Puritan Age in English Literature | All about Puritan Age | main events , characteristics and poets
Summary
TLDRThis video explores the Puritan Age in English literature, covering its historical context, key events, and major writers. It discusses how the Puritans aimed to reform the Church of England, the impact of their beliefs on literature, and the period's shift from the unity of the Elizabethan era to a more somber, intellectual tone. The video highlights significant literary figures like John Milton and John Bunyan, alongside different poetic groups. It also emphasizes the importance of moral, didactic literature and the influence of the Bible during this time.
Takeaways
- 📜 Puritans were a group of English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries seeking to purify the Church of England.
- 📆 The Puritan Age in English literature spans from 1625 to 1675, marked by moral and political revolution, and influenced by Puritan standards.
- ⚔️ The Puritan struggle led to the overthrow of the monarchy, the execution of Charles I, and the establishment of the Commonwealth under Cromwell.
- 🖋️ John Milton, a Puritan, was the greatest literary figure of the period, known for his influential works.
- 📖 The literature of this age lacked the unity and optimism of the Elizabethan era, becoming more somber, critical, and intellectual.
- ✝️ Puritan literature was heavily influenced by religion, focusing on personal salvation, morality, and biblical themes.
- 📝 Much of Puritan writing was didactic, aiming to instruct readers in matters of faith and conduct, exemplified by works like John Bunyan’s *The Pilgrim’s Progress*.
- 🔍 Puritans emphasized individualism, self-examination, and the introspective relationship with God in their autobiographical works.
- 📚 The period saw a proliferation of printed materials, including the influential King James Bible published in 1611.
- ✒️ Notable literary groups of the era include transition poets, metaphysical poets, Cavalier poets, and prominent figures like John Milton, John Bunyan, and minor prose writers.
Q & A
Who were the Puritans and what did they aim to achieve?
-The Puritans were a group of English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries who sought to purify and reform the Church of England. They believed that the church retained too many Roman Catholic practices and wanted to simplify its religious rituals and teachings.
What time period is referred to as the Puritan Age in English literature?
-The Puritan Age in English literature spans the half-century between 1625 and 1675. It is characterized by the dominance of Puritan standards and figures like John Milton.
Why is the period between 1625 and 1675 called the Puritan Age?
-This period is called the Puritan Age for two reasons: first, because Puritan standards prevailed in England during this time, and second, because the most prominent literary figure of the age was the Puritan writer John Milton.
What were the main historical events that shaped the Puritan Age?
-The Puritan Age was marked by significant conflict, including the Puritan struggle for righteousness and liberty. The Puritans overthrew the corrupt monarchy, beheaded King Charles I, and established the Commonwealth under Oliver Cromwell. The Commonwealth lasted only a few years until the restoration of Charles II in 1660.
How does the literature of the Puritan Age differ from the preceding Elizabethan period?
-Literature of the Puritan Age differs from the Elizabethan period in three ways: it lacks the unity of spirit seen during Elizabethan times, it is often somber rather than hopeful, and it has become more critical and intellectual, focusing on making readers think rather than feel deeply.
What are some key characteristics of Puritan literature?
-Puritan literature is marked by several characteristics, including a focus on religious themes, moral and didactic content, strong biblical influence, individualism and self-examination, and the growing importance of the printing press.
Which major writers and poets emerged during the Puritan Age?
-Notable writers of the Puritan Age include John Milton, John Bunyan, the metaphysical poets (like John Donne and George Herbert), the Cavalier poets (like Robert Herrick and Richard Lovelace), and the transition poets, such as Samuel Daniel.
How did the Bible influence Puritan literature?
-The Bible held a central place in Puritan life, and its influence is evident in Puritan literature. Writers frequently referenced scripture, and their works often incorporated biblical themes and motifs. The publication of the King James Bible in 1611 was particularly significant.
What role did introspection and self-examination play in Puritan writings?
-Puritans emphasized the individual's relationship with God, which led to a focus on introspection and self-examination. This theme is evident in autobiographical writings and personal diaries from the period, reflecting a deep concern for personal salvation and moral integrity.
What impact did the printing press have during the Puritan Age?
-The printing press greatly influenced the Puritan Age by making literature more accessible to a wider audience. It allowed for the dissemination of religious texts, such as the King James Bible, and other literary works that reflected Puritan values and teachings.
Outlines
📜 Introduction to the Puritan Age
The Puritan Age in English literature refers to the period between 1625 and 1675. Puritans were English Protestants who sought to reform the Church of England by eliminating Roman Catholic practices. Their desire was to purify religious rituals and teachings. The period is named after them because of their influence on English society and the prominent literary figure, John Milton. This time saw moral and political upheavals, as the Puritans overthrew the monarchy, executed Charles I, and briefly established a Commonwealth under Oliver Cromwell. Though the Commonwealth ended with the Restoration of Charles II in 1660, the impact of the Puritans is evident in the literature of the period, which is known for its moralistic and religious tones.
📚 Characteristics of Puritan Literature
The literature of the Puritan Age differs from previous periods in three significant ways: it lacks the unified patriotic spirit seen in the Elizabethan Age, it tends to be somber rather than hopeful, and it shifts from romanticism to critical and intellectual writing. Key characteristics of this literature include a deep religious conviction, moral and didactic purpose, a strong influence of the Bible, emphasis on individualism and introspection, and the rise of printed materials, including the notable publication of the King James Bible in 1611. These elements combined to shape a distinct literary landscape, heavily influenced by Puritan ideology and the social, political, and religious turbulence of the time.
