Colonial Authors Compared To Modern Essay, Research Paper

The colonial period was A time of much change, as is the

modern period. Many people viewed things differently in the

colonial period than they do today. The people of the colonial

period had much more traditional values than the people of today.

The people of the colonial period thought of religion much

more sternly than I do. John Winthrop believed in a very stern

God. John Winthrop writes, “Now if the Lord shall please to hear

us, and bring us in peace to the place we desire, then hath he

ratified this Covenant and sealed our Commission, [and] will

expect a strict performance of the Articles contained in it”

(43). He believes that God acts completely as he wishes, without

any thought for man. Samuel Sewall used religion to help him

when he needed help. In his diary, Samuell Sewall writes, “…My

Son, the minister, came to me p.m. by appointment and we pray one

for another in the Old Chamber; more especially respecting my

Courtship”(63). Sewall only acted religious when it was

convenient for him. I personally believe in a God much more

caring than that Winthrop believed in. I also believe that God

is always around, not just when I need him. Different people

have many different religious beliefs.

Throughout history, views of love have changed. Anne

Bradstreet valued love as a strong romantic bond. In

Bradstreet’s poem, “To My Dear and Loving Husband” she writes, “I

prize thy love more than whole mines of gold, Or all the ritches

that Earth doth hold”(51). In this excerpt, Bradstreet is

speaking to her Husband. John Winthrop viewed love as a

religious bond between all men. He writes, “Love is the bond of

perfection” (39). Winthrop gives few references to romantic

love. I personally think of love as something that people feel

for each other just because they are both people. I believe

there is an element of love between all people. Love is viewed

differently by different people, but these beliefs have little to

do with what time period these people lived in.

It appears that as time goes by, people view marriage more

romantically, and less economically. Samuell Sewell viewed

marriage as a way to advance monetarily. In his diary he writes,

“I said ‘twould cost L100. per annum: she said twould cost but

L40″(63). This is just one example of him carefully calculating

the costs of marriage. Anne Bradstreet viewed marriage more of a

way of expressing love. In her poem, “To My Dear and Loving

Husband” Bradstreet writes, “If ever man were loved by wife, then

thee; If ever wife was happy in a man, Compare with me ye women

if you can”(51). Bradstreet obviously married for romantic

reasons. I believe marriage is something that should be done for

romantic reasons. This is a popular belief in modern America.

Throughout time, marriage has changed greatly, and so have the

reasons people marry.

I personally saw myself relating to Bradstreet in many ways,

but rarely agreeing with Winthrop or Sewell. In conclusion,

overall, the people of the colonial period had more traditional

values than people of today.