Scarica The Role of Religion and Dissent in the American Revolution: A Literary Analysis e più Appunti in PDF di Letteratura Angloamericana II solo su Docsity! 06/12/2018 THE LITERATURE OF REVOLUTION Quote “The Cambridge History of American Literature” – Relation between dissenting religious traditions and oppositional political discourse: throughout the 2nd half of 18th century area of religious writing, sermons. REVOLUTION when does it exactly begin? When the war begins/or when began dissenters to be strong? All authors after that Era returned to the main ideas and looked for the foundation of their speak of the particular historical development. Language and word play an important role for the Revolution. A Revolution ends when one culture is replaced by another. MAJOR STEPS: • 1765 The Stamp Act: a tax which labelled most material printed in the colonies; revenue was to pay off British debt accrued during the period of the French and Indian War (Seven Years War, 1754-1763) • 1766 The Declaration of Independence: severs the political ties with Great Britain: the 13 colonies separate from their mother country. • 1783 Treaty of Paris: formally ended the Revolutionary War: British as losers were forced to come to negotiation with rebellious colonies. Up to that, they were fighting for their independence. • 1787Adoption of the American Constitution: finalizes the process of creating a ne structures and institutions of republican government. The institution wasn’t in place before that day. DOCUMENT: Connected to the date 1765, in response to the Stamp Act. They felt themselves not recognized by the British crown as subjects, and they felt they had a sort of political duty to say it. It was a formalized way to claim it. Argumentative Steps A. Statement of fact ■ Act of Parliament has lately passed in England… ■ Imposing Duties… on his Majesty’s Subjects in America ■ Deeply affected their most essential and valuable Rights B. List of Grievances (paraphrasis) 1. We have done our duty defending the King’s interest 2. We will do our duty in the future if the King acts according to the constitution 3. We are subjects of the King: our government is based on principles recognized (natural rights, liberty) 4. Because of these rights, taxation needs consent of the subjects to be taxed Like all British subjects, our representatives need to agree to new taxes 5. We are represented only by those whom we elect. 6. If someone else taxes us, it is unconstitutional. 7. If someone else taxes us, it violates the principle of liberty. 8. Putting us on trial for resisting the stamp act on a military court deprives us of our right of trial by jury. 9. Acts that regulate trade has negative consequences for the colonies and the motherland. C. Resolution 10. We want this text to become part of the public record so future generations will know that we did not accept this legislation without resistance. God isn’t mentioned. Protestantism is the variant form of Puritan and was a prominence part of it. JONATHAN MAYHEW “A Discourse concerning Unlimited Submission and Non-Resistance to the Higher Powers: With some Reflections on the Resistance made to King Charles I “ (1750) It’s a conjunction of the political ideas and liberty ideas. He was a minister of Massachusetts, who formulated this resistance to the Stamp Act. He became one of the opponents to it. It’s a sermon which contains symbolism, religious and philosophical arguments that are used in the agitation of the revolution argument. AGITATION: making people move, affect their emotions and appeal to these emotions in a political way. He defines SOCIETY and GOVERNMENT and the relationship between them. Paine gives a definition of Society and explain the differences. He doesn’t believe in native goodness in people, he thinks that people have inner wickedness. The government must restrict human characteristics that we all can develop in a wrong way. So, it isn’t necessarily evil. If we feel bad under a government, in the same way we can feel bad without a government with some regulations. Here there is the fear of the tyranny which is the main fear in these years in the creation of the American country. Government defines as the instrument of civilization. It protects our civility. He uses metaphors. Necessity of frequent elections: The common interest is what motivate us in government decisions because they live in the same common territory. THOMAS JEFFERSON (1743-1826) Lawyer, politician, slave-owner, President , Author of “Notes on the State of Virginia” (1785) He drafted the Declaration of the Independence, because Adams (who was told by the Congress) liked his style. He uses a language which was familiar to priests (combination of religious and politics) Government can provide the general conditions to live and allows you develop to your fullest potentials. There’s a continuation of topics and motives defined throughout the time in Virginia and not only. 3 STEPS of the ARGUMENT: 1. Definition of the foundational principles of republican government 2. Enumeration of the destructive nature of British rule 3. Declaration of the colonies’ independence The American Literature is a literary phenomenon.
