Lecture Three The Literary Scene in Colonial America 1The First American Writer in Colonial AmericaJohn Smith (1580-1631): the first American writer2Captain John Smith is best known for his excellent leadership in the colonys early years. He arrived at Jamestown still imprisoned for dissent during the voyage and was eventually released. While exploring the Chickahominy River region, he was captured by Powhatan in December 1607. Captain John Smith: Life experiences3Captain John Smith: Life experiencesChief Powhatan, the supreme leader in the Chesapeake region, released Smith on January 2, 1608, after Powhatans favorite daughter, Pocahontas, intervened. Smith says of Pocahontas that she hazarded the beating out of her owne braines to save mine. 4Captain John Smith: Life experiencesOn September 10, 1608, Smith became president of the council in the colony and orchestrated （organize）such improvements as expanding the settlement around the fort and repairing many buildings. 5John Smith remained in Virginia until fall of 1609, when he sailed back to England. Smith was instrumental in disseminating knowledge about Virginia, publishing such works as True Relation of Virginia in 1608, Map of Virginia in 1612, General Historie of Virginia beginning in 1624 (there were six editions in eight years), and True Travels in 1630. Captain John Smith: Contributions6Captain John Smith: ContributionsWhile his writing contains important factual information about Virginia as it was when inhabited only by Indians, Smith is also noted for embellishing(make sth. beautiful) his stories with boasts and conceit. 7约翰.斯密斯的作品关于弗吉尼亚的真实叙述： “这里的气温同英国的确十分相近。夏天之炎热有如西班牙，冬天之寒冷近似法兰西或英格兰。这里四季有风，但这里能令空气为之清新的雷电，我在欧洲还从未有闻。从海上进入这片土地只有一处进口，那是一处宽达十八至二十海里，风平浪静的湾口。这片土地可能比我们所知的任何地方都更令人愉悦。这里有可供航行的美丽河流，有高山、坦坡、平原、深谷，河流小溪都注入那片美丽的海湾，四周的土地肥沃，硕果累累。” 摘自新编美国文学史（第一卷）8Anne Bradstreet (1612-1672) Anne Bradstreet: the first notable poet in America9Anne Bradstreet: ContributionsThe first notable poet in American literature; The Tenth Muse Lately Sprung Up in America (1650, in England); “Tenth Muse” that appeared in America; her lyrics had been of the first rank among the women poets before Emily Dickinson; An authoritative spokesman of the Puritanical thought; One of her well-known poems is “Upon the Burning of Our House” (1666), which is highly religious.10Anne Bradstreet: Contemplations (9)Contemplations (9)I heard the merry grasshopper then sing.The black-clad cricket (蟋蟀) bear a second part;They kept one tune and played on the same string,Seeming to glory in their little art.Shall creatures abject thus their voices raiseAnd in their kind resound their Makers praise,Whilst I, as mute, can warble (sing in a high voice but not steady) forth no higher lays?11就是那只蟋蟀就是那只蟋蟀 _余光中余光中 台湾台湾Y Y先生说：先生说：“在海外，夜在海外，夜间听到蟋蟀叫，间听到蟋蟀叫， 就会以为那是四川乡下听到就会以为那是四川乡下听到的那一只。的那一只。” 就是那一只蟋蟀就是那一只蟋蟀 钢翅响拍着金风钢翅响拍着金风 一跳跳过了海峡一跳跳过了海峡 从台北上空悄悄降落从台北上空悄悄降落 落在你的院子里落在你的院子里 夜夜唱歌夜夜唱歌 就是那一只蟋蟀就是那一只蟋蟀 在豳（在豳（binbin）风）风七月里唱过七月里唱过 在唐风在唐风蟋蟀里唱过蟋蟀里唱过 在古诗十九首里唱过在古诗十九首里唱过 在花木兰的织机旁唱过在花木兰的织机旁唱过 在姜夔的词里唱过在姜夔的词里唱过 劳人听过劳人听过 思妇听过思妇听过 12就是那只蟋蟀就是那只蟋蟀 _余光中余光中 就是那一只蟋蟀就是那一只蟋蟀 在深山的驿道边唱过在深山的驿道边唱过 在长城的烽台上唱过在长城的烽台上唱过 在旅馆的天井中唱过在旅馆的天井中唱过 在战场的野草间唱过在战场的野草间唱过 孤客听过孤客听过 伤兵听过伤兵听过 就是那一只蟋蟀就是那一只蟋蟀 在你的记忆里唱歌在你的记忆里唱歌 在在我的记忆里唱歌我的记忆里唱歌 唱童年的惊喜唱童年的惊喜 唱中年的寂寞唱中年的寂寞 想起雕竹做笼想起雕竹做笼 想起呼灯篱落想起呼灯篱落 想起月饼想起月饼 想起桂花想起桂花 想起满腹珍珠的石榴果想起满腹珍珠的石榴果 想起故园飞黄叶想起故园飞黄叶 想起野塘剩残荷想起野塘剩残荷 想起雁南飞想起雁南飞 想起田间一堆堆的草垛想起田间一堆堆的草垛 想起妈妈唤我们回去加衣裳想起妈妈唤我们回去加衣裳 想起岁月偷偷流去许多许多想起岁月偷偷流去许多许多 13就是那只蟋蟀就是那只蟋蟀 _余光中余光中 就是那一只蟋蟀就是那一只蟋蟀 在海峡那边唱歌在海峡那边唱歌 在海峡这边唱歌在海峡这边唱歌 在台北的一条巷子里唱歌在台北的一条巷子里唱歌 在四川的一个乡村里唱歌在四川的一个乡村里唱歌 在每个中国人脚迹所到之处在每个中国人脚迹所到之处 处处唱歌处处唱歌 比最单调的乐曲更单调比最单调的乐曲更单调 比最谐和的音响更谐和比最谐和的音响更谐和 凝成水凝成水 是露珠是露珠 燃成光燃成光 是萤火是萤火 变成鸟变成鸟 是鹧鸪是鹧鸪 啼叫在乡愁者的心窝啼叫在乡愁者的心窝 就是那只蟋蟀就是那只蟋蟀 在你的窗外唱歌在你的窗外唱歌 你在倾听你在倾听 你在想念你在想念 我在倾听我在倾听 我在吟哦我在吟哦 你该猜到我在吟些什么你该猜到我在吟些什么 我会猜到你在想些什么我会猜到你在想些什么 中国人有中国人的心态中国人有中国人的心态 中国人有中国人的耳朵中国人有中国人的耳朵14Edward Taylor: A Great Puritan PoetEdward Taylor (1642-1729) 15Edward Taylor: ContributionsA great Puritan poet in colonial America; A meditative poet; metaphysical poems, reminiscent of John Donne, Richard Crashaw, and George Herbert in the early 17th century England;One of his highly religious poem is “Huswifery”; his poetry and that of Bradstreet rose to the professional level.16Edward Taylor: Huswifery HuswiferyMake me, O Lord, thy spinning wheel（旋转的车轮） complete.Thy holy word my distaff （纺纱杆）make for me.Make mine affections thy swift flyers （飞行物）neat.And make my soul thy holy spool（一轴线） to be.My conversation make to be thy reel（卷筒）.And reel the yarn（纱线） thereon spun of thy wheel.17Jonathan Edwards: The Countrys last Medieval ManJonathan Edwards (1703-1758) 18Jonathan Edwards: Position and EducationA preacher and theologian, graduated from Yale University, and the president of New Jersey University (later Princeton University) in the last year of his life.His importance is more seen in his Puritanical doctrines; a representative of the idealistic aspect of American Puritanism and an emblem of the Calvinist beliefs and tenets. 