Research Paper On Anne Bradstreet's Poetry

Throughout women in colonial America, Anne Bradstreet was one of the strongest and influential figures of the time. Mrs. Bradstreet lived from the years 1612 through 1672 not knowing she would inspire later generations with her works and actions. Ever since a little girl, Anne’s father, Thomas Dudley, would make Anne write poetry so they could read together. Anne later married Simon Bradstreet, a future governor, at the age of sixteen years old and boarded on the ship Arbella headed to Plymouth, Massachusetts, with the famous sermoner John Winthrop??? In the famous writings of the poet, we learn Anne has a personal and formal writing voice. Anne writes in Iambic Pentameter, Couplets, and Paradox. Anne became a well-known colonial writer not

 Anne Bradstreet was one of the most noticeable Puritan poet. She was an educated woman and this gave her advantage to write about history, politics, religion, medicine and spirituality. She was considered to be a devoted wife, a loving mother and a very sensitive poet. She wrote poetry because she thoroughly enjoyed it and family, husband, and, children were the main subjects of her poetry. Bradstreet had her eight children between the years 1633 and 1652 (Imbarrato). Although she had loads of family responsibility, she still wrote poetry which conveyed her commitment and dedication to her work.

Growing up in the early 1600's was a tough time for many people, especially women. Women were very much discriminated against and made to fulfill the duties that were in the household and nothing else beyond that. Anne Bradstreet was a woman that grew up during this time as a Puritan. Puritans believed that humans could only achieve goodness if they worked hard, were self-disciplined, and constantly examining themselves to make sure that they were living their lives for God. Due to this way of looking at life, Anne Bradstreet had little time for writing her poetry. Being a mother of eight children and a devoted wife one would think that Bradstreet wasn't carrying out her duties to her family

Anne Bradstreet is one of the earliest American poets, and she’s read today as the first feminist in literature. While there are arguments as to why this could be true, I present an argument that Bradstreet cannot be read as a feminist, especially within her earlier works. In her later writing, her feminist identity becomes more real and plausible. Looking at two of her works, “The Prologue” and “The Author to Her Book,” both written at different times in Bradstreet’s life, one can see how Bradstreet’s idea of femininity and how that works with her writing has shifted. Bradstreet could be read more as a feminist writer in her later works because the relationship she holds with her writing has shifted into where she accepts her womanhood.

Anne Bradstreet (1600’s) and Phyllis Wheatley (1700’s) wrote poetry in two different centuries. Their topics, themes and the risks these women took in their writings are groundbreaking in that they paved the way for women’s rights today. Both women are known as the first published poets of the new world. Bradstreet’s writings were first published in 1650 and her poetry included controversial subjects such as the relationship between a husband and wife, displays of affection, and women who have made their place in society as leaders. These topics were not typical of women who were brought up a Puritans. In fact, the puritans did not approve of public displays of affection.

Anne Bradstreet was the first Puritan poet, and maybe the first female poet, in American Literature. A mother and a wife, Bradstreet was caring and showed that within her work. She greatly impacted the poetry scene with her words and unlikely success. Anne Dudley was born in Northampton, England, on March 20th, 1612. She was sometimes considered a feminist and a free thinker.

Anne Bradstreet lived during the seventeenth century. This was a time period when female writers were not looked lightly upon. Bradstreet wanted to prove that even though she was woman, she could have intelligent thought just like a man. She did not just fight for herself, but for all women. Feminist ideas were apparent in Bradstreet’s writings, but there are also social norms too.

Anne Bradstreet was one of the most noticeable Puritan poet. She was an educated woman and this gave her advantage to write about history, politics, religion, medicine and spirituality. She was considered to be a devoted wife, a loving mother and a very sensitive poet. She wrote poetry because she thoroughly enjoyed it and family, husband, and, children were the main subjects of her poetry. Puritans valued marriage as a blessing from the heavens.

