American Literature Timeline Overview

Summary

This lecture provides an extensive overview of American literature from its origins to the 1860s, highlighting key literary movements and their historical contexts. It emphasizes the importance of understanding authors within their societal frameworks, discussing Puritanism, Romanticism, Transcendentalism, and the influence of the Enlightenment. The lecturer also touches on the evolution of literature from utilitarian to entertainment, including the significance of Native American oral traditions and early slave narratives in shaping American literary identity.

Takeaways

• 📚 The lecture provides an overview of American literature from its earliest stages to the 1860s, focusing on the historical and cultural context of various literary movements and authors.
• 🕊️ The Native American period, prior to 1620, is characterized by oral traditions and stories, with variations in themes and characters across different tribes.
• 🌐 European exploration and early colonization introduced non-fiction writing, including journals, ship logs, and letters, which offer insights into early American myths and realities.
• 📜 The Puritan and colonial period emphasized religious influence, with literature dominated by utilitarian and instructive writings, including sermons and diaries.
• 🏛️ The Revolutionary period and early nationalism (around 1750 to 1815) saw a shift in writing to justify the American Revolution and explore the meaning of being American, influenced by Enlightenment ideals.
• 📖 Romanticism, overlapping with transcendentalism, celebrated individualism, nature, and imagination, with a blossoming of fiction, poetry, and short stories.
• 🌳 Transcendentalists believed in the inherent goodness of people and the importance of self-reliance, with many becoming abolitionists and prohibitionists.
• 👻 Gothic writers, on the other hand, were interested in fantasy and the supernatural, contrasting with the transcendentalist focus on rationalism and human potential.
• 📜 Slave narratives, ranging from 1770 to 1850, detailed the experiences of slaves, with early narratives focusing on religious redemption and later ones on the hardships of slavery and the hypocrisy of Christian slave owners.
• 📚 The lecture emphasizes the importance of considering the historical context in which authors wrote and how their works reflect or challenge the literary movements and societal norms of their time.
• 🔍 The course encourages students to think critically about the authors' intentions, the tensions between their works and the literary movements of their time, and the evolution of American literature towards the future.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the American Literature part one course?

The course focuses on an overview of American literature, examining the historical and cultural context of various literary movements and authors, and how they have evolved over time.

Why is it important to consider the context in which an author is writing?

Considering the context helps to understand the author's perspective and the influences on their work, including their reactions to past literary movements and their push towards future developments.

What does the instructor suggest about the perception of historical figures in the context of American literature?

The instructor suggests that historical figures, once considered heroes, may be viewed differently over time due to the discovery of problematic views such as racism or gender stereotypes.

What are the key literary movements covered in the American Literature part one course?

The course covers literary movements from the Native American period and European exploration to Romanticism, transcendentalism, and up to the Civil War period.

What is the significance of the 'pendulum' analogy mentioned in the script?

The 'pendulum' analogy signifies the swings in literary movements, where ideas and styles change dramatically from one extreme to another, reflecting the cultural and intellectual shifts of the time.

What is the role of oral traditions in the Native American period of literature?

Oral traditions in the Native American period were significant as they included songs and stories that were passed down through generations, often focusing on the sacredness of the natural world and the importance of land.

How does the script describe the transition from the European exploration period to the Puritanism and colonialism period in American literature?

The transition is marked by the establishment of colonies, such as the Jamestown Colony and the arrival of the Mayflower in 1620, leading to the dominance of Puritan religious influence in literature.

What are some of the characteristics of the Puritan style in literature?

The Puritan style is characterized by its utilitarian and instructive nature, with an emphasis on plain and direct language, often focusing on religious themes and the importance of faith in daily life.

How does the script describe the shift in literature from the Revolutionary period to Romanticism?

The shift is marked by a move from highly ornate and rhetorical writing influenced by Enlightenment ideals to a focus on individualism, nature, imagination, and strong emotions, with a blossoming of fiction, poetry, and short stories.

What is the significance of the transcendentalist movement within the Romanticism period?

The transcendentalist movement within Romanticism emphasizes the inherent goodness of human nature, the importance of individualism, self-reliance, and the belief in an inner light or divine spark within each person.

How does the script address the issue of slave narratives in American literature?

The script addresses slave narratives as an important part of American literature, discussing their evolution from early pamphlets focusing on religious redemption to later works highlighting the hardships of slavery and the hypocrisy of Christian slave owners.