Davied Mull

July 25, 2005

 

Sexual Resolution

            This paper would cover utopian societies.  Specifically it would cover the Oneida Community and Perfectionists.  The themes covered in this paper would include a background history of John Humphrey Noyes and his philosophies of Perfectionism.  Following this would be the exploration of Noyes’ theories and how they were received by the surrounding communities and the people who lived in the community.  Initially this paper was to find out if the Oneida Community sparked an early sexual revolution, however during research it was found not to spark a revolution.  However, this was one of the most successful communal societies to develop and it is the reasons this community became successful that should be explored.

Secondary Sources

            Cott, Nancy F.  “Passionlessness:  An Interpretation of Victorian Sexual Ideology, 1790-1850.”  Signs, 4, No. 2 (Winter, 1978): 219-236.

            This journal article covers the Nineteenth century view of women’s sexuality.  Previously historians assumed that women lacked sexual passion this article examines otherwise.  I would use this article to support the idea that women were interested in sex as much as men during this period.

           

Folts, James D.  “The Fanatic and the Prophetess: Religious Perfectionism in Western New York, 1835-1839.”  New York History, 72, No.4 (1991):  356-387.

            This article discusses that many of the religious movements were a result of cultural, social, and economic changes.  This article could help to support my topic by showing why the Oneida Community was so successful.

           

            Foster, Lawrence.  “Sex and Prophetic Power: A Comparison of John Humphrey Noyes, Founder of the Oneida Community, with Joseph Smith, Jr., the Mormon Prophet”.  Dialogue, 31, No.4 (1998):  65-83.

            This journal article shows the similarities of Joseph Smith, Jr. and John Humphrey Noyes.  I would be able to use this to show the control that two men had over many of their followers in order to keep their societies functioning.

 

            Foster, Lawrence.  Women, Family, and Utopia: Communal Experiments of the Shakers, the Oneida Community, and the Mormons.  Syracuse:  Syracuse University Press, 1991.

            This book examines three different types of Utopian societies.  I could use this to compare other communities with the Oneida Community and show why some survived and some failed.

 

            Klaw, Spencer.  Without Sin:  The Life and Death of the Oneida Community.  New York:  Penguin, 1993.

            This book is about the history of the Oneida Community and John Humphrey Noyes. I would use this book as general information.  The review states that Klaw’s own views often get in the way of the information he is trying to convey.

 

            Klee-Hartzell, Marlyn.  “The Oneida Community Family.”  Communal Societies, 16, (1996): 15-22.

            This journal article studies the history of the Oneida Community, with Klaw’s book and the journal’s of John Humphrey Noyes, I don’t think this would proved very helpful.  However, with closer examination it might prove to have some information that is insightful.

 

            Guarneri, Carl J.  “Reconstructing the Antebellum Communitarian Movement:  Oneida and Fourierism.”  Journal of the Early Republic, 16, No.3 (1996):  463-488.

            This article “discusses interconnections among utopian communities in antebellum America”.

This would be helpful in once again comparing other utopian communities and see why they were successful or not.

           

            Noyes, George Wallingford, comp, and Lawrence Foster, ed.  “Free Love in Utopia: John Humphrey Noyes and the Origin of the Oneida Community.”  Journal of the Early Republic, 23, No. 2 (2003):  305-307.   

            This article studies the history of the Oneida Community.  This may prove to have some information that other articles and books do not contain.

 

            Lassonde, Stephen.  “The Puritan Conscience and Modern Sexuality.”  Journal of Interdisciplinary History, 4, No. 2 (Winter, 1978):  219-236.

This article shows the Puritan view of sexuality.  With this book I will contrast the differences between the Puritan and Perfectionist views of sexuality.

 

            Porterfield, Amanda. “A Sister to Oneida:  The Missionary Community at Mount Holyoke.”  Communal Societies, 16 (1996):  1-13.

            While the theology of John Humphrey Noyes and Mary Lyon were very different this article could help to have a better understanding on why some societies were successful and why some were not.

 

            Sandeen, Earnest R.  “John Humphrey Noyes as the New Adam.”  Church History, 40, No. 1 (1971):  82-90.

            Once again this article delves into the history of the Oneida Community.  I would use this article to give an overview of Perfectionism and it also has excerpts from Noyes own letters.

 

Primary Sources

The American Socialist.  1, no. 1(March 30, 1876)-4 (December 25, 1879).

            This is a collection of newspapers mailed out to Christian Perfectionists around the country and shows the daily life of the Oneida Community.  This could prove very helpful in finding the views that the Perfectionists held.

           

Hawley, Victor.  Special Love/ Special Sex: an Oneida Community Diary.  (Syracuse: Syracuse University Press, 1994).

A diary of a Oneida Community member.  This could give first person insight into the events that transpired in the Oneida Community.

 

            Kinsley, Jessie Catherine.  A Lasting Spring:  Jessie Catherine Kinsley, daughter of the Oneida Community. (Syracuse:  Syracuse University Press, 1983).

            The memoirs of a person growing up in the Oneida Community would give a different perspective of events that occurred. This could be helpful in understanding why the community was successful.

 

            McGee, Anita Newcomb.  Papers of Anita Newcomb McGee.  Archival Manuscript Material.

            Anita McGee studied communistic societies.  This could give insight into why the community was a success for so long.

 

            Noyes, George Wallingford.  John Humphrey Noyes, the Putney Community. (Oneida:  1931).

 

            Noyes, George Wallingford.  John Humphrey Noyes and the Origin of the Oneida Community.  (Urbana:  University of Illinois Press, 2001)

 

            Noyes, George Wallingford.  Religious Experience of John Humphrey Noyes, Founder of the Oneida Community.  (Freeport:  Books for Libraries Press).

            The three previous books are written or compiled by one of the descendants of John Humphrey Noyes.  This would prove great material to show why the community was a success.

 

            Noyes, John Humphrey.   Dixon and His Copyists.  (Wallingford: The Oneida Community, 1874).

 

            Noyes, John Humphrey.  History of American Socialisms.  (New York:  Hillary House Publishers, 1961).

 

            Noyes, John Humphrey.  Male Continence.  (New York:  Gordon Press, 1975).

 

            Noyes, John Humphrey.  The Primary Reform.  (Oneida:  The Oneida Community, 1844).

            The previous four entries are all written by John Humphrey Noyes, the founder of the Oneida Community.  This would be an invaluable addition to the research since it would give Noyes’ own ideas and theories about why the community was a success, how it should be ran, and the ideology that needed to be followed.

 

            Noyes, Pierrepont.  My Father’s House: an Oneida Boyhood.  (Gloucester:  P. Smith, 1966).

            Pierrepont Noyes was one of John Humphrey Noyes’ many sons.  This would give a first hand account of the events that transpired in the community.

 

            All of these books and records are obtainable and while it would be a daunting task, a well written paper could be done covering this topic.