Introduction to American Literature

Author: Liang Yaping
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-06-01
Features: This book provides a concise introduction to the history of American literature, covering the main content such as: literature during the colonial period, literature during the American Revolutionary period, American Romanticism, American Realism, 20th-century American literature, and contemporary American literature. The book introduces American literature in stages according to the vertical development of literary history, with clear organization and structure. The history of American literature is not long; it almost emerged simultaneously with American free capitalism and was less influenced by feudal aristocratic culture. The early population of the United States was sparse, with vast undeveloped land, which provided great possibilities for the realization of individual ideals. The American people are rich in democratic and free spirit, with strong concepts of individualism and personal liberation, which are prominently reflected in literature. The United States is also a multi-ethnic country, with immigrants continuously, each bringing their own cultural traditions, which determines the diversity and complexity of American literary styles. The process of American literary development is one of continuously absorbing and integrating the characteristics of literature from various ethnic groups. Many American writers come from lower social strata, making American literature vibrant and filled with a sense of the common people. The general characteristics of American literature are cheerful and bold.
(II) Historical Background of the Colonial Period
After Christopher Columbus discovered the American continent in the late 15th century, European colonizers flocked to this mysterious land. In 1607, Englishman Christopher Newport led three ships to the Chesapeake Bay and established a permanent colony in Jamestown, Virginia. In 1620, a group of Puritans aboard the Mayflower established the second permanent colony in North America at Plymouth. These Puritans, who had come to the New World due to religious persecution, strictly adhered to Christian traditional doctrines. They firmly believed they were God's chosen people, rescued by God from the sins and decadence of the old world and sent to the blessed land of North America. Puritanism emerged from the religious reform movement in England, emphasizing that religion was a personal matter rather than a series of rituals that must be followed. Simple prayer forms were sufficient to achieve religious devotion. The harsh living conditions on the American continent made the Puritans realize that to overcome the difficulties they faced, they must face reality and be down-to-earth, rather than living in fantasy. Between 1620 and 1640, the population of New England, located on the East Coast, grew to 250,000, and the English gradually established one colony after another. Although the Dutch, Swedes, and French also established colonies, Puritanism continued to influence the economic and cultural life of the colonies. The English immigrants in America were not there solely for religious reasons but also had more important commercial motives. When the Virginia Company established a permanent colony in Jamestown, it aimed to provide Britain with a large amount of goods. They forcibly brought black people from Africa to the colonies. By 1775, there were as many as 500,000 African slaves in the 13 colonies in North America. The slave trade fueled the rapid growth of plantation economies, and the development of the 13 colonies led to the gradual formation of a shared culture in people's minds, giving rise to the American nation. English became the main language of the colonists and spread widely, which played a positive role in the production and development of English literature.