Bradford Analysis

William Bradford's manuscript is recognized as one of the most celebrated documents published on the settlement of Pilgrims in Plymouth Colony. In this excerpt of his manuscript, Bradford is explaining the reasons for the removal of people from Europe to go the New World, and convincing people of the struggles and achievements of Puritans going to the New World. The purpose of William Bradford for writing Of Plymouth Plantation is to introduce the theme of religion that implies how God can help people overcome tough obstacles if people keep faith in him.

In the first part of this Bradford excerpt, he explains to the reader the reasons and causes for why people wanted to leave the Old World. Bradford explained the reason in three categories: people will die or be imprisoned if they did not depart; people will lose their faith or become extravagant if they did not depart; and lastly, people could spread the gospel of Christianity to the New World if they depart. For the first reason, Bradford explained that though there were people who stayed in the prisons of England and enjoyed limited happiness in Holland, there has to be a place of better living than that of the European nations. Bradford goes on to state that the harsh environments in Europe have not only decrepit children in their early youth, but also "drawn [children] away by evil examples into extravagant and dangerous courses, getting the reins off their necks and departing from their parents...some worse courses tending to dissoluteness and the danger of their souls...dishonor[ing] God." By this statement, Bradford is able to tie these problems in England to the corruption of the children as well as the dishonoring of their faith. Lastly, Bradford ties these issues more into religion by stating that people can "propagate and advance the gospel of the kingdom of Christ in those remote parts of the world."

In the second part of this excerpt, Bradford illustrates and explains the difficulties the Pilgrims experienced during their settlement in the New World. Bradford glorifies the Pilgrims by illustrating the perils and dangers of traveling to a New World and settling there. He explains how many were infected with sicknesses and diseases as well as dealing with the barbarous and treacherous Indians. As he depicts all of this hardship and difficulties that the Pilgrims had to go through, he contributed these difficulties to the processes of life, in which he states,