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AMERICAN
LITERATURE NATIVE AMERICANS
Navajo Skinwalkers – Witches of the Southwest
- This witch is called “yee naaldlooshii” by the
Navajo, which translates to “with it, he goes on all
fours.” It is just one of several types of Navajo
witches and is considered the most volatile and
dangerous.
- For the Navajo people, witchcraft is just another
part of their spirituality and one of the “ways” of
their lives. As such, witchcraft has long been part of
their culture, history, and traditions. Witches exist
alongside humans and are not supernaturals.

MESOAMERICANS: MAYAN/AZTECS
Quetzalcoatl - Quetzalcóatl, Mayan name
Kukulcán, (from Nahuatl quetzalli, “tail feather of
the quetzal bird [Pharomachrus mocinno],” and
coatl, “snake”), the Feathered Serpent, one of the
major deities of the ancient Mexican pantheon.
Representations of a feathered snake occur as early
as the Teotihuacán civilization (3rd to 8th century
CE) on the central plateau. At that time
Quetzalcóatl seems to have been conceived as a
vegetation god—an earth and water deity closely
associated with the rain god Tlaloc.

 American literature is literature predominantly

written or produced in English in the United
States of America and its preceding colonies.

 The Thirteen Colonies on the eastern coast of the

present-day United States were heavily
influenced by British literature.
 The American literary tradition thus is part of the
broader tradition of English-language literature.

(Morris, nd and Herlihy-Mera, 2018)

RELIGIOUS DISPUTES
A Model of Christian Charity
- Winthrop, a devout Puritan, was a lawyer, not a
minister, and his training shines through in both the
structure and content of his argument. From the
primary premise that God has ordained a variety of
conditions among men–some to be rich, some to be
poor, and so forth–he derives the traditional Christian
ideal of unity realized through diversity to offer a
vision of a political community based in the radical
ideal of “brotherly affection.” Based on the
extraordinary demands of colonization, Winthrop
urged his listeners to willingly be generous with their
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resources—both tangible and Poems has a complicated and fascinating history of
intangible—considering the good its own.
of their neighbor to be integral to
their own good. The colonists— - When Poems on Various Subjects appeared in
who were fleeing royal persecution September 1773, it was reviewed in at least eight
for their religious beliefs—had to London magazines. Reviewers invariably remarked
recognize that they were drawn on the unusual circumstance of an African slave
together for a purpose far beyond writing serious literature, and several specifically
their own liberty, or even security. pointed out the implications for the slavery debate.
They were, Winthrop predicted, in The Critical Review (September 1773) remarked
the first statement of American that…
millennialism, to become God’s
new Israel, and their success or  The Negroes of Africa are generally treated as a
failure would prove to all the dull, ignorant, and ignoble race of men, fit only
world the truth or falsehood of to be slaves, and incapable of any considerable
their religious claims. attainments in the liberal arts and sciences. A
poet or a poetess amongst them, of any tolerable
- For Thomas Morton, the New genius, would be a prodigy in literature.–Phillis
World truly was a new English Wheatley, the author of these poems, is that
Canaan. As one of the very earliest literary phaenomenon…. The author appears to
English settlers on the be of a serious, and religious turn of mind.
Massachusetts coast, Morton
experienced the New World as a - Born a Mohegan and believed to be the descendant
singular and direct contrast to life of Uncas, the famed Mohegan chief, Samson Occom
in late feudal or early modern converted to Christianity at 16 amidst the revivalist
Europe. Born in Devon, England fervor of Jonathan Edwards’ Great Awakening. In
(1579), Thomas was educated as a 1743 Occom became the first Indian pupil of famed
lawyer and wrote extensive evangelical preacher Eleazar Wheelock, who was
personal notes and observations then inspired to open a school for Indian students in
about social reform inspired Lebanon, Connecticut that ultimately moved to
primarily by his time among Hanover, New Hampshire and became Dartmouth
Native Americans. His birthplace College. Ordained as a minister, Occom traveled to
stamped Morton with the mark of England on behalf of Wheelock’s school, where he
High Church Anglicanism, “preached, in the course of a year and a half, nearly
considered by the rising tide of 400 sermons” before returning to America in 1768 to
Puritans to be far too close to continue his missionary work (Field 1151). “One of
Catholicism. Morton spent the the few temperance sermons published during the late
early part of his life traveling 18th century… [and] probably the first book
Elizabethan England, representing published in English by an American Indian,
the “Old England” popular interest Occom’s Sermon was so popular that it was reprinted
against the growing power of at least 19 times… The occasion for the sermon was
Crown and Court. the murder of Moses Cook, a respected citizen of
Waterbury, Connecticut, by Moses Paul, a Christian
EMERGENCE OF AFRICAN Mohegan who committed the act while drunk.”
AND NATIVE AMERICAN
LITERATURE REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD: POLITICAL

