Puritan forms of literature went
through some major changes at the end of the seventeenth century. Their religion had become a pretense
rather than a lifestyle for many people.
The literature of the time addressed the dangers and results of
Puritans’ actions. “Sinners in the Hands
of an Angry God” by Jonathan Edwards and The Crucible by Arthur Miller have
some very similar elements pertaining to the characters including the hypocrisy
and negativity of the Puritans and the attempted purification of its
people.
The Puritans in the Crucible and the Puritans of
Jonathan Edward’s sermon were more focused on how negative the Puritans could
be. Jonathan Edward’s sermon “Sinners in
the Hands of an Angry God” showed the wrath of God and how the Puritans needed
to view themselves as worthless. They had become so sinful that they needed to
be threatened to realize their own problems
(Edwards 98). The Crucible also portrays the Puritans as being negative and
vengeful toward each other, worried more about outward appearances than about
any kind of internal faith. These works
both lead to the conclusion that the Puritan religion has become authoritative
and judgmental as a result of a faith of rituals rather than heart felt belief.
Both these stories tell of the hypocrisy within the
Puritan body of believers of their time.
In “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”, Edwards preaches
against this dangerous sin and tells the people that hell is waiting for any
who do not repent. He even specifically
mentions that there was many in the crowd that was looking to their neighbor,
when really the problem was in themselves.
The Crucible also had much hypocrisy within it. Abigail knew the truth that the witchcraft
was all a hoax, but continued to use the cover of an afflicted girl calling out
to God for help. Even Parris, the
minister, would go about condemning others for their sins, when often times he
did the same things they did. When he
accused Proctor of not going to church, Proctor responded that it was because
Parris hardly ever mentioned God any more (Miller 29). In both these stories hypocrisy is described
by the characters’ actions and the fall from true faith in God.
Another
similarity between these works of Puritan literature is the attempt to return
life to control under Puritan beliefs. To accomplish this task in “Sinners in
the Hands of an Angry God”, Jonathon Edwards used vivid imagery and an accusing
tone to turn the hearts of his listeners back to God. He also went into detail about the destruction
of people and the end of the earth. The
early Puritans thought it was a sin to go into great detail, but by the time
Jonathan Edwards started writing sermons, that thought was over looked. Some people repented after hearing such a
strong sermon, but many continued in their sinful ways. The Crucible also attempted to return life to
Puritan control. Their way of life had
become so entangled in selfish beliefs that they went about it an entirely
wrong way. When witchcraft was rumored
in town, it became the goal of many prominent men like Parris and Hale, to
purify the community from these sins.
Going about it in this way brought division in the town and did more bad
than good. Even though both of these
stories tried to redeem Puritan principles, their goals were not accomplished completely.
Both “Sinners in
the Hands of an Angry God” and The Crucible demonstrated the extremes that can
occur under the pretense of religion.
Hypocrisy, negativity, and attempted purification are all results of
holding a religious guise. The change from
the original Puritan beliefs and doctrines to what is described in these two
works of literature, proves that Puritans are no longer the pilgrims of the New
World, but a changing social class who must address their own needs before they
destroy themselves.
Edwards, Jonathan. "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God." American Literature. Ed Jeffrey Wilhelm. Columbus: McGraw-Hill/Glencoe, 2009. 63-70. Print.
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