✍️ Prominent Writers of the Puritan Age
The Puritan Age produced a diverse group of writers, including poets and prose authors. Major categories of writers include the Transition Poets, the Songwriters, the Spenserian Poets, the Metaphysical Poets like John Donne and George Herbert, and the Cavalier Poets such as Herrick, Carew, Lovelace, and Suckling. Among the most significant figures of this era are John Milton, known for his early poems, prose works, and epic poetry, and John Bunyan, who wrote the allegorical masterpiece *The Pilgrim’s Progress*. Other notable prose writers include Robert Burton, Thomas Browne, Thomas Fuller, and Jeremy Taylor.
👋 Conclusion and Call to Action
The video concludes with a brief summary of the key points covered about the Puritan Age and its impact on literature. It encourages viewers to subscribe, like, and share the content with friends to stay informed about future educational videos on English literature.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Puritan
💡Puritan Age
💡John Milton
💡Commonwealth
💡Restoration
💡Religious Party
💡Moral and Didactic Literature
💡Metaphysical Poets
💡Cavalier Poets
💡Printing Press
Highlights
Puritans were English Protestants seeking to reform the Church of England.
The Puritan Age in English literature is defined as the period between 1625 and 1675.
John Milton is the greatest literary figure of the Puritan Age.
The age was marked by conflict, moral and political revolution.
Puritans overthrew the monarchy and established the Commonwealth under Cromwell.
The Restoration of Charles II in 1660 is often considered the end of the Puritan period.
The literature of the Puritan Age is diverse due to the lack of political and religious unity.
Puritan literature lacks the Unity of Spirit found in Elizabethan literature.
Much of the literature of this period is somber and less inspiring compared to Elizabethan writings.
The literature has become critical and intellectual, prompting thought over deep feeling.
Religious party is a characteristic of the Puritan Age, with literature reflecting deep piety.
Moral and didactic literature aimed to instruct readers in matters of faith and conduct.
The Bible had a central influence on Puritan life and literature.
Individualism and self-examination were emphasized in Puritan writings.
The printing press was important in the Puritan Age, making literature more accessible.
The King James version of the Bible was a significant publication of the era.
Transition Poets, Songwriters, Spenserian Poets, Metaphysical Poets, Cavalier poets, and John Milton are notable groups of writers.
John Bunyan's 'The Pilgrim's Progress' is a chief work of the Puritan Age.
Minor prose writers like Burton, Brown, Fuller, and Taylor contributed to the literature of the Puritan Age.
Transcripts
hello and welcome to our channel in this
lecture we are going to discuss the
Puritan age in English literature its
main event characteristics writers and
their work
before going to Puritan Age first of all
you must know what is Puritan
so it is Puritans were a group of
English Protestants in the 16th and 17th
centuries who sought to purify and
reform the Church of England
they believed that the church still
retained too many Roman Catholic
practices and wanted to simplify and
purify its religious rituals and
teachings
now let me tell you what is Puritan age
in English literature
the half-century between 1625 and 1675
is called the Puritan period for two
reasons first because Puritan standards
prevailed for a time in England and
second because the greatest literary
figure during all these years was the
Puritan John Milton
historically the age was one of
tremendous conflict the Puritans
struggled for righteousness and Liberty
and because he prevailed the age is one
of moral and political revolution
in his struggle for Liberty the Puritan
overthrew the corrupt monarchy beheaded
Charles the first and established the
Commonwealth under Cromwell
the Commonwealth lasted but a few years
and the restoration of Charles II in
1660 is often put as the end of the
Puritan period
the age has no distinct limits but
overlaps the Elizabethan period on one
side and the restoration period on the
other
the age produced many writers a few
Immortal books and one of the world's
great literary leaders
the literature of the age is extremely
diverse in character and the diversity
is due to the breaking up of the ideals
of political and religious unity
this literature differs from that of the
preceding age in three marked ways one
it has no Unity of spirit as in the days
of Elizabeth resulting from the
Patriotic enthusiasm of all classes
2. in contrast with the hopefulness and
vigor of Elizabethan writings much of
the literature of this period is somber
in character it saddens rather than
inspires us
3 it has lost the Romantic impulse of
Youth and become critical and
intellectual it makes us think rather
than feel deeply
there are certain characteristics of the
age and that is 1. religious party
Puritans were known for their strong
religious convictions their literature
often reflected a deep sense of piety a
focus on personal salvation and a
commitment to living according to strict
moral and religious principles
2 moral and didactic literature much of
Puritan literature had a moral and
didactic purpose it aimed to instruct
and edify readers in matters of faith
and conduct
examples include allegorical works like
John bunions the Pilgrims Progress 3
biblical influence the Bible held a
central place in puritan life and
literature Puritan writers frequently
referenced and quoted scripture and
their Works often took on biblical
themes and motifs
4. individualism and self-examination
Puritans emphasized the individual's
relationship with God and the need for
introspection and self-examination
this is evident in their
autobiographical writings and personal
Diaries 5. importance of the printing
press the Puritan age saw the
proliferation of printed materials
making literature more accessible to a
wider audience
the publication of the King James
version of the Bible in 1611 was a
significant event
there are various groups of the writers
in this age who differ from one another
on certain aspects
first of all we have transition Poets of
whom Daniel is Chief
2. the songwriters Campion and Breton 3.
The spencerian Poets wither and Charles
Fletcher 4. the metaphysical poets Don
and Herbert 5 the Cavalier poets Herrick
karoo Lovelace and suckling
6. John Milton his life his early or
Horton poems his militant prose and his
last great poetical works
7 John Bunyan his extraordinary life and
his chief work the Pilgrims Progress
eight the minor prose writers Burton
Brown Fuller and Taylor
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