Ahab or the whale. In the same way, many question whether the moral codes of Puritanism are good or evil.

The Puritan ethic emerged from the rhetoric and beliefs of the early writers of America. Strict moral codes were required, especially spiritual examination and hard work. These ethics and morals would continue to influence other writers in early American literature as they explored the value of religion, and its place in the world.

回答2：

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大家明天好运！！！

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