Literatura Norteamericana

1) Compare and contrast the use of autobiographical elements in the writings by John Smith, William Bradford, Anne Bradstreet and Mary Rowlandson, focusing on the texts selected in units 1, 2, 3 and4. See A Study Guide for American Literature to 1900, pages 18, 21-23, 39-40, and 42.

Although all of the authors under analysis use their own experiences to develop their works, they do not do itin the same way neither with the same strictness. As a first approximation, the four writers speak about their life, but they were so dissimilar that this fact is reflected all along.

The firstauthor, John Smith, was a soldier and a brave explorer who relates his adventures using the third person and trying to present himself as a complete hero, which contrasts dramatically with WilliamBradford, a devout priest able to leave the fate of his community and even himself in God´s hands unreservedly. Thus, while Smith transforms his work in such a pamphlet to achieve some self-promotion by anadventure tale, Bradford shows a careful account of what happens and inserts biblical references and his interpretation from reality through the Puritan faith.

Meanwhile, Anne Bradstreet and MaryRowlandson´s points of view are the settler and housewife´s ones: this offers a very different approach to a first settler’s life and worries. But, moreover, Bradstreet writes poetry, and thatdistinguishes her from the other three compared writers. Her work has nothing to do with Smith´s nor in themes – her ones are domestic and religious issues - neither in tone. But, although thedissimilarities, there is a point in common with Bradford´s work which she also shares with Rowlandson: the faith. They were part of a close community which had to flee from Europe due to religion, and theirwritings are strongly impregnated by their beliefs. Therefore, it is important to note as Bradstreet's poetry, perhaps because the author never intended to publish it, suggests a bitter conflict between...