Examination of Puritan Philosophy in Bradford's "On Plymouth Plantation"
The Puritan people first came to the New World to escape the religious
persecution that hounded Non-Anglicans in England. They established the
Plymouth Colony in 1620, in what is now Massachusetts. The colony was a
reflection of the Puritans' beliefs. These beliefs, along with the experience
of establishing a colony in "the middle of nowhere", affected the writings of
all who were involved with the colony. In this writing, the Puritan philosophy
behind William Bradford's "Of Plymouth Plantation" will be revealed. Some
factors that will be considered include: how Puritan beliefs affect William
Bradford's interpretation of events, the representation of Puritan theology in
the above mentioned text, and how Puritanism forms the basis for Bradford's
motivation in writing.
In Bradford's text, there are numerous instances in which his beliefs
affect his interpretation of what happens. In Chapter IX (nine) of "Of Plymouth
Plantation", entitled "Of Their Voyage?." , he tells of a sailor "..of a lusty,
able body.." who "would always be condemning the poor people in their sickness
and cursing them daily?..he didn't let to tell them that he hoped to help cast
half of them overboard before they came to their journey's end". But, "it
pleased God before they came half-seas over, to smite this young man with a
grievous disease, of which he died in a desperate manner, and so was himself the
first that was thrown overboard". Bradford believes that the sailor died
because God was punishing him. According to Bradford, the sailor's cursing, and
mistreatmen ...