Blog 3: Puritans at Play

In Puritans at Play, Bruce C. Daniels attempts to give a historical account of how Puritans played. I think he was very successful in this. The amount of research that went into the book is amazing to me, and I really liked how Daniels let the reader know where his facts were coming from as he gave them. Then he offered guidance on how to interpret the facts while still allowing us the chance to make up our own minds.

In Section Four, "Men and Women Frolic Together", most of the content did not surprise me. There was one thing that I found really surprising, though: "bundling". Bundling was having a couple who were dating sleep in the same bed together for recreation (still fully clothed). Considering that dances like the minuet were considered risque only a few years earlier, it amazes me that quite a few Puritans actually approved of bundling.

Section Four discusses topics like dance, romance, sex, and alcohol. Puritans displayed interest in all of these. The Puritans seem to have been motivated towards these for similar reasons as we do: to have fun. Their motivations to limit dance, romance, sex, and alcohol seem to revolve around avoiding temptation and sin. The Puritans were suspicious of dance because they thought it would lead to temptation, but it was not prohibited. They seem to have heartily approved of romance itself, because marriages were often arranged based on the couple's interest in one another. However, sexuality before marriage was closely checked morally--their values were to avoid much contact at all between unmarried men and women. Of course, many Puritans appear to have indulged in "fornication" and other related sins, but it is important to note that they were considered deviant by general consensus. Alcohol was approved of, but not drunkenness.

I was raised as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), so I thought that there would be a lot of similarities between my culture and the Puritans, especially considering dance, romance, sex, and alcohol. But there are quite a few differences. Like the Puritans, we do dance, but don't like dancing to be too sexual. Of course, our definition of risque dancing is much looser than that of the Puritans. Also like the Puritans, we approve of romance, but believe in abstinence before marriage. Unlike the Puritans, kissing and holding hands are not generally frowned upon. Alcohol is the main difference. We believe in not drinking any alcohol, even socially. Obviously, things are very different for society as a whole. My Church, which began in 1830 in New York, has upheld these standards since only a few years after the Puritans. So for my heritage, ideals have not changed much in reference to these few things. But I don't think that's a bad thing. I personally believe that ideas about "right" and "wrong" aren't completely subjective--there is a such thing as standards.