A young women by the name of Anne Bradstreet left her homeland of Andover England, along with her husband and family, to journey to New World of America and eventually settle in the area of Massachusetts Bay (Baym 207). This young woman would later become considered to be the first author of American poetry (Mlinks 122). Bradstreet found her inspiration for her poetry through her life as a Puritan woman living and raising a family in America (Walker 98) She was also encouraged by her family to pursue writing poetry even though at that time the craft of writing and poetry was dominated by men (Mlinko 121). Bradstreet portrays herself through her poetry as someone who strongly believed in her religion, and as a woman who was a devoted wife and …show more content…
The poem begins with the phrase “eight birds were hatched in one nest” (ln. 1), she relays to the reader that she had eight children born at home. She also states that “four cocks” and “hens the rest” representing that she had four sons and four daughters. During the seventeenth century this was a rare occurrence for a woman to successfully carry and give birth to eight children, and for all of them to live into adulthood (Mlinko 127). Due to the harsh circumstances of life during this time most children did not survive to reach their first birthday, and childbirth was considered a dangerous event for a woman to go through. Many woman and infants died during childbirth due to complications that in today’s world are easily taken care of. She describes the love, care, and protection she gave them by using the terms “soft and warm,” and “with my wings kept off harm” (ln. 58). Bradstreet also uses the terms “take flight” to describe when her children left home, and “farewell, my birds”(ln. 93) when she knew her time on earth would end. This poem is also written as a couplet, or two line, Rhyme Scheme with the patterns of (AA, BB, CC, & DD). This rhyme scheme is one of the easiest to read in poetry because it flows easily like the lyrics of a …show more content…
Most poetry was written more towards political, social or educational issues (Walker 104). Anne Bradstreet is considered to be one of the best poets of her time. She knew who she was a woman, and she was able to combine her “Puritanism, her American life, and feminine insight,” to create beautifully composed poems (Walker 123). Bradstreet was an educated women, which was an advantage because most women during the seventeenth century were not allowed the luxury of an education (Walker 99). Bradstreet’s father and fellow Puritan John Winthrop brought along with them extensive literary works their large libraries from England in which Bradstreet was allowed access to, and because of this she was introduced to and inspired by other writers of her time such as Sir Walter Raleigh, Philip Sydney, and William Browne, but the difference between their writings compared to Bradstreet’s is that she made her poetry her own because she used her own experiences in life to create them (Walker 98). Critics have argued for and against the idea that Bradstreet’s poetry was “a product of her time, consistent with Puritanism and the Puritan model” (Walker 103). Some critics have even called her a “rebel” that put her in conflict with the time and surroundings in which she lived (Walker 103). “In Reference to Her Children, 23 June 1659,” in
Anne Bradstreet and Edward Taylor wrote elaborate poems influenced by their faith and life experiences. Coming from devout Puritans living in newly settled land, both of their writings have similar elements. One shared theme gives insight to the harshness of colonial life. They both used poetry to express their sadness at the death of their children, yet both with a tone of acceptance and hope, trusting that God knows best. Taylor grieved the loss of two infant daughters. He describes them as flowers writing:
Anne Bradstreet’s inability to perfect her work before it was released frustrated her to the point where she internalizes the book’s imperfections as a reflection of herself. Bradstreet uses an extended metaphor of a mother and a child to compare the relationship between herself as the author and her book. Rather than investing her spirit in God, she repeatedly focuses on trying to improve the quality of her writing with no success, “I washed thy face, but more defects I saw” (Bradstreet 13). Like a mother protecting her child, Bradstreet’s attempts to prevent critics from negatively analyzing her work of art (20). Her continuous obsession about people’s opinions consumed in the Earthly world and essentially distracted her from developing a spiritual relationship with God. Bradstreet was enveloped by her dissatisfaction with her to the point of ridiculing herself, “Thou ill-formed offspring of my feeble mind” (1). It was obvious that her mind and spiritual
Anne Bradstreet and Jonathan Edwards lived during a period in time where religion was the basis and foundation of everyday life. Bradstreet and Edwards were both raised in prominent, wealthy, and educated families. Both were extremely intelligent and shared similar religious beliefs. However, the way in which each of them brought forth those beliefs was vastly different.
Although Anne Bradstreet appeared to be the ideal Puritanical housewife, she faced many hardships throughout her lifetime. She faced death often, either due to disease or childbirth. These hardships led Bradstreet
The components of marriage, family and loss has played a big role in Anne Bradstreet’s writing of “Before the birth of One of Her Children”, “In Memory of Dear Grandchild Elizabeth Bradstreet”, and Edward Taylor’s “Upon Wedlock and the Death of Children.” In, these writings both authors Puritan culture and their faith plays a big role. In these poems one author starts questioning their God and the other to take honor in their God throughout their grieving process, while both showing different aspects of their everlasting union with their spouse, and the love for their children.
Anne Bradstreet and Edward Taylor are two of the most recognizable poets from early American History; they were also both American Puritans, who changed the world with their poetry. We can see many similarities in their poetry when it comes to the importance of religion and also on having children and losing children. There are however differences in the audience of their poetry and their personal views on marriage. Bradstreet and Taylor both came over to America in the 17th century and settled in New England. Though Taylor came years later we can see the similarities through their poetry.
