American Literature

The Age of Enlightenment, also called the Age of Reason was an 18th century intellectual movement. It was brought about largely as a reaction to years of bloody religious wars that saw countries destroyed, kingdoms overthrown and many lives lost all for religious causes. Many free-thinking scholars grew tired of religious superstition and persecution and began the movement that became known as the Age of Enlightenment, which was strengthened by the scientific breakthroughs of Isaac Newton. The movement was committed to thinking and governing based on reason, logic and human understanding and felt that religion had no place in government or science. Professor Paul Brians of the Washington State University summarized the movement thusly They believed that human reason could be used to combat ignorance, superstition, and tyranny and to build a better world.  Supporters of the movement replaced long-standing religious faith and teachings with science and nature-based philosophy as the means to understand mankinds destiny and the world in general. Some followers were atheists and turned away from religion altogether, but most allowed for the concept of God in terms of universally held beliefs and moral code.

    Thomas Paine was one follower of the movement who was particularly concerned with keeping God and religion separate from governing bodies and legislature. Paines Common Sense was the first piece of literature published in America that argued for independence from Britain. Paine spoke and wrote against a hereditary monarchy system like the one in Britain and believed that the religion and monarchies of England should not govern America.

    In Common Sense, Paine outlines why he feels that the King of England and the British government are oppressing and restricting the American people in unfair ways. He begins the pamphlet by plainly stating that the King is overstepping his rights to govern America and that America has the right to question his decisions and rule ..the King of England hath undertaken in his own right, to support the Parliament in what he calls theirs, and as the good people of this country are grievously oppressed by the combination, they have an undoubted privilege to inquire into the pretensions of both, and equally to reject the usurpation of either. (693). Paine is essentially asserting the equality of the American people to the King and the members of Parliament, and stating that they should have the right to question decisions made by them. This correlates with the enlightened mind philosophy of adhering to views based on reason and rational thought and understanding. Paine feels that it is the right of the American people to apply the laws of reason in questioning the rule of Parliament.

    Paine also comes just short of stating that his pamphlet is the product of an enlightened mind by writing, In the following pages I offer nothing more than simple facts, plain arguments and common sense and have no other preliminaries to settle with the reader, than that he will divest himself of prejudice and prepossession, and suffer his reason and his feelings to determine for themselves (693). He explains that he is writing based not on religious tenets or views, but based on simple facts, logic and thought. In return for being allowed to express his reasoning, he asks only that the reader in turn be willing to set aside any preconceived opinions or past prejudices and use reason as well. In explaining that he is writing based on reason and asking the reader to read based on the same logic, he is making himself equal to the reader and expressing the viewpoint that they are equal to one another. This is an example of Paines philosophy that all men could be equals when they treated each other as such, again refuting the need for a monarchy or a Parliament.

    Paine again asserts logic and reasoning when discussing the view of some that because America had benefited from a relationship with England in the past, that only with a relationship with England in the future would America continue to prosper Nothing can be more fallacious than this kind of argument. We may as well assert that because a child has thrived upon milk, that it is never to have meat, or that the first twenty years of our lives is to become a precedent for the next twenty (694). Paine forms his argument carefully and rationally, using a common example that all readers can relate to. The analogy of a child maturing from nourishment from milk to meat, or solid foods, is a common one that adults from all backgrounds can relate to, making his correlation to Americas relationship with England more understandable. This method of forming a logical argument with simple analogies is another example of Paines enlightened viewpoint instead of ranting about religious principles or rhetoric, he puts his arguments in terms of simple reasoning that can be agreed upon by the reader regardless of his background.

    Paine makes reference to the bloody chapters of history that had been caused by religion and uses them as justification for his reasoning by writing, The blood of the slain, the weeping voice of nature cries, Tis time to part (697). He is saying that the religion-influenced rule of the past has caused only death and grief, and that it is time to do away with that school of though and method of government. He also employs the concept of nature-based reasoning and rationalism as the voice that must be listened to, using a common rationale in the school of enlightenment. This example, along with Paines rational language and argument through reasoning instead of religious rhetoric, makes Common Sense a solid example of the enlightened mind.