Anne Bradstreet was one of the most well-known Puritan authors of her time. Anne Bradstreet dedicated herself by writing about whatever she wanted to show her personal thoughts, emotions and experiences. This will be shown in relation to the way she was raised in a...
As evidenced by the selected poems, Anne’s firm faith in religion is the key to setting up the background of her poetic publications. This is similar to Puritan religious beliefs, which were also published during the era. From several literacy works, Anne Bradstreet was struggling...
In “Here Follows Some Verses upon the Burning of Our House, July 10th, 1666” Anne Bradstreet delves into the topic of a tragic fire in her home. In the poem, her house is represented as a keepsake for all of her memories made within it...
Bradstreet’s poem addressed to her “dear and loving husband” portrays the intimacies of their relationship as well as the never ending feelings of true love shared between their idealistic and perfect romance. The poem consists of six rhyming couplets that serve to emphasize the speaker’s...
In “The Prologue,” when Anne Bradstreet suddenly shifts her viewpoint from belittling herself in a way to demonstrate and agree with the standard thinking of women back in the day, we see the emphasis on highlighting the oppression and objectification of women in a Puritan...
In keeping with tradition, Anne Bradstreet like several other Renaissance writers, introduces her work The Tenth Muse Lately Sprung Up in America (1650), through a prologue. Not only does it serve the purpose of acquainting the reader with the subject of the quaternions (set of...
Hope in the face of death seems to be an impossible concept to adequately convey to a reader. After all, death itself seems to be the epitome of hopelessness and despair. However, Anne Bradstreet conveys in her poetry this very idea. Bradstreet lived in a...
Anne Bradstreet is one of the most prominent literary figures of the colonial era of American history, and she is often cited as one of the primary sources of Puritan literature. Some of her work carried undertones of pre-First-Wave feminism because she subtly alluded to...
In ‘A Letter to Her Husband, Absent Upon Public Employment’ by Anne Bradstreet and ‘Love Poem’ by John Frederick Nims, there are three possible ideas that could be gleaned from the texts. Such ideas could be the power of love overcoming faults and distance, marriage,...
Early America was settled and inhabited by a religious group known as Puritans who left their native land of Britain for a fresh start in a new country. A man named John Winthrop, a prominent Puritan and governor delivered a sermon that expressed the ideals...
Anne Dudley Bradstreet was America’s first published poet. Cotton Mather described her as: “a gentlewoman whose extraction and estate were considerable.” She was an intelligent, well-educated poet, wife, and mother, who contradicted almost all of the stereotypes about stiff, cold Puritans. She used her talents...
In her anthology The Tenth Muse Lately Sprung Up In America (1650), Anne Bradstreet focuses on her most dominant concerns, the family and the woman’s roles as wife and mother. Based on Biblical authority, wifehood and motherhood are not only roles but also sacred, spiritual...
Anne Bradstreet’s “The Author to Her Book” reflects on an author’s feelings to her book after it is published and critiqued as an unfinished product. The poem uses the controlling metaphor of an author and her book to the relationship of a loving mother and...
Throughout the course of history, there have been many strong women who have proven that they are not less valuable than men, and fight for equal rights. These women are known as feminists. In colonial times in America, women were provided with less legal rights...
Is Anne Bradstreet a rebel, resentful of her gender? This is possible, but it needs to be noted that Anne Bradstreet was exploring concepts and ideas from a Puritan context. Misunderstanding of Puritan ideas and values can lead to Bradstreet’s intentions in her writings being...
Anne Bradstreet, often referred to as the first American poet, is known for her insightful and thought-provoking works that explore various themes such as love, religion, and nature. One of her most famous works is “The Prologue,” a poem that serves as an introduction to...
I. Introduction A. Anne Bradstreet Anne Bradstreet was one of the first female poets in America, born in 1612 in England and later immigrating to the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Despite the limitations placed on women during her time, Bradstreet defied societal norms and established herself...
I. Introduction In the world of literature, Anne Bradstreet stands out as a pioneer, breaking barriers and challenging societal norms with her powerful words. Born in 1612 in Northampton, England, Bradstreet emigrated to the Massachusetts Bay Colony with her husband and family in the early...
I. Introduction Anne Bradstreet, a pioneering figure in American literature, was a Puritan poet who defied societal norms and expectations to pursue her passion for writing. Born in England in 1612, Bradstreet emigrated to the New World with her family and settled in Massachusetts. Despite...
Anne Bradstreet, often called America’s first poet, gives us a peek into early colonial life with her personal and powerful poetry. She talks about family, religion, and nature, weaving these themes into a rich mix that makes for great comparison. This essay dives into Bradstreet’s...
“Sweet words are like honey, a little may refresh, but too much gluts the stomach.”
“Authority without wisdom is like a heavy axe without an edge, fitter to bruise than polish.”
“If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant: if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome."
Date
March 20, 1612 – September 16, 1672
Activity
Anne Bradstreet was the most prominent of early English poets of North America and first writer in England's North American colonies to be published. She is the first Puritan figure in American Literature and notable for her large corpus of poetry, as well as personal writings published posthumously.
Works
“Several Poems Compiled with Great Variety of Wit and Learning”, “The Tenth Muse Lately Sprung Up in America”
Themes
The role of women is a common subject found in Bradstreet's poems. Living in a Puritan society, Bradstreet did not approve of the stereotypical idea that women were inferior to men during the 1600s. Another recurring subject in Bradstreet's work is mortality. In many of her works, she writes about her death and how it will affect her children and others in her life. Bradstreet is also known for using her poetry as a means to question her own Puritan beliefs.
Style
Anne Bradstreet wrote in a different format than other writers of her time. This mainly is due to the fact that she wrote her feelings in a book not knowing someone would read them. Bradstreet often used a sarcastic tone in her poetry. Although Anne Bradstreet endured many hardships in her life, her poems are also usually written in a hopeful and positive tone.
Legacy
Anne Bradstreet was the first woