Discussion: "Paine and Enlightenment" completed by Oct 4 @ 3 PM
Discussion: "Wheatley and Freneau" completed by Oct 4 @ 3 PM
Chat: Mondays @ 7PM & Wednesdays @ 8 AM
Evaluation Webpage One: completed by Oct 12 @ 3 PM
Phillis Wheatley
Don't Forget: Evaluation Webpage One
is due next week. It should be emailed to me as an attachment by Oct 12 @ 3 PM.
The Eighteenth Century: Writing and Revolution
Philosophical and political ideas from the period in Europe known as the Enlightenment influenced many of the thinkers
and writers active during the American Revolution. All three of the
writers we are considering this week were familiar with
Enlightenment thought and used some these ideas in their work. As
you will see, however, this does not mean that they all always agree
on every point. There were many ways to interpret the ideas of the
Enlightenment.
To get more background on developments in American literature at this time, read "American
Literature 1700-1820" (Baym et al. 425-427, 429-433).
Also, for tons of information on the Enlightenment, visit
I would like you to read and remember the list of the "main components of Enlightenment thought" and the section on John Locke. Consider how these ideas can be seen in the writing of this week's authors.
(If you have trouble getting this link to open, copy and paste the address -- http://www.wsu.edu/~dee/ENLIGHT/ENLIGHT.HTM -- into your address bar and link to it that way. If the first page you see only says "European Enlightenment" on it, go to "Contents," then pick "Seventeenth Century Enlightenment Thought." That will get you where I want you to be.)
Thomas Paine
Thomas Paine has a surprising life story (Baym et al. 704-705) to many people who only know him as a figure in the American Revolution. While his politcal writings, such as "From Common Sense"(Paine 706-712) and "The Crisis, No. 1"(Paine 712-718), were important propaganda pieces for both the American and French revolutions, his philosophical writings, such as "From The Age of Reason" (Paine 718-724) put him at odds with many people who agreed with him on political issues . . . and then there is the matter of his missing bones.
To put some of Paine's beliefes in the larger philosophical context of the period, here is a brief page on the philosophy of deism and a link to a more extensive discussion:
.
Philip Freneau
Another writer active in the politics of the American Revolution and influenced by the ideas of the Enlightenment, Freneau (Baym et al. 791-792) worked alternately as a sea captain and a journalist, most famously for a newspaper which supported, and was supported by, Thomas Jefferson. He is now more well known for his poetry and his inauspicious death. I would like you to read two selections from our anthology: "To Sir Toby" (Freneau 802-804) and "On Mr. Paine's Rights of Man" (Freneau 804-805).
Additionally, I'd like you to read
. This is probably my favorite poem of the 18th century. I know the fact that I have a favorite poem of the 18th century means I am a hopeless geek, but nonetheless, this is it. I encourage you to print this poem and slide it into NAAL since they are guilty of not putting my favorite 18th century poem in their anthology.
Phillis Wheatley
Had she been a slave or not, Wheatley's accomplishments would have been remarkable (Baym et al. 808-810). The fact that she was a slave makes them even more so. Her poems and letters reveal a number of competing influences and ideas that make for very compelling reading and a variety of interpretations. Please read the following selections:
"On Being Brought from Africa to America" (Wheatley 810)
"To the University of Cambridge in New England" (Wheatley 813)
"To His Excellency General Washington" (Wheatley 819-820)
"To Rev. Samsom Occum, New London, Connecticut [The Natural Rights of Negroes]" (Wheatley 823-824)
is from the website of PBS's video series Africans in America. The site offers some background information about Wheatley, two portraits of her, and some of her writings. Please surf around to all of the Wheatley pages in this site.
Activities
(Due Dates/Times for all Activities are on the right side of the page)
Click on the "Discussion" link in the course's D2L navbar and answer the following question on the "Paine and Enlightenment" discussion board:
Where do you see Enlightenment or deist ideas in the work of
Thomas Paine? Explain your answer by referring to a specific passage
from Paine's work and explaining what aspect of Enlightenment thought
or deism the passage reflects. Some passages may involve more than
one aspect. If you see that one of your colleagues has pointed to one
aspect of Enlightenment or deist thought in a passage and you notice
another idea in that same passage, please add this idea to the BB. In
your posting, comment on at least one other posting in this discussion
topic.
Click on the "Discussion" link in the course's D2L navbar and answer ONE of the following questions on the ""Wheatley and Freneau" discussion board:
1. Where do you see Enlightenment or deist ideas in the work of
Freneau OR Wheatley? Quote the passage where you see these ideas and
explain your answer.
2. For you, what was the most interesting or arresting allusion,
image, metaphor, simile, or conceit in the poetry of either Freneau
or Wheatley? Quote the passage in your posting and explain why you
find this particular use of a poetic device to be powerful and
effective.
Whichever question you answer, comment on at least one other posting in this
discussion topic
As you read the anthology and the web resources, please consider the following questions and ideas.
Notice how Enlightenment and deist ideas are present in the work
of all three of the writers we are reading this week
Consider how Enlightenment ideas contributed to the American
Revolution (as shown through these writers)
Consider how Enlightenment ideas affected discussions about race
during the revolutionary period (as shown through these writers)
Note the use of poetic language and poetic devices in Wheatley
and Freneau; refer back to the literary terms in
Click the "Chat" link in the D2L navbar and go to the "ENGL 2231" chat.
Please contact me if you have any questions about this week's readings, web resources, or activities.
