Cennet mi, Yaban mı? Erken Sömürge DönemindeAmerikan Coğrafyasına İlişkin Çelişkili Algılar
Anahtar Kelimeler:
Amerikan coğrafyası, kolonyal anlatılar, Virginia, New EnglandÖz
Bu bildirinin başlıca konusu, erken sömürgecilik döneminde, gerek Atlantik ötesi İngiliz kaşiflerin gerek Virginia’ya ve New England’a yerleşen sömürgecilerin, Amerikan coğrafyasına yayınlarında, ifade ettikleri yaklaşımlarıdır. Bu ifadelerde, bir yandan, Amerikan coğrafyası, mitolojik altın çağa özgü ve düşsel bir pastoral yaşamı içeren ütopya olarak algılanmış ve ayrıca, Hıristiyan inanışı bağlamında Cennet Bahçesi kavramı ile ilişkilendirilerek, yeryüzü cenneti olarak betimlenmiştir. Ancak, öte yandan, Amerikan coğrafyası, dayanılmaz iklim şartları ile, “yaban hayvanlar ve vahşi insanlarla dolu korkunç ve ıssız boş bir arazi” (Bradford 62) olarak distopia biçiminde anlatılmıştır. İşte bu bildiride, erken dönem sömürgecilerin, Amerikan coğrafyasına ilişkin olarak, anlatımlarında sürekli yer alan çelişkili, daha doğrusu zıtlık içeren algılamaları, birincil kaynaklara dayanılarak ele alınacak ve irdelenecektir.
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