19Jonathan Edwards: Position and Education He was probably the last great voice that was heard in America to reassert the Calvinist stance; born into and brought up in a very religious environment, no one could be more religious and pious than him. What Edwards tried to do in his lifetime was to reinstate in his preaching such Calvinist ideas as the power of God, the depravity of man and mans need to communicate with the Holy Spirit (God) to receive Gods grace. 20 He holds that God is the source of all being, the substance of all life. God created the world out of Himself by diffusing Himself into time and space. God manifests Himself in nature and man, and man, being a part of God, is divine.Jonathan Edwards and Religion21 In a word, God is omnipotent and immanent. His ideas asserted deep influence upon the Transcendentalist doctrines of such great Transcendentalists as Emerson, and in this sense, he was a forerunner of New England Transcendentalism in the 19th century. Of Edwards writings the famous which reveal Edwards doctrines are “Personal Narrative” and “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” Jonathan Edwards: Contributions 22Jonathan Edwards: Personal NarrativeThe structure of Personal NarrativeI. From 1 to 5, the narrators first began to experience with his religion;II. From 6 to 13, the narrators sense of religion developed as he became more and more pious;III. From 14 to 32, the narrator recorded his religious thoughts and reflections in detail.23Jonathan Edwards: Personal Narrative1. Have you found the two more remarkable seasons of awakening in the passage? What do you think about them?2. How did the narrator become more and more religious? 3. How do you evaluate the passage as well as Jonathan Edwards? 24Jonathan Edwards: Personal NarrativeEdwards cried with joy and recorded the experience of ecstasy in his Personal Narrative: I felt an ardency of soul to be. empties and annihilated; to lie in the dust, and to be full of Christ alone; to love him with a holy and pure love; to trust in him; to live upon him; to serve and follow him; and to be perfectly sanctified and made pure, with a divine and heavenly purity.25Jonathan Edwards: Personal NarrativeWhy do we regard Edwards as one of the forerunnersof New England Transcendentalism?.The appearance of every thing was altered; there seemed to be, as it were, a calm, sweet cast, orappearance of divine glory, in almost everything. Godsexcellency, His wisdom, His purity and love, seemed toappear in every thing; in the sun, and moon, and stars;in the clouds and blue sky; in the grass, flowers, trees;in the water, and all nature; which used greatly to fix mymind. (p.6-7)26Selected Stories of the BibleAn Angel Visits Mary A FEW months later God sent the angel Gabriel to the town of Nazareth in Galilee, to visit a young girl. She had been promised in marriage to a man named Joseph, who was descended from the family of King David. The girls name is Mary. The angel appeared to her and said, Greetings, Mary, Gods blessing is on you. When Mary saw the angel and heard what he said she was filled with wonder and unease. 27Selected Stories of the Bible Do not be afraid, Mary, the angel continued, God loves you; he has filled you with his grace. You will have a child, a son whom you will call Jesus. He will be great, and people will call him the Son of the Highest. God will give him the throne of his forefather David, and he will reign over Israel for ever. His kingdom will never cease to exist.28Selected Stories of the Bible How can this be? asked Mary. I have never slept with a man. The angel Gabriel replied, The Holy Spirit of God is with you; God will take possession of you. And because of this, the holy child that will be born from your body will be called the Son of God.29Selected Stories of the Bible The God went on, Through Gods will your cousin Elizabeth will also have a son. You know she could not have children before and seemed too old to bear any now, but she will give birth before you. God can make everything possible. Mary said, I am Gods servant. May everything happen just as you have said.3031