Analysis of William Bradford’s “Of Plimoth Plantation”

American Literature and its Origins

American Literature has a strong and varied history with its origins often being journals giving an account of the Country’s first settlers. To this effect, William Bradford’s ’Of Plymouth Plantation Book 1’ is one such manuscript. In this book, the author documents the foray of the early settlers into America fleeing from religious persecution in Europe. This essay analyzes a passage in this book in order to provide illumination on its significance in literature as well as its contribution to history.

The Creation of the First Body of Governance

To begin with, the passage chosen delves into the creation of the first body of governance in the new colony after the arrival of the settlers in Plymouth from their travels across the sea from Europe. “…Having undertaken for the Glory of God and the advancement of the Christian Faith, a voyage to plant the First Colony… do solemnly and mutually, Covenant and Combine ourselves together into a Civil Body Politic… for our better ordering and preservation to enact, constitute and frame such just and equal Laws.” (Bradford 50). The passage shows the origins of self-representation in the new colony. Bradford shows the importance that people had in self-determination away from the Crown in England. Furthermore, it establishes the desire for independence from the norms that were in existence at the time creating the visual that the new colony may have felt stifled by the religious practices in England. This passage is a clear example of the need for escape encompassed by the entire book at a time when Europe was governed by Sovereigns.

Themes of Colonization and Puritanism

Secondly, the reason why this passage was chosen is because it highlights important themes of Colonization and Puritanism. William Bradford’s book gives adequate reasons for the migration of people from Europe, a big aspect of this being religion. The New World provided those who were firm believers a means of practicing their religion in a puritanical way. The Puritans sought to remove Catholic norms from the Church of England and thus came to the new world to create a reformed Protestant faith (Van Engen 425). Furthermore, colonization of the Americas is shown as beginning in small towns and settlements paving the way for the settlement of more people. This passage establishes that the settlers had the aim to thrive in the new land by creating laws to safeguard them and ensure that they would still have a semblance of order in the society.

The Importance of Bradford’s Work

Bradford’s work, although never formally published by the author himself, is important to American History and Literature. As a historic text, it shows the voyage of some of the first settlers and goes ahead in explaining their lives and the development of the region in the first few years. The text is recorded over a couple of years and thus is full of details which are important in understanding the origin and creation of the United States of America. Furthermore, as a literary text, it contains various themes the most eminent one being Religion. Written from a puritan view, it encapsulates the introduction of a new form of religion in the country, reformed Protestantism. The book thus can be described as philosophical in nature because the author often quotes the biblical importance of puritanism. It also outlines the first encounters of the settlers with the Native Americans, helping historians understand some of the mysteries of these indigenous people because of a lack of recorded history by themselves.

Conclusion

In summation, this work of literature is important because it allows the current generation to understand its own history as well as where the roots of the country are established. The passage highlighted shows the nature and the tone of the book as a whole. It gives a glimpse the important themes that occur within the book such as the varied history of religion, the settlement into America as well as the inter-communal relationships that had to be established at the time.

Work Cited

Bradford, William. Of Plymouth Plantation. Charles River Editors via PublishDrive, 2018.

Van Engen, Abram. “Female Piety and the Invention of American Puritanism Cast Down: Abjection in America, 1700–1850.”(2017): 425-427.