The Puritans and Sex
The Puritans and Sex
In the passage “Puritans and Sex” Edmund S. Morgan discusses the puritans in an unusual way, instead of just explaining all the laws and beliefs the Puritans were expected to follow, Morgan also tells the readers the way the Puritans disobeyed and rejected their government. In 1630 John Winthrop lead and settled a small group of Puritans in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Puritans lived a very religious, strict, and high expected life. As Edmund S. Morgan states “They would stress education, a strict work ethnic, a limited democracy and utopianism.” The Puritan Government was full with laws that were expected to be obeyed and followed by all Puritans. Laws consisted of no gambling, no drunkenness, or no enjoying theatrical performances. On top of those laws was a list, a long list at that, of sexual crimes to avoid. Edmund S. Morgan describes the way readers would believe the Puritans would look down on marriage and sexual intercourse, after reading what many Puritans themselves had to say it was clear that was incorrect. The Puritans were forced to believe that marriage was the only gateway to intercourse. Intercourse is a human necessity to the Puritans and was only acceptable if the two people were married. Intercourse outside of marriage was considered a crime and was punishable in a various amount of ways, all painful and publically humiliating. Even intercourse within marriage had a limitation. The intercourse was allowed unless the intercourse and the woman came before God and his religion. The Puritans religion was known to glorify God and only God. Anyone or anything that came between God and his religion was turning on his religion. Intercourse was treated like another kind of pleasure, during Fast if the Puritans could not eat or drink, intercourse was not allowed either. Just like eating and drinking intercourse was a privilege and something the people enjoyed. If the love for mans wife got to the point of being too extreme
In the passage “Puritans and Sex” Edmund S. Morgan discusses the puritans in an unusual way, instead of just explaining all the laws and beliefs the Puritans were expected to follow, Morgan also tells the readers the way the Puritans disobeyed and rejected their government. In 1630 John Winthrop lead and settled a small group of Puritans in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Puritans lived a very religious, strict, and high expected life. As Edmund S. Morgan states “They would stress education, a strict work ethnic, a limited democracy and utopianism.” The Puritan Government was full with laws that were expected to be obeyed and followed by all Puritans. Laws consisted of no gambling, no drunkenness, or no enjoying theatrical performances. On top of those laws was a list, a long list at that, of sexual crimes to avoid. Edmund S. Morgan describes the way readers would believe the Puritans would look down on marriage and sexual intercourse, after reading what many Puritans themselves had to say it was clear that was incorrect. The Puritans were forced to believe that marriage was the only gateway to intercourse. Intercourse is a human necessity to the Puritans and was only acceptable if the two people were married. Intercourse outside of marriage was considered a crime and was punishable in a various amount of ways, all painful and publically humiliating. Even intercourse within marriage had a limitation. The intercourse was allowed unless the intercourse and the woman came before God and his religion. The Puritans religion was known to glorify God and only God. Anyone or anything that came between God and his religion was turning on his religion. Intercourse was treated like another kind of pleasure, during Fast if the Puritans could not eat or drink, intercourse was not allowed either. Just like eating and drinking intercourse was a privilege and something the people enjoyed. If the love for mans wife got to the point of being too extreme