Anne Bradstreet Women

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In American Literature there isn’t a “large scale” of female writers for writing has always been portrayed as a masculine exertion. It is ironic how the first published author on American soil was a female. Throughout Anne Bradstreet’s poems, we can experience a female presence. Living in a male-dominate society, she chooses to embrace it but questions the role of women in her community. Her feminism held her in check by her Puritan values. However, a conflict arose between her writing of the Puritan society and her views as a female. Anne Bradstreet lived in an era where a patriarchal family structure took place and women were to give no opinion but do as they were told and doing domestic duties. In the poems “Prologue,” “Verses upon the Burning …show more content…

Women played minor roles in the Puritan patriarchal family structure and restricted in their opportunities. This poem regards to how New England Puritans viewed women in their society. Bradstreet mentioned that women's recognition wasn't equal to men's and female writers were seen inferior to men. At the beginning of the poem Bradstreet writes, “To sing of Wars, of Captains, and of Kings, Of Cities founded, Common-wealths was begun, For my mean Pen are too superior things; Or how they all, or each their dates have run, Let Poets and Historians set these forth. My obscure lines shall not so dim their worth” (Bradstreet 1-6). She describes people and events as unworthy of her writing for historians or poets should record historical events, which would give justice unlike her. At the end of the poem Bradstreet writes, “Let Greeks be Greeks, and Women what they are. Men have precedency and still excel; it can be just as vain unjustly to wage war; Men can do best, and women know it well” (Bradstreet 37-40). Bradstreet’s tone shows a hint of sarcastic and humor but seems to be sincere. In an obsequious manner, Bradstreet admits defeat that men will always excel over women. However, she believes people should acknowledge women’s actions.
In “Verses upon the Burning of our House” Bradstreet explains how the act of God taking her house away will affect her family role and domestic

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