Here's what makes this period significant in literature:
Key Characteristics:
* Emphasis on Religious Piety: Puritan literature often focused on religious themes, moral guidance, and the search for God's will. Works often emphasized personal introspection, self-examination, and the importance of living a righteous life.
* Plain Style: Puritan writers valued clarity, simplicity, and directness in their writing. They preferred a plain style, rejecting ornate language and complex metaphors. This reflected their belief in the importance of understanding and communicating the word of God clearly.
* Influence of Classical Literature: Although Puritans were critical of some aspects of classical literature, they were also influenced by its emphasis on reason, virtue, and the importance of classical languages like Latin.
* Emphasis on the Bible: The Bible served as a primary source of inspiration and guidance for Puritan writers, often influencing their themes, language, and structure.
Notable Writers and Works:
* John Milton: *Paradise Lost*, *Paradise Regained*, *Samson Agonistes*
* John Bunyan: *The Pilgrim's Progress*
* Richard Baxter: *The Saints' Everlasting Rest*
* Anne Bradstreet: *The Tenth Muse Lately Sprung Up in America*
Beyond Religious Themes:
While religious themes are central, Puritan literature also encompassed other genres:
* Historical Accounts: Puritan writers produced detailed records of their experiences, including accounts of their voyages to America and their struggles to establish a new society.
* Diaries and Personal Writings: Many Puritans kept diaries and journals, documenting their daily lives, their thoughts, and their spiritual journeys.
* Poetry: Though often infused with religious themes, Puritan poetry also explored themes of nature, love, and mortality.
Legacy and Influence:
The Puritan Age left a lasting legacy on English literature. Its emphasis on plain style and clear language helped to pave the way for later literary movements like the Enlightenment. The Puritan focus on individual conscience and the struggle for spiritual meaning also influenced subsequent writers, particularly those writing in the Romantic period.
While the Puritan movement itself eventually lost its dominance, the Puritan Age remains a fascinating and complex period in English literary history. It is a time of great religious fervor, intellectual debate, and artistic expression, leaving a lasting mark on both literature and culture.