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Literatura Norteamericana IAmerican Literature I
Ricardo Menéndez
10 ECTS Credits 2015-2016
Authors & Contents 1st TermStudy Block I
Early American Literature
Captain John Smith – Oct 7th
William Bradford – Oct 14th
Anne Bradstreet – Oct 21st
Mary Rowlandson – Oct 28th
The American Enlightment
Jonathan Edwards – Nov 4th
Benjamin Franklin – Nov 11th
Olaudah Equiano – Nov 18th
Phillis Wheatley – Nov 25th
Romanticism (part I)
Washington Irving – Dec 2nd
James Fenimore Cooper – Dec 9th
Ralph Waldo Emerson – Dec 16th
Henry David Thoroeau – Jan 13th
Review past exams – Jan 20th
Ricardo Menéndez UNED 2015-2016 [email protected]
“
”
Being thus arrived in a good harbor, and brought
safe to land, they fell upon their knees and
blessed the God of Heaven who had brought them
over the vast and furious ocean, and delivered
them from all the perils and miseries thereof
Biography
On his Literary Works
Online resources
Q&A
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William Bradford (1590-1657)
Objectives of the Unit
Assess to what extent Puritanism not only shaped seventeenth-century colonial
discourse, but also provided an enduring religious and political vision of the New
World
Learn about the prominent role of William Bradford, leader of the Pilgrims,
founder and Governor of Plymouth Colony
Understand what the Mayflower Compact (co-authored by William Bradford) is
Analyze the conventions of the convention of Puritan history
Of Plymouth Plantation First and foremost example of American Providentialist Historiography
Explore how basic principles of Puritan plain style were applied in early
American Literature
Discuss how indigenous inhabitants of America began to be seen through the
prism of Puritan preconceptions
Compare William Bradford’s and Capt. Smith’s rhetoric devices and strategies
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Unit 2 – William Bradford
Biography (I) Born in Austerfield in the Yorkshire
Spiritually moved by sermons of non conformist minister Richard Clyfton.
Started attending Separtist meeting at the age of 12
Formally joined the ‘Separtists’ (strict Calvinist Protestants) from Scrooby,
Nottingamshire in 1606 when they founded their church. The Separtists live
acording to the Second Book of Corinthians:
Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate,
saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing;
and I will receive you (King James Bible)
The Scrooby congregation flee to Holland in 1608, fearful for their lives
Despite Dutch religious liberty they struggle economically. They seek a colony
act in New England, considered ‘the promised land’ for them and therefore a
pilgrimage. They become known as Pilgrim Fathers more than Puritans.
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Unit 2 – William Bradford
Biography (&II) They travel from Leiden (Holland) to England aboard a ship bought for
travelling to the Americas, called the Speedwell in July 1620.
The ship proves unworthy for long distance voyages. They then hire a
merchant ship, After some major strife, the Mayflower leaves Plymouth in
September 1620, reaching Cape Cod 66 days later on November 11th, 1620
The place where they disembarked was named Plymouth
The Mayflower Compact was a civil agreement between the Leiden group
and the rest of passengers to provide social and economic freedom
William Bradford was appointed second Governor of Plymouth Colony. He
was re-elected thirty times
William Bradford’s relevance goes beyond his great historical importance. He
holds a center role in Early American Literature.
Ricardo Menéndez UNED 2015-2016 [email protected]
Unit 2 – William Bradford
Literary Works Co-author of the Mayflower Compact
Of Plymouth Plantation (two volumes)
1st Volume: 12 chapters describing from events that led the Scrooby group to
move to Leidon and the voyage and colony beginnings. Written mostly in 1630.
Finished between 1646 and 1650 though unpublished until the Nineteenth Century
2nd Volume: In form of annals from 1620 to 1646 and reflects the author’s gradual
disappointment at the loss of unity in a once cohesive community
For this Unit we will be reading two passages from
Book I, Chapter IX. Of Their Voyage and How they Passed the Sea; and of Their Safe Arrival at Cape Cod
Book II, Capter XII. Anno 1621
Besides his accounts he also wrote a journal, some poems, and a series of
dialogues
Self educated but with a vast knowledge. He learned Latin, Greek, Dutch, and
was specially skilled in Hebrew which he learned to “see with his own eyes
the ancient oracles in their native beauty”Ricardo Menéndez UNED 2015-2016 [email protected]
Unit 2 – William Bradford
An agreement between the Pilgrims (‘The Saints’)
and the rest of the passengers (‘The Strangers’)
to establish a government. It was based
simultaneously upon a majoritarian model (taking
into account that women and children could not
vote) and the settlers' allegiance to the king
Online Resources and Interesting Facts Excellent 3 minute History.com video part of a Thanksgiving playlist explains the
voyage of the Mayflower in full detail:
http://www.history.com/topics/mayflower/videos/deconstructing-history-mayflower
Resources and Links suggested in the ‘Curso Virtual’
William Bradford on Literature Online
Text ‘Of Plymouth Plantation’ (1590-1657) on Archive.org
https://archive.org/details/bradfordshistor01courgoog
Audio of History of the Plymouth Settlement (1608-1650) on Librivox.org
https://librivox.org/bradfords-history-of-the-plymouth-settlement-by-william-bradford/
Curious Fact: Thanksgiving is, as the textbook explains, a fabricated holiday that
appeared some 200 years after the events that are celebrated actually occurred.
http://www.history.com/topics/thanksgiving/history-of-thanksgiving/videos/bet-you-didnt-know-thanksgiving
Ricardo Menéndez UNED 2015-2016 [email protected]
Unit 2 – William Bradford
Online Resources and Interesting Facts Robert Walter Weir’s painting Embarkation of the Pilgrims depicts William Bradford
at center, kneeling in the background, symbolically behind Governor John Carver (holding hat) whom Bradford would succeed
There is an entire Wikipedia page dedicated to the known direct descendants of William Bradford including relevant Americans such as Noah Webster, George Eastman, Clint Eastwood or the Baldwin brothers:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_descendants_of_William_Bradford_(Plymouth_governor)
Ricardo Menéndez UNED 2015-2016 [email protected]
Unit 2 – William Bradford
Questions & Answers?Thank you
Remember to complete
Self Evaluation &
Exploratory Questions
from the Book
Online Self Evaluation Quiz
Unit 2 – William Bradford
![The American Literature - GBV158 • - The Life of William Bradford, Esq. 164 The Life of His Excellency Sir William Phips, Knt. 164 [The Rise to Wealth] 173 William Byrd 11(1674-1744)](https://img.pdfslide.net/doc/110x75/5fd682448812fd1cd5616929/the-american-literature-158-a-the-life-of-william-bradford-esq-164-the-life.jpg)