Anne Bradstreet, whom most critics consider America’s first “authentic poet”, was born and raised as a Puritan. Bradstreet married her husband Simon at the tender age of eighteen. She wrote her poems while rearing eight children and performing other domestic duties. In her poem “Upon The Burning Of Our House, July 10th, 1666”, Bradstreet tells of three valuable lessons she learned from the fire that destroyed her home.
Anne Bradstreet was a very popular poet. She was the first women poet in the American Colonies. In her time a women being a poet was a very bold step. Society during this time expected women to perform household chores rather than write poetry. She was very intimate about the poetry she wrote. Anne mostly wrote about her husband and her children. In Bradstreet's poetry it shows that she is a typical Puritan woman, devoted to God and to her husband. Other times in her poet Bradstreet's poetry was highly controversial. Anne Bradstreet has two sides of her when she writes her poems. There is devoted Puritan Anne and Mistress, rebel Anne. Puritan Anne loves, griefs, fears and experiences emotions. Devoted Anne believes in God. Rebel Anne speaks
After reading Anne Bradstreet’s poems I liked “Before the Birth of One of Her Children” the most. In this poem Bradstreet is writing about the possibility of death after she gives birth to her children. During this time period 1 out of every 3 women die during childbirth. This poem was addressed to her husband as she goes on to say that if she does die that he remember everything positive about her. She even says that he must protect their children from a “step mother injury” and constantly remind them of their mother. Anne goes on to describe the possibility of this tragedy could happen to her. If this does happen to her she wants her husband to kiss the poem to symbolize kissing her after she is gone.
Bradstreet’s poetry is fully religious. Being a pious woman, as everyone was at that time period, she wrote poems claiming high morals and religious motifs. Her writings were very popular among puritans who started colonizing America. His Puritan belief was the reason of her special attitude to her life, soul and sufferings. “She thought that God was so hard on her because her soul was too in love with the world. She also wrote some poems where she asked God to watch over her children and husband” (Gonzalez, 2000).
The Puritan woman's life was one entrenched in self-examination; bringing about the assembly of a spiritual armor in order to duel feminine sexuality to the death. In the elegy "In Memory of My Dear Grandchild Elizabeth Bradstreet, Who Deceased August, 1665, Being a Year and Half Old," Bradstreet does not to fight with the expected vengeance against the manifestation of her "evil," her child, as one would expect within the given spiritual context. Instead, Bradstreet refers to her daughter with terms of affection, calling her "dear" and "sweet babe." This rejection of the Puritan patriarchy while remaining within a loose form of elegiac style is a cunning method of subversion.
Poets, Edward Taylor and Anne Bradstreet both used poetry to meet expectation in a puritan society. The poets both wrote poetry to express their emotional and spiritual distress without letting society surrounding them in on their struggles. With no intended audience for their poems expressing their grievances, the poets could openly express their emotions and address their god in a private, discreet, manner without facing ridicule from fellow citizens. Anne Bradstreet and Edward Taylor used several literary devices separately, but together they had many more in common. Among the many shared literary devices were, syntactical shifts, rhetorical questions, imagery, and diction. Throughout both the poets work, a robust amount of commas are used.
Feminism today remains prominent because even while women’s rights are very strong, women are still fighting for equality every day. In the time of Anne Bradstreet, women had few rights and they were seen as inferior to men. Anne lived among the puritans whom ruled her everyday life. Although it was against the puritan code for women to receive an education, Bradstreet’s father, Thomas Dudley, loved his daughter dearly and made sure that she was well educated which shows in her works. Anne Bradstreet’s literature became well known only because her family published her works under a male name. This was done because writing poetry was a serious offense to the puritans since poetry was considered creative and the only creating that was done was by God. In the works of Anne Bradstreet, she conveys a feminist attitude, and could very well be one of the first American Feminists.
Anne Bradstreet starts off her letter with a short poem that presents insight as to what to expect in “To My Dear Children” when she says “here you may find/ what was in your living mother’s mind” (Bradstreet 161). This is the first sign she gives that her letter contains not just a mere retelling of adolescent events, but an introspection of her own life. She writes this at a very turbulent point in history for a devout Puritan. She lived during the migration of Puritans to America to escape the persecution of the Catholic Church and also through the fragmentation of the Puritans into different sects when people began to question the Puritan faith.
Up until the early 17th century, American literature was chiefly about politics, religion, and recorded events. These writings were very dry and lacked insight into the everyday lives of the authors. To put into writing any individual spiritual reflections that strayed away from the religion of the colony could be dangerous at that time; possibly resulting in banishment from the colony or worse. Likewise, any writing that did not serve at least one of the purposes listed above was considered to be a waste of time that would be better spent praising God. Anne Bradstreet defied the rules of her time by writing about whatever she wanted including personal thoughts, reflections, emotions, and events. Bradstreet was the first to write about personal matters, which is her greatest literary contribution in early American literature.