When reading Pre-Civil War works, readers may have a preconception that the works may be difficult to decipher and view them as archaic; however this is clearly not the case. The works are written in modern English, and therefore, readers can still understand the overall, general concept even if they cannot decipher each and every word. When reading the Salinas and Cherokee creation stories, Columbus’s Letter, and the works of Samuel de Champlain, the works can be read with ease. The overall concept/ message may be difficult to understand at times, but to read each of the works can be done effortlessly. Although the majority of the works assigned this week are easy to understand and read, Anne Bradstreet’s poetry may be considered a tad more difficult to comprehend, because her poetry is written in a quatrain and the language gives off a flowerily

Anne bradstreet was a published puritan poet, first in England. she wrote things for herself and, husband. Bradstreet used a style that mirrored the bible. specifically the psalms, and sometimes she would break the pattern of writing because it causes different effects to the reader.

Anne Bradstreet struggled entering Puritan society and submitting to the demands of the new society. When arriving in Massachusetts, Bradstreet ‘found a new world and new manners’ which she did not understand and found difficulty adjusting to. The conflict between Bradstreet’s desire to rebel and the Puritan belief is seen throughout her poetry. Focusing on two of her poems, In Memory of My Dear Grandchild Elizabeth Bradstreet, Who Deceased August, 1665, Being a Year and a Half Old and Here Follows Some Verses upon the Burning of Our House, July 10th 1666 the struggle Bradstreet experiences between her emotions and her desire to have faith in her religion is evident in the transition of thought throughout her poetry. The conflict between her religion and her desire for emotional freedom is a common theme in her poetry. Religion permeated every aspect of Bradstreet’s life including her relationships; especially her marriage. To My Dear and Loving Husband Bradstreet’s dedication to being the perfect Puritan wife is seen is evident.

As a devoutly religious wife and mother, much of Anne Bradstreet’s poetry appears to be quite conventional. The themes of her poetry range from religious matters to musings on motherhood to love letters to her husband, which correspond with the social and cultural expectations for a woman in her time. However, there are moments in her poetry in which she argues in defence of women, and appears to seek some recognition for her work which is a far less traditional stance. While Bradstreet’s poetry in many ways appears to be quite complicit with the gender roles and social expectations of the period it is reductive to say that she bows to social and cultural norms completely as some of her poetry directly challenges these oppressive ideas. Her writing is indicative of a conflict within Bradstreet between the patriarchy based Puritan society in which she lives and her identity as a woman.

Anne Bradstreet was an affirmed puritan. Most of her poems talk about God and her desire for eternal life. Bradstreet lifestyle was all in relation with the puritan’s belief. Bradstreet bravery through hard time can be seen in most of her poems. She shares her contemplation on God’s grace and might. She explores the tension between the joys of her Earthly life and is not always willing to abjure it in favor of her putative eternal life. Bradstreet believed that Heaven is superior to Earth, but she shares her thought process with the reader, which is what makes her work so relatable four centuries after her death.

Anne Bradstreet’s poem, Upon the Burning of Our House depicts certain aspects of Puritan values and beliefs. The seventeenth century revolved solely around religion and was the age of religious literature, a theme that stands out in Bradstreet’s poetry. Bradstreet was aware of Puritan standards due to her surrounding family; her father being the Massachusetts Bay Company’s deputy governor and husband, chief administer.

Anne Bradstreet’s poem, “The Prologue”, is about the struggle of women in a Puritan Society. In the Puritan Society, women are held to a certain standard. Women were not able to speak their mind, openly show they were educated, or express themselves freely, because it was looked down on. “The Prologue”, is titled to mark the beginning of her work. In this poem, Bradstreet acknowledges her role as a woman in a Puritan society, but also makes a brave attempt to achieve freedom from the Puritan Society. Bradstreet is on a mission to prove to the Puritan society that women are worthy enough to do what men do. Bradstreet fights for feminism.