John Trumbull's Prospect Of The Future Glory Of America

The Age of Reason occurred during a time of great Colonial-British conflict. In the colonies, literature was used to fuel feelings of aggression towards the British and spark patriotism from Massachusetts to Georgia. As a result, many works slamming British rule and encouraging colonists to fight for the rights they deserved were created, one being Prospect of the Future Glory of America by John Trumbull. In this, he speaks out about the reality of British rule and the dream of a freer America. Prospect of the Future Glory of America is influenced by the patriotism that was very prominent during the colonial era and the Age of Reason.

The American Revolution was occurring in the same time period as the Age of Reason, and it shows in its literature.

Many works produced during this era speak about personal liberty, individual rights, and the unified freedom of a nation. The works are also anti-tyranny and governmental oppression, because, at that time period, Great Britain had been unfairly taxing the American colonists and preventing the colonies from having proper representation in Parliament. For example, the Stamp Act of 1765 “required [American colonists] to pay a tax on every piece of printed paper they used. Ship’s papers, legal documents, licenses, newspapers, other publications, and even playing cards were taxed” (Williamsburg Foundation). Other acts worked the same way, like the Sugar Act, or American Revenue Act, of 1764. Here, colonial merchants were taxed “three pence per gallon… The act also listed more foreign goods to be taxed including sugar, certain wines, coffee, pimiento, cambric and printed calico...” (Indep. Hall Assoc.). There were other British violations, too: colonists were forced to house soldiers, lack of representation in Parliament sparked the battle cry “no taxation without representation”, rampant search and seizure, and even violence at the hands of British officers. In anger, frustration, and retaliation, intellectuals took to paper to air their grievances and reach out to fellow Americans.
John Trumbull was a poet from the Age of Reason who was very influenced by this movement and the current events.

He wrote a series of poems, including Prospect of the Future Glory of America. Prospect is a look at new nationalism both before and during the war. Unlike his other works, which were sarcastic, witty, and sometimes even biting, he takes a patriotic and serious approach with this piece, drawing back to neoclassicism. The entire poem is an ode to the bright future of America and specifically discusses British oppression from pages 343 to 344, “To views far distant…. And laurel’d conquest wait her high decree” (Trumbull). He purposely creates contrasting imagery to differentiate Great Britain from the American colonies. Britain is considered a cloud “of darkness [which] veil’d each cheering ray ; To savage beasts and savage men, a prey” (Trumbull 344). Trumbull uses other words such as dim and slumber to portray Britain as a negative thing. America has much more bright and pure image. America is associated with words such as “boundless skies”, “radiant state”, and “golden

days”.
Further, he uses personification to humanize the country and its fight for freedom.

American freedom is personified as a strong “Queen of empires and nurse of arms,” (344) bringing hope and prosperity to a nation trapped under the darkness of British rule. Her “bold heroes mark their glorious way, Arm’d for the fight and blazing on the day !” (344). These bold heroes will go on to show both Britain and the world its hidden strength and ferocity, presenting America as a force to be reckoned with. All of this imagery and personification comes together to showcase the patriotism that existed during the Age of Reason. The Age of Reason in America was well known for its political writings and points of view. This work is no exception. With vivid and heroic figurative language that paints America in its best light, Trumbull succeeds in being one of the few true American poets as well as possessing the ability to capture the heart of the Age of Reason.

Overall, the Age of Reason was an era that greatly shaped not only American literature but America as a whole. The movement introduced ideas and discourse on individual rights, freedom, and liberty. It also fueled the American Revolution. Prospects of the Future Glory of America by John Trumbull is included in the list of works to do this. It’s largely a political work symbolizing America rising up from British oppression and making a bright and prosperous nation out of what seemed hopeless. This shows that Prospects is largely influenced

by the patriotism present in colonial times and the Age of Reason.