Exploration and Literature of Early America: European Settlements and Confrontations - Pro, Apuntes de Literatura inglesa

¡Descarga Exploration and Literature of Early America: European Settlements and Confrontations - Pro y más Apuntes en PDF de Literatura inglesa solo en Docsity! LITERATURE OF 1850 INTRODUCTION: AMERICAN WRITINGS UP TO 1620. This writings inherit forms and stiles of welsh, Irish, English settles and also other Europeans. We know that the British successfully landed and established in North America in 1610 and 1620; Massachusetts, New England and Virginia. Before that, there were other European nations that also participated in the colonization of North America. The French landed in today’s Quebec. The Dutch landed at the Hudson River and they founded he city of new York. The Germans in Pennsylvania… and the Spaniards landed in Florida. This is the time of the colonization so there is no time to write so there is no “literature” as we know it. “Early American Writings” does not include the Native American literature which was oral. All European nations landed and established settlements before the English so we have to have the understanding that there is literature in their own literature. The literary consequences of the “Discovery of America”: Cristobal Colón was followed by the Portuguese and the French and the brutish. The first expeditions were unsuccessful. They had bad weather. Colón was not the first to step on the American continent. The Vikings were first. They didn’t established permanent settlements, they were there only to explore. The Europeans that followed Colon were successful. From the Caribbean islands, the Spaniards and Portuguese will continue the expedition to the central America. The colonization’s by the Spaniards were intense and aggressive under the realm of Charles V (1520-1540). By the 1550s we have that the Spanish and the Portuguese have explored interior regions. The literature of this period: there are many writings about the European exploration and settlements in America. This is because the printing industry which was born in the middle of 15th century. The first materials were letters and reports of what they saw and did in America. We find tales of the wonders and marbles of the new world, about the landscapes, vegetation, fruits, clothes… the scripts of the new world to catch the attention of the reader and let him know/ imagine what it to be in America is. Why is it possible to colonize and to stablish in America? The writings of this explorers is going to make other dream about start a new life in the new world. Thanks to the printing industry, the letters and writings are going to travel all over the world and translated to French, Italian; Dutch… religion is going to be a factor to escape from European intolerance. The national ambition to settle down in the new world is going to be triggered by the writings. Native American literature relies in orality and memory but it has been lost: it was either destroyed by European or forgotten because of its orality. There is confrontation between the European and the natives. The conquers were ferocious; the natives were not prepared for the European conquers; the European had guns to kill them. Europeans brought diseases to America. Because of that there was a declining labor so Africans were brought to America. There are documents to set up policies written from Europe to America but also from America to Europe. The conquers had to explain their actions in America. When the first explorers discover and destroy native Americans, they have to explain why they did whay they did. There was a miscommunication because of the good intentions and policies and the bad actions, crimes, sins committed by settlers in the new world and because of the distance the documents had to travel. Great distance make difficult to coordinate intentions and performances. The formal author was in Europe and had not to endure what settlers had to endure. There were conflicts between the natives and settlers but also between settlers themselves. The narratives of witness: we have some transgressive voices that denouncer and criticize the European exploration. They rise against the bad practice of colonization. The main voice is Bartolomé de las Casas. He is going to destroy the American dream with his critical eye, he has to convince Charles the V of stopping the colonization. He was accused of treason in Spain because of the consequence of his denounce: the protestant world against the Catholics. The translations of his writings will be used by the Protestants enemies of Spain to criticize what Spaniards were doing in America. - Alvar Nuñez Cabeza de Vaca “Adventures of the Unknown Interior of America” (1542). Is the first writing by an European devoted to native American. H narrated his expedition to Florida. The struggle to survive in North America. The years in the life of Cabeza de Vaca. He learns the language of Native Americans. It is a painful journey; life full of misery, the danger of death but this man proves that he can survive. He observes the costumes, the lives of the natives Americans and he treats them with respect. Own experiences and report of objective facts. This narrative is addressed to Charles V to convince him to promote expeditions to north America. 3 types: narratives of exotics and new world; setting policies and the narratives of witness to criticize. - The book is to accuse the Spaniards of being bad cristians because there is a religion war in Europe and they were the enemies. English explorers and discoverers 2nd generation: Francis Drake, Martin Frobisher, Humphrey Gilbert and Walter Raleigh. James I, Richard Hakluyt and shipwrech literature. Virginia and the Virginia Company. Jamestown (Virginia) in 1607. John Smith (1580-1631) “True Relation of Such Occurrences and Accidents of Note as hath happened in Virginia” (1608) “General Hostory of Virginia, New England and Summer Isles” (1624). Spain and Portugal took the lead to the aggressive expansion; to conquer part of north America, Caribbean islands… this happens throughout the whole 16th century. France and England were very slow and seeing the advantages of settling down in the new world. Henry VII and Henry VIII were not very interesting in that situation. In France we have the king Francis the I and he was not going to be interested in it either. There is going to be a second generation of English explorers: Elisabeth the I. there are brave men to fight for their Virgin Queen (Virginia): Francis Drake, Martin Frobisher, Humphrey Gilbert and Walter Raleigh. It is a time of prosperity, commercial expansion. The queen allows Sir Walter Raleigh one expedition and he establishes the Colony of Roanoke, there is a permanent settlement there. Five years later, the English return to Roanoke and they find nothing, people disappeared and there was no sign of violence. They were probably captured and integrated in their community. The queen decided not to colonize more lands. There is a renew interest in the colonization of Virginia, James I, the heir of Elisabeth. All the explores are going to write their own journals and reports about their unsuccessful expeditions: SHIPWRECK LITERATURE. Hakluyt are going to translate the reports. The publications of some reports of European mariners are going to promote the colonization of north America. This literature is going to be translated / adapted; and enlighten the imagination of English people to want to travel themselves to the new world. It is going to inspire writes of the end of 16th century and begging of the 17th. Shipwreck literature inspires Shakespeare to wrote THE TEMPEST.