How would you compare Bradford’s first sighting of the continent with other first sightings we have seen, e.g. Columbus, Vespucci. What do the differences between them suggest about the viewers and their purposes in the Americas? In the absence of cannibals and amazons, what are the primary symbolic and literal threats to Bradford’s colony and how do they change over time?
3 thoughts on “Bradford and Morton”
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Arriving in the New World, Columbus and Vespucci are immediately entranced by the land, believing it to be rich in gold and resources. And therefore, a great deal of their letters depict the scenery. Bradford, however, does not exhibit such initial admiration for the land once he makes it ashore. This is partially due to the fact that he’d just spent several harsh, disease-infested months abroad a ship and found no form of relief, “no friends to welcome them, [no] inns to entertain or refresh, [and] no houses or much less towns to repair to” (133) in the lands of Cape Cod. This differs significantly from Columbus’ letters where he speaks of the great riches the land offered him, as well as the great hospitality show by the Natives who, in his opinion, graciously flocked to him. This difference can be attributed to the fact that Columbus and Vespucci were explorers, whose goals were gold, God, and glory, while Bradford was a Separatist seeking solely religious freedom. Bradford’s sole interest in religious sanctuary, coupled with the absence of cannibals and amazons, shifts attention to the Europeans, which presents a clear and truthful depiction of the shortcomings of the explorers/settlers. Bradford speaks of the greed, the unfavorable sexual appetites, and overall evil that is present in the colonies, which act as the primary threats to the settlements. This differs from the letters of Columbus and Vespucci, in which they focus more so on the seemingly barbaric behavior and practices of the Natives.
There is an interesting transition in the writings about the first sightings of the Americas of Columbus and Vespucci to the later description of Bradford. In 1493, Columbus describes lush, fertile islands with many harbors, sierras, and lofty mountains. He reports the trees to be as beautiful and “lovely as they are in Spain in May,” nightingales signing, palms, a “wonder to behold,” and more “extensive and richer that all other Christian lands” (Norton 36-7). While Vespucci also wrote of the wonders that he saw with incredible animals, birds, roots, flowers of “infinity variety,” he additionally described cannibalism, ferocious natives without faith or laws. Both men’s initial writing expressed awe, amazement, excitement, and were likely instrumental in engaging further interest and investment into future exploration. Bradford in contrast, was not traveling as an explorer, but as a “Separatist” who saw no hope for reforming the Church of England and according to English law was committing treason by leaving and heading to the Americas. Bradford’s description is wrought with “seasickness,” “fierce storms,” hardship, “grievous disease,” death, “dangerous shoals, and “savage barbarians” (Norton 131-33). Bradford viewed the wilderness as a place of “little solace or content” in contrast to Columbus and Vespucci’s description of wonder and natural riches. Bradford’s description takes on the darkness and foreboding of someone sneaking away from their homeland; his writing reflects cynicism and pessimism. He has no motivation to cherry-coat things and make them look better than they are in reality. Initially, Bradford describes nature as the main threat to his new colony. But slowly things evolve and man’s own vices, greed, and flaws become the biggest threat. This is first revealed in the description of Mr. Morton who is lazy, indecent, entertaining the “scum of the country,” and whose monetary greed leads him to trade guns to the Indians. Later, the economy drove up the price of corn and cattle and this motivated people to move into the countryside to reap the benefits of these commodities (Norton 147). Thus, farming took people away from Plymouth, splintering society and the Church. Bradford viewed this decentralization of society to be “the ruin of New England” (Norton 148). Symbolically, materialism, envy, and pleasure appeared to be at the root. Bradford metaphorically explained, “where the Lord begins to sow good seed, there the envious man will endeavor to saw tares [weeds]” (Norton 155). Bradford expressed this as analogous to some followers who “followed Christ, for the loaves’ sake” (Norton 155). Man’s motivations to live in Bradford’s colony turned from an expression of religious freedom and solidarity in a united Church to material profits and self-centeredness.
Bradford is absolutely despondent when he arrives in the New World, and remarks that they, “had now no friends to welcome them, nor inns to entertain or refresh their weatherbeaten bodies, no houses or much less towns to repair to, to seek for succor” (115). His fellow Pilgrims are ecstatic to see land and no longer be at the mercy of the ocean, but Bradford seems burdened with the work to be done and the sheer emptiness of their new home. It would seem that Bradford’s lack of excitement upon making landfall has something to do with the purpose of his mission. He is not a great explorer looking to bring honor to the crown by claiming land and attaining riches. He wants to be beyond the reach of established government, and maintains no illusions about going back home. Settling in the New World is entirely different from exploring the New World. Columbus’ letter to the Sovereigns is absolutely glowing as he tries to paint the New World in the best possible light, and full of instances of chivalry and adventure as his men journey inland to seek out native populations. Bradford’s account of his experience at Plymouth Plantation deals with the hard, real, and sometimes mundane parts of establishing a colony. The New World is slowly becoming a safe haven for outcasts and dissenters in England as it becomes slightly less “new” and Bradford’s colony is threatened with real problems, rather than figments of the imagination like cannibals and amazons. Along with good honest people escaping religious persecution, the New World is also attracting hardened criminals looking for escape and more power than they could ever hope to attain in Europe. Thomas Morton, accused of beating his wife and killing his business partner, attains great power (temporarily) in the New World and begins supplying the Native Americans with guns and teaching them how to use them for his own gain. Without a whole lot of government in place he is almost impossible to subdue, and in Bradford’s writings he becomes an example of the many terrible men who have joined the Separatists in America. Though criminals and sexual deviants present a threat at first, Bradford makes it very clear that prosperity is what he truly believes will be the downfall of their community. As families become more successful they begin claiming land farther and farther away from church in order to raise cattle and livestock, and community becomes secondary to individual gain. It’s interesting to see that what Bradford most feared is essentially the very beginning of what we consider today to be the American Dream.