PRESENTATION:

THE PURITAN AGE OR THE AGE Of

AGE OF MILTON(1600-1660)

THE PURITAN AGE

OR
THE AGE OF MILTON
The literature of the 17th century
divided into two sub period:
Jacobean period( JAMES 1st 16031625)
Caroline period( Charles 1st 16251649)

Characteristics of puritan

The writers of Puritan ages followed the paths of the great

Renaissance writers.

The spirit of science popularizes by great men like Newton, Bacon

and Descartes.

In literature the spirit infuses itself in the form of criticism, which was
truly the creation of Puritan age..

People classified, analyzed, and systematized many things which

were having no importance before that.

English language was started being used as the medium for

instruction and for storing the data and for conveying facts.

Art of Biography popularized which was unknown in previous ages.

Readers had become criticizers and asked for the facts and figures,
so that they may judge and can take sides in the controversial
matters.

Puritanism is considered as the second greatest renaissance.

Rebirth of the moral nature of man which followed intellectual

awakening of Europe in 15th and 16th century.

Puritan movement stood for the liberty of people of Europe.

It aimed at making people free and honest.

Literature of the Puritan

The temperament of the writers completely

changed.

The Function of Puritan Writers

1. To transform a mysterious God - mysterious because he is
separate from the world.
2. To make him more relevant to the universe.

3. To glorify God.

Puritan writing reflected the character and scope

of the reading public, which was literate and wellgrounded in religion.
Common Themes in Early Puritan Writing
1. Idealism - both religious and political.
2. Pragmaticism - practicality and purposiveness

Puritan Period in British Literature (1603-1660)

Civil war marred this period in Englands history. King Charles I and
Parliament disagreed on many things and the fighting began
between the Cavaliersfollowers of the king and the Puritansa
political group that served as Parliaments chief supporter. King
Charles I literally lost his head; the Puritans formed a
Commonwealth.
Even the theatres that had once showed the great dramas of
Shakespeare and other Elizabethan playwrights were forced to
closed. Despite the uptight atmosphere, great literature can be
gleaned from this time
Cavalier poets. He is famous for two of his satiric plays: Volpone
and The Alchemist.
John Bunyan, a Puritan preacher, is best known for his allegory, The
Pilgrim's Progress (World's Classics)
Poetry
Two main groups of poets existed in the time of Puritanism. John
Donne and the Metaphysical Poets wrote poetry that rebelled
against the flowery predictable comparisonslike teeth to pearlsof
Elizabethan sonnets. They concentrated on more complicated
symbolslike comparing two lovers to a compass.
The King James Bible
King James I, the father of Charles I, commissioned a translation of
the Bible be written in the early years of the 17th century. Still
widely-read to this day, The Holy Bible: King James Version brings

GENR
E
Temperament was change from poetry to
prose.
Criticism(CYNISM ve ).During puritan age
political opposition were satire. Puritan
taught the people hoe to be free & honest.
BIOGRAPHY & AUTO BIOGRAPHY.
Fuller & Aubrey wrote BIOGRAPHY &
AUTO BIOGRAPHY of their contemporaries
& near parts.

Puritan As Narrow
minded
Dictatorship: After Charles 1 Cromwell become also a
st

dictator.
Common Recreation & past time were banned.
Censorship board.
Theaters were closed.
Even they banned the male/female Interruption and
Lolz.
When we criticize Puritan as a Narrow minded we did
not forget it__________
Aeropaegetica wrote by Milton against Censorship
Board.
Puritan were originated to make change in the worship
but later on it become a national movement against the
dictatorship of Charles 1st.
Milton & Cromwell fought against Charles 1st. They
stood For the liberty of people religious civil &

Puritans
Poetry
The School of Spenser
Phineas Fletcher (1542-1648)
He wrote many Spenserian pastorals
& allegories. Famous work is The
Purple Island
Giles fletcher (1583-1623)
His famous work is Christ victore,
Triumph, Earth over &after death.
They were the followers of Spenser.
They were both Priests & fellows of
Cambridge University.

The Metaphysical
School

The Poets were__________________

John Donne,Herric,ThomasCarew,Henry Vaughn,
George Herbert & Lord Herbert.
John Donne(1537-1631) was their leader.
Their poetry characteristics were as Follow:
They discussed far and fetched ideas. Full of logic &
reasoning.
Theme like love is experimented as in science
laboratory.
They dodge their readers.Hetrogenoius ideas are yoked
together by force.
Nature & Art destroyed. Artificiality came.
Major works are "The progress of Soul & The anatomy
of world(Satirical Allegy)

Cavalier poets
The Important poets were Herrick,
Lovelace, suckling & Carew.
They were the followers of Ben
Johnson
The Cavalier means (Royalist who
fought on the side of the king during
the civil war.
Pseudo classicist. They only follow
Ben in rules & regulation

John Milton(16081674)

Wordsworth tribute. Thy soul was like a star, and

dwelt apart.
Grand & sublime poetry. It not only teaches us it
motivates us & moves us & lifts us from the ground.
It appears us in our inner sense.
Milton was only Prominent writer in the puritan age.
Strong & Complex personality religious and as well
as Artist. He combine both the spirit of
Renaissance & Reformation.
Musical versification, spirits of freedom & morality
in his poetry & prose.
A great scholar of Hebrew language
Early poetry. Sonnets & hymns

Milton paradise lost & Civil

war

When the civil war broke out in 1642-1649 he became

a Latin secretary to Cromwell.
After civil war Milton found himself completely blind.
After death of Cromwell he became friendless. Even
his wife & daughter turned against him
Milton girded his lions & wrote his greatest poetical
works Paradise lost, Paradise Regained & Samson
Agonistes.
Subject matter is consist of_____________
The casting of Angles from Heaven.
Their planning of revenge in Hell.
Purpose is to Justify the ways of God to men

Jacobean & Caroline Drama

Declined in the hand of Fletcher & Beaumont.
Elizabethan spirit disappear
Theater closed
True picture of the character was not there
Intellectual & Scholar people did not come to the
fore front.
Only outwards show
No mental and physical vigour.
The Drama which achieved great heights during
Elizabethan Period, suffered a terrible decline &
when puritan closed theaters in 1642, it died its
natural death.

Thanks

me.

for being with