- Poems on Various Subjects,

Religious and Moral is the first
published volume of poetry by an
African American author. This fact
in itself would make the book
significant, but Phillis Wheatley’s
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REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD: POST INDEPENDENCE: THE FIRST AMERICAN
POLITICAL WRITINGS AND NOVELS
ENLIGHTENMENT
- The Power of Sympathy remains the most likely
- Franklin’s greatest business candidate for the honor of being called the first
accomplishment came from the American novel. It is certainly a novel, that is, a
publication of Poor Richard’s sustained fictional narrative in prose. The two
Almanack. On December 19, 1732 volumes in which it originally appeared amount to
Franklin published his first almost three hundred pages. Further, although there
almanac under the pseudonym of are sources in actual events for certain elements of
Richard Saunders. The almanac the plot, and although the title page displays the oft-
was published for the year of 1733 repeated claim "Founded in Truth," the work is
and was published once a year for presented as fiction. Finally the narrative is carried on
the next 25 years. It contained all by means of the epistolary technique, a highly
sorts of interesting information conventional eighteenth-century device for
such as the calendar, weather presenting fictional narrative.
predictions, sayings, poems and
demographics. It also included AKA THE LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY.
recipes, trivia, advice, aphorisms, - Uncle Tom’s Cabin narrates life on a southern
and proverbs about industry and plantation, portraying African American characters
frugality. Franklin considered it a who are strong, faithful, and virtuous. They are
vehicle of instruction for common victimized by a brutal system of violent whippings
people who could not afford books, and the sexual exploitation of enslaved women. The
a literature for the masses. enslaved men and women want to enjoy their liberty
Almanacs were the most read as humans and come close to violent rebellion to win
secular books in the colonies. it. Masters, overseers, and slave catchers in the story
are corrupted by slavery and drink, rather than being
- Cotton Mather, the Puritan directly demonized, because Stowe wanted to appeal
clergyman who published to southerners to change their minds about slavery.
hundreds of sermons and The sentimental novel presents difficult topics
theological works, also produced honestly while avoiding being lurid.
the first American compilation of
scientific knowledge, The
Christian Philosopher. (The term
“natural philosophy” referred to
the pursuit of scientific knowledge;
thus the “Christian philosopher”
studied scientific knowledge
within the perspective of Christian
theology.) For Mather, science was
an “incentive to Religion” that
fostered reverence and moral
insight. “Theologians had long
studied nature in order to
understand the will of God,”
asserts historian Winton Solbert.
“Now they and their allies
welcomed scientific advances that
explained how God’s Providence
advanced divine purposes in the
physical universe. Mather always
saw harmony rather than conflict
between science and religion.”
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HISTORY AND ORIGIN OF DANTE ALIGHIERI (1265–1321)
LITERATUREITALIAN  Il convivio (c. 1304–07; The Banquet)
LITERATURE  De vulgari eloquentia (c. 1304–07;
“Concerning VernacularEloquence”
ANTIQUITY  De monarchia (written c. 1313; On Monarchy)
 Commedia (written c. 1308–21; The Divine
Comedy)
 Epic of Gilgamesh o an allegorical poem
 Book of the Dead o shows dantes’ genius fully developed.
 Iliad and Odyssey
 Art of War
FRANCESCO PETRARCA (1304–74)
 Canzoniere
CLASSICAL ANTIQUITY o a collection of sonnets, songs, sestine,
ballads, andmadrigals
 Sappho  Trionfi (1351–74; Triumphs)
 Sophocles
 The City of God  Petrarch's literature is full of classical
research and deephuman feelings.
THE MIDDLE AGES  a humanist and esteemed writer of his time

 Divine Comedy GIOVANNI BOCCACCIO (1313 – 1375)

 One Thousand and One Il filocolo (c. 1336; “The Love Afflicted”;
nights 
Eng. trans. Il Filocoloor Thirteen Most
RENAISSANCE Pleasant and Delectable Questions of Love)
 Elegia di Madonna Fiammetta (c. 1343;
 Decameron The Elegy of LadyFiammetta or
 Gargantua and Pantagruel Amorous Fiammetta)
 The Decameron (1348–53)
EARLY MODERN  An admirer of Dante, he also wrote a
o Trattatello in laude di Dante (c. 1360;
 Faerie Queen “Little Treatise inPraise of Dante”;
 Don Quixote Eng. trans. Life of Dante) and
o a commentary on the first 17 cantos of
GOTHIC the Inferno (Esposizioni sopra la
Comedia de Dante [Boccaccio’s
 Dracula Expositions on Dante’s Comedy]).
 Frankenstein
 The strange case of Dr. Jekyll Boccaccio contributed to allegorical
and Hyde poetry with L’amorosa visione(written
1342–43; “The Amorous Vision”).
MODERN
NOTES:
 Harriet Stowe
 Franz Kafka  AENID
o virgil’s work
VIRGIL  BRUNETTO LATINI
ARISTO o dante’s friend and idol, also an
TLE influence in his writingstyle.
PLATO
 LATINI
o WROTE TESORETTO

 TUSCANY
o satire emerged

 FRANCOIS RABELAIS
o gargantua and pantagruel

 PETRARCH
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o italian author and
philosopher that wrote
about
scholasticism.

 TROUBADOURS
 HUMANISTS
o people who are
promoting education esp.
humanities.

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AFRICAN LITERATURE COLONIAL LITERATURE

 (produce slave literature because of slave
 Oral literature or orature (folktales) maybe in trade)
prose and verse.
 African poetry are often sung and includes:
o Narrative Epics 1. Interesting narrative of Olaudah Equiano
o Praise poems for rulers and prominent  A narrative of a former slave who
people calledPANEGYRIC. worked for slave shipcaptains and the
o Ritual Verse British Royal Navy.
o Occupational Verse
2. Ethiopia Unbound: Studies in Race
 Oral traditions exists in many languages:
Emancipation by JosephEphraim Casely
Fula, Swahili, Hausaand Wolof.
 Africa Literature has been largely invisible for Hayford (Ekra- Agiman)
the last millennia.  First African novel written in English
o Works has not been translated into any EU
language
o Most work are not transferred as printed 3. Things Falls Apart by Chinua Achebe
books and writtenin obscure places.  Helped create the Nigerian literary
Renaissance of the1960s.
 One of the challenges of the 21st century is
translating mostAfrican literature in POST COLONIAL LITERATURE
English  High nos of educated people
 Independence in 1950s and 80’s
 Lit increase in quantity and recognition.
NOTES:
1. The Africans by Ali Mazrui
In PH we have Antonio Morga, chronicled our  Discussed the impact on the continent
history (culture andliterature). of three distinctinfluences: African
Culture, Islam and Christianity
 Prose  You cannot identify Authentic African way
o Trickster Characters (character with high of doing things.
degree of intellectand secret knowledge
that they use to play TRICKS to disobey 2. The Plague by Albert Camus
normal rules and conventional behaviors.  A well known work that won the
o Mostly animal characters prestigious Nobel Prize in1957
 Poetry  Tells the story of a possible bubonic
o Occupational Verse plague in an Algeriantown.
o SONGS for a specific trade/work.
o Example: Farmer’s song, Protest songs.
NOBEL PRIZE
 Alfred Nobel Awards people who
contributed to the humansociety.

Griots
 West African historians, praise singers, poets or musicians.
 Keepers of the African Tradition
 Seen as leaders and given high positions in society.

COLONIAL
 Interesting narrative of Olaudah Equiano
o Slave trade: young children can be sold.
o West Indies propagated slave trade.
o NEW WORLD - USA
 Ethiopia Unbound: Studies in Race Emancipation
o TOPIC: Emancipation and exploration of African Identity.

 Things Falls Apart

o TOPICS: white missionaries, and colonial government.
o Iqbo tribe
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CONTEMPORARY
1. Brittle Paper
 Africa’s leading literary journal
 created by Ainehi Edoro

2. Grand prix of literary association (GPLA)

 Cameroon

PRE COLONIAL LITERATURE

1. Kebra Nagast (book of Kings) by Is’haq Nebura Id
 A collection of legends that relate to the birth of Manilek I.
 Judeo-Christian
 Queen Sheba/ Queen of Sheba - bore a
child (Manilek)to Solomon.
 Ge’ez - Ethiopian Semitic language

2. Anansi (spider)
 Animal Trickster from the Asante People of Ghana.
 Has a MORAL STORY

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MIDDLE EASTERN LITERATURE

TARJUMA
1. Abbasid Period (750-1258)  curriculum vitae ; tell achievements of
 Poetry is dominant in this period. prominent people.
 Many heroic or adventure narratives are
made, particularlythe ONE THOUSAND THE PROPHET
AND ONE NIGHTS.  Composed of 26 prose poetry.
 Translated more than 100 languages, sold
2. Napoleon Bonaparte’s Invasion of Egypt in over 9 million andmore world wide.
1798  Al Mustafa is the main character.
 Novels became a primary literature.
 ZAYNAB by MUHAMMAD HUSSEIN
HEYKAL is regarded as the first middle
eastern novel and published in1913.
Described the idyllic (ideal, picturesque,
peaceful and calm) Egyptian Countryside.
It also calls for the need of women’s
education.
 AKA beginning of a MODERN ERA.
 Emergence of short stories based on the
traditional
HAKAWATI (story telling).
 Brought European influences in M.E. Lit.

3. EARLY AND MID 20TH CENTURY

 Full of memoirs and biography/
autobiography lit.
 SIRA and TARJUMA
 THE PROPHET by GIBRAN KHALIL
GIBRAN

NOTES:

M. E. Lit or Arabian Lit (primary Arabic,

Persian - Iran, Turkishinfluences)

QUR’AN
 sacred book or holy book for most ME countries.

ADAB
 Arabian for literature - etiquettes.

ONE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

 Alibaba and the 40 thieves and Aladdin’s Magic
Lamp
 Influenced by Persian people/ politicians.
 King Shahryar and Queen
Scheherazade are the maincharacters.

2010 Abu Dhabi

 Contemporary presentation of Hakawati.
Ahmad Yousuf (actorand a Hakawati
storyteller)

SIRA
 life story of prophet Muhammad (in addition to
Quran and Hadith)
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ASIAN LITERATURE
DIVISION OF VEDAS:
1. Samhitas
1. CHINA (RED DRAGON) 2. Aranyakas
 China tradition is the Oldest in the world. 3. Upanishads
 Confucianism, Taoism and Legalism 4. Brahmas
were prominentphilosophies.
 CONFUCIUS, LI PO and PO CHU VEDA
were the prominentphilosophers and  Knowledge
writers.
 THE 5 Classics were the important SANSKRIT
literature in theChinese tradition  classical and liturgical language in India
particularly in Confucianism.

2. INDIA - ABOUT PIETY = deeply religious

spirit
 The VEDAS
o a holy book that is an important piece
of literature inthe Indian Culture.

 The VEDAS consists of the

o Rig Veda
o Yajurveda
o Samaveda
o Atharva Veda
 RAMAYANA and Mahabharata
o are two of the most important
epics of Indianliterature.

 PANCHATANTRA
o is the collection of the Indian Fables.

NOTES:

CONFUCIANISM
 Confucius (Kung - name Fu - respected Tze -
teacher)
 5 Classics are
o Rites
o Ode
o Change
o History
o Annals of autumn and spring. -
Metaphysical, poetics,social, historical
and political.

 Have the best conduct in all sphere of life.

 Ideology/ Philosophy
Li Po/ Li Bo (Li Tai Po)
 Leading Chinese Poet
 Good things in life and pathos of human destiny
 Most his works are about HIMSELF

Po Chu
 Represented classic traditions: politics and
morality
o Social problems
o Rapacity of minor officials
o Questionable religious practices
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RAMAYANA
 Reincarnation of Vishnu as Rama
 Written by Valmiki
o RAMA’s journey with Lakshmana
o Sita - Rama’s wife
o Hanuman - Monkey General
o Villain is RAVANA

MAHABHARATA
 Reincarnation of Vishnu as Krishna
o Great epic of the Bharata Dynasty.
o Dharma: Hindu Moral law
o Itihasa: history
o Battle between Kauravas and Pandavas
o Longer than Iliad and Odyssey

SHAKUNTALA
 Written by Kalidasa - Brightest of the nine gems of genius
 Contained in Mahabharata
 Love stories between humans, kings and
queens, gods andgoddesses.

PANCHATANTRA
 First Fables ever written
 Intended as NITI - policies for kings and statesmen
 Has an enclosing frame - animal fables to
teach 3 dull wittedsons of the king.
UPANISHADS
 Sitting near a teacher or connection
 Philosophy and mysticism.
 Belief in the reincarnation.
 ATMAN - The self and BRAHMAN - The absolute

VEDAS
 RIGVEDA
 YAJURVEDA
 SAMAVEDA
 ATHARVEDA

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