Essay Sample on Christian Reformers as Heroes

Introduction

Authors use character archetypes in literature to help readers to comprehend more and get a better understanding of the story. This style of literary writing portrays behaviors of characters universally and recognizable. These behaviors resonate from one generation to another and have become a collective unconscious among human beings. Some of the character archetypes used in literature include the hero, mentor, orphan, mentor, villain, and caregiver. A hero in literature is usually a protagonist who encounters and overcomes obstacles throughout the novel (Campbell 26). Although a hero is portrayed with good morals, other characters in the narrative often challenge the goodness and kindness. Additionally, they face trails but remain true to themselves and emerge heroes. Heroes challenge oppressors, fight for liberation and save others from injustices (Kohen 16).

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Save 25%

Heroism in William Bradford's narrative 'Of Plymouth Plantation' is attributed to the creation of utopia. This paper follows Joseph Campbell's Monomyth on heroes and heroism based on his novel 'Hero's Journey' to identify and analyze heroes in Bradford's narrative. According to Campbell's Greek Mythology, a hero's journey involves three stages, i.e., Departure, Initiation, and the Return (Campbell 34). This paper will analyze how Christian protagonists in 'Of Plimoth Plantation' traveled away from their motherland to create a state that is morally and socially perfect. Throughout their journey, these protagonists face various tribulations that align with Campbell's three stages of a heroic journey. According to Kohen, heroes are often recognized for their contribution towards ensuring they have an established community. Additionally, the beliefs of these individuals are upheld and valued (Kohen 36). Using Bradford's 'Of Plymouth Plantation,' this paper reveals various aspects of heroism among the characters whose beliefs and principles are largely founded on the interest of their communities.

William Bradford is an author and also a character in the narrative. He begins by promising to narrate all the events plain, which affirms a hero's commitment to justice and truth. The first stage of a heroic journey begins with Departure (Campbell 18). The departure stage of the heroic journey began when England's sovereign authority proposed religious reforms that most Christian crusaders opposed citing that the reforms limited the religious practices of the Roman Catholics. This campaign led to the migration of some of the strong Christian believers who adhered to an adventure to call and decided to migrate to Holland after being despised, imprisoned and killed in their motherland. According to Bradford, Northern England has become more hostile as true Christians were being hunted and persecuted. He says, "But after these things, they could not long continue in any peaceable condition, but were hunted and persecuted on every side (Bradford 146)." This hostility prompted their departure from England and settled in Amsterdam Holland, where they wanted to enjoy religious freedom.

The second stage of heroism in Bradford's narrative is Initiation, where they experience and are initiated into a strange Dutch culture. After the Christian reformers had lived in Holland for 12 years, a war between Holland and the Spaniards began, in which most of them were killed. Their tribulations had begun, and they started to think about moving to another country. "In the agitation of their thoughts and much discourse of things here about, at length, they began to incline this conclusion of removal to some other place (Bradford 147)" Bradford emphasizes that the reformers were well behaved in Holland and most others were not willing to leave the country for another strange destination. Their decision to migrate to America was largely founded on the crusader's thirst to practice Christianity freely and spread it to other parts of the world. Additionally, they were unhappy with how their children were being oppressed, and given heavy duties (Bradford 148). Bradford and other reformers convinced the rest that America was a perfect place to live as it lacked civil inhabitants.

Sailing to America was the greatest challenge to the reformers. According to Bradford, some parts of America were fertile "fruitful and fit for habitation" while British people already occupied others. Some reformers are afraid that their bodies would not adapt to the new environment while others feared they would die on the voyage since they could not endure this long journey. Besides, it required "huge sums of money to furnish the voyage (Bradford 149)". The reformers overcame this fear citing help from God. Even if they would die on the voyage, the reformers believed it would be an honor to die on God's mission (Bradford 150). A heroic feature is portrayed in the reformers' unrelenting quest for spreading Christianity. The ultimate goal for every hero in literature is to conquer his pursuit of justice and freedom (Korte and Lethbridge 112). It is evident that the reformers were willing to endure everything until they full filed their mission.

The reformers sent two of their men, i.e., William Brewster and Robinson to Virginia to negotiate with King James 1 to allow them to worship freely who in turn asked the congregants to swear an Oath of Allegiance. Instead of sailing to America, Thomas Weston decided to take the reformers to New England. The reformers suffer at the hands of Weston who deprives them the right to for personal profits on the Plymouth plantation. John Carver became Plymouth's Plantation first governor and differed strongly with other reformers on the type of contract the crusaders should have with the 'Virginia Company (Bradford 151).'

The third stage of heroism according to Campbell is the Return. Bradford gives an account of how the reformers arrived at Cape Cod on their return to New England even though they lost William Butten who died on the voyage. On arrival at Cape Cod, Bradford was surprised at the conditions as they only saw savage barbarians and wild beats. He says. "Besides, what could they see but a hideous and desolate wilderness, full of wild beasts and wild men (Bradford 152)?" Life at Cape Cod was not easy as they even strived to find spring water and corn. Bradford excuses the actions of these Christians for stealing food from savage Indians. After spending several days search for a perfect habitat, the reformers chose Plymouth. The main reasons the settled at Plymouth were because it had a harbor that was deep enough and fit for shipping activities and had diverse cornfields. Finally, they had found a better place where they could worship freely.

Another hero is Bradford's narrative is Squanto who saved the reformers from starving to death. According to Bradford, the Christian crusaders were ignorant of Agriculture, but Squanto taught them on how to thrive in Agriculture and procure other commodities. "He directed them how to set their corn, where to take fish and procure other commodities (Bradford 161)" Finally, they began to harvest in plenty.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Bradford's narrative is merely about the settlement in Plymouth. Instead, it is about survival through natural disasters, unfriendly weather conditions and threats on their religious beliefs. The survival of Christian reformers connects to Korte's notion of heroism (Korte and Lethbridge 132). The Christian reformers in this narrative are the main heroes based on their unrelenting g quest for freedom of worship and liberation from England's oppressive power. During their course for liberation, these Christian reformers were separated from their families, some were scorned and killed but never gave up until they settled in Plymouth Plantation (Bradford 164).

Works Cited

Bradford, William. "Of Plimoth Plantation." New York: The Norton Anthology of American Literature. n.d. 145-164.

Campbell, Joseph. The Hero's Journey: Joseph Campbell on His Life and Work. California: New World Library, 2003.

Kohen, Ari. Untangling Heroism: Classical Philosophy and the Concept of the Hero. United Kingdom: Routledge, 2013.

Korte, Barbara, and Stefanie Lethbridge. Heroes and Heroism in British Fiction Since 1800: Case Studies. New York City: Springer, 2016.