ENG 251 - American Literature: Bradford and Columbus's Contributions

This essay analyzes the contributions of William Bradford and Christopher Columbus to the shaping of early American literature. It examines their writings, perspectives, and experiences, highlighting how they influenced the development of the genre. The essay discusses Bradford's role as a writer and governor, focusing on his observations and the regulations he established. It also explores Columbus's letters and their impact on the portrayal of Native Americans and the exploration narrative. The essay draws on various sources to compare and contrast the styles and viewpoints of these key figures, concluding with their lasting impact on the American literary landscape. The essay also highlights the recording of shipping experiences by early sailors, which became key assets of early American literature. The essay mentions Captain John Smith, William Bradford, and Columbus's contributions, discussing their interactions with Native Americans and their perspectives on the new world. The essay also references the Iroquois Creation Story and its significance in understanding American culture. The essay provides a comprehensive overview of the impact of these figures on the origins and memorization in American literature.

Name: Naga Musaed
Professor’s Name: Filer Janice
ENG 251 W03
07/04/2019
Literature
Student’s Name
University Name
Author Note

Musaed 1
Introduction
The English settlers initially had no idea regarding the new world of the American mainland.
There was only verbally spread knowledge about the world and no concrete idea prevailed. At
the same time some English settlers were fascinated for new form of adventure and their demand
for a new land and new ways of life were also showcased. The quest was quenched when they
were able to discover America. This essay discusses the contribution of Bradford as well as
Columbus in shaping the primary phase of American literature and also reflects how they
influence the later aspects of literature also.
Discussion
The shipping experiences of the early sailors were recorded by them in their own voice
and these became the key assets of early American literature. Firstly, mention might be made of
Captain John Smith who made epoch making work in early colonization. As evidenced by
Holsinger his discoveries and experiences were recorded in the general History of Virginia. We
find that in spite of the early conflict of the natives with him, there were valuable record of the
indigenous people as well as culture and that laud the foundation of the American literature
setting a specific genre of literary works where the knowledge and the experience of these sailors
were considered as valuable content.
Similarly, we should also consider the role played by William Bradford, who was himself
a writer from early colonial America. His experiences of the Mayflower made him gather
valuable experiences that went in to many of his famous writings. Some of his exquisite works
include the Mayflower Compact as well as the Of the Plymouth Plantation that occurred in 1622.
As per McKenna, the contributions of Bradford are unique from the perspective that he was not

Musaed 2
very adventurous. His fame does not rest on the dint of his experiences of being captured by the
Indians as of John Smith or that of the exploring voyages of Columbus. He became famous as
the governor of the Massachusetts Colony. Other eminent aspects of his writings include the
regulations of the land that were set by him and that is why the latter generations were able to get
a first hand idea of governance in America after the foundation of civil society in America. As
specified by Ruland, before the advent of Bradford, there were no specified rules or forms of
government regulations, that is why, we find that in the writings of Bradford in Of Plymouth
Plantation there is discussion of why he left England. Here, other than the aspect of governance,
he also delivers the conceptions regarding his early religious beliefs. He had left his land purely
for the religious reasoning as well as its outcomes. The English people did not accept the
Puritans. In this context, in the book, he also draws relevance with the belief and perceptions of
the native people and the new world of America as well. His attitude towards the Americans in
his verses is although not very tentative. The use of coarse language is very evident, when he
says about the natives that:
“Should be in continual danger of the savage people who are cruel, barbarous, and most
treacherous being most furious in their rage and merciless” (Bardford 1622). Tennenhouse
reports that he acquired most fame for his account of the American history and it is evident that
there were specifications of the perceptions of the English settlers and that of the Native
Americans.
So far as the contributions of Columbus is concerned, there have been the specifications of the
contributions of the letters of explorers like him that carried valuable information regarding the
life and work as well as their first hand exploration evidences. In order to please the monarchs
they did offer letter to them explaining how they missed their motherland and explaining their

Musaed 3
passion to glorify their motherland with their discoveries. One important specimen is the writings
of Columbus to Ferdinand and Isabella named “the lands which here obey Your Highness”. Such
letters bear evidence of dedication towards the monarch. Like the literary works of Bradford.
Columbus had also expressed disdain towards the culture of the Native Americans and held them
as pagan savages. He calls them:
“Encompassed about by a million savages, full of cruelty”
Again, from the works of explorers it is very evident that the explorers did not have any
form of respect for the culture of the Native Americans and that is why they paved the way for
overthrowing them and changing their ways of life. As per Traister, the explorers were also
involved in missionary activities and that is why Columbus had considered as very important to
ensure the preservation of Christianity as well as conversion of the locals whom he described to
be devoid of any civil culture in to Christianity. In one of the letters to the monarchs of England,
he writes about the locals and their culture and beliefs:
“So separated from the holy Sacraments of the Holy Church, my soul will be forgotten if it here
leaves my body”
We also find that Columbus was overwhelmed as an outcome of his rapid and queer
encounter with the estranged as well as remote culture of the Native Americans. The Native
Americans always celebrated the spiritual existence in all the beings and that is why there is
adversity and detention of the cultural expressions. We get account of the creation myths of the
Americans and their fight for carrying on their culture and that is evident in the example of the
animals as well as the people that have been presented in the letters. Di Leo reports that he
thought that they were in possession of supernatural powers. He also calls that the natives used

Musaed 4
the earth as a vehicle of sustenance. Many of the accounts of his experience were also carried
forward through generations via oral storytelling. “The Iroquois Creation Story” shares a version
of the Mother Earth myth along with examples of supernatural animals “the turtle increased
every moment and became a considerable island of earth”.
Conclusion
In summarization, it can be concluded that the practical style of writing as well as the
appropriateness in the process of accounting with modes of creative storytelling by the native
Americans can be credited as well as associated with the origination as well as memorization in
the American literature.

Musaed 5
Reference List
Di Leo, Jeffrey R. "American Literature as World Literature: An Introduction." American
Literature as World Literature (2017): 1.
Holsinger, Bruce. "Jonathan Hsy, Trading Tongues: Merchants, Multilingualism, and Medieval
Literature. Columbus: The Ohio State University Press, 2013. Pp. xii, 237; 6 black-and-
white figures. $59.95. ISBN: 978-0-8142-1229-5." (2017).
McKenna, Catherine. "Paul Russell, Reading Ovid in Medieval Wales. Columbus: Ohio State
University Press, 2017. Pp. xx, 291; 23 color figures, 5 black-and-white figures, and 5
tables. $159.95. ISBN: 978-0-8142-1322-3." (2018).
Ruland, Richard, and Malcolm Bradbury. From Puritanism to Postmodernism: A history of
American literature. Routledge, 2016.
Tennenhouse, Leonard. The Importance of Feeling English: American Literature and the British
Diaspora, 1750-1850. Princeton University Press, 2016.
Traister, Bryce, ed. American Literature and the New Puritan Studies. Cambridge University
Press, 2017.