Puritanism Essay for BA students

                        Puritanism 

Introduction:

The Protestants were not satisfied with the religious settlement made by Queen Elizabeth. So, they planned to purify all Roman Catholic practices and came to be known as puritans. 

According to G. M. Trevalyan " Puritanism was the religion of all those who wished to purify the rituals of the established church from the Roman Catholics.

Idealist Puritans: 

The puritans were ideal and they involved in private  devotion. For spiritual guidance the puritans read the Bible. He kept spiritual diary and entered the success and failures faced in day to day life. 

At the beginning period puritanism advocated delight in the pleasure and joy of life. But during puritanism rule theatres were closed.  The long parliament passed an Ordinance abolishing all play houses. They suppressed sports, wrestling and dancing. 

Puritans Contribution to English Literature:

Milton is a Puritan. He wrote the two great epics Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained. His poem Lycidas mourns the death of Edward King. He attacks Anglican clergy and calls them blind moths. He wrote Comus. John Bunyan is a puritan wrote Pilgrims Progress. He read English Bible. 

Impact of Politics:

The puritans requested King James I of England for certain changes in the practices with the church of England, known as the Millenary petition. But the King turned down the request of puritans. He believed in the diction " No Bishop, No King".