Essay Sample about Historical Literary Eras

The historical literary eras, Colonial, Enlightenment, and Romanticism and Transcendentalism, have all impacted today’s society in important ways. The Colonial era of literature was strongly influenced by Puritan beliefs. During the Enlightenment  period, literature was impacted by discovery and reason, while during the Romantic period, literature was impacted by human emotions and personal independence. Finally, the literature  of the Transcendentalist  era was shaped by belief in things beyond the human experience. In this essay, I will discuss how each of these literary eras has impacted today’s society in important ways. 

The Colonial Era in America lasted from 1607 to 1776. The Puritans were hardworking people who created almost everything by hand, including their clothing. Farming, household repairs, and animal care were all handled by the men and boys. The ladies took care of the house, manufactured soap, cooked, and gardened. God had made a special covenant, or agreement, with the Puritans, they thought. They thought that God required them to live according to the Scriptures, reform the Anglican Church, and provide a good example for those who stayed in England. The Amish belief is that God has a personal and abiding interest in their lives, families and communities. Plain attire, basic lifestyle, and aiding a friend in need are among the Amish's faith-based customs. Almost everything in the house, including the clothes, was produced by hand. Throughout this era, the strict and religious Puritans influenced literature. For example, in her poem “Verses upon the Burning of our House,”  Anne Bradstreet describes the simple life of the Puritans. This simple life of the Puritans included making all of their own necessities, daily religious activities, and harsh punishments for not following traditions. In today’s society, the Amish people share with the Puritans their strict religious beliefs, a simple life, and harsh punishments for not obeying customs. Similar to the Puritans, the Amish make all of their own clothes, grow their own food,  and build everything needed for life themselves. Also, the Amish praise God daily, and as a harsh punishment, they excommunicate any member of their community who disobeys their religious beliefs and practices.    

The American Enlightenment period occurred from 1680 to 1820. During this period, a focus on discovery and reason by authors played a role in literature. One important  type of discovery during this time was the discovery of  the new world, the Americas. The author, Phillis Wheatly, wrote about discovering a new land in her poem, “On Being Brought from Africa to America.” An example, in today’s society, of an Enlightenment era focus on discovery can be found in the science fiction movie, Star Trek. In Star Trek, the crew of the Starship Enterprise have the mission, “To explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, and to boldly go where no man has gone before!” This quote shows the common interest in discovery shared between science fiction of today and the Enlightenment era authors. 

The period of American Romanticism lasted from 1800 until 1850. Human emotions and personal liberty influenced literature. "And cry among thy friends; reeds shall bow, Soon, o'er thy safe nest," Willam Cullen Bryant wrote in his poem "To a Waterfowl." The film Inside Out depicts the influence of Romanticism on modern life. Like the poem "To a Waterfowl," we learn in the movie Inside Out that all emotions play a significant part in shaping who we are.

In America, the influence that the Transcendentalist movement of the 19th century has on modern society can be seen in Eric Knight’s “Lassie” books. In  Transcendentalism, inspiration is taken from places outside of human experience, like nature. Willam Cullen Bryant’s poem, “To a Waterfowl,” was inspired by a bird  he saw flying through the sky. In the same way, Lassie, a dog, inspires readers to avoid danger and make better choices. Both “Lassie” and the “Waterfowl '' draw inspiration  from animals, which are outside of human experience. 

Colonial, Enlightenment, Romanticism, and Transcendentalism are all literary eras that have had a significant impact on today's culture. Puritan principles impacted much of the writing of the Colonial period. Writing was influenced by discovery and reason during the Enlightenment period, but human emotions and personal freedom influenced literature during the Romantic period. Finally, the Transcendentalist era's writing was shaped by a belief in objects beyond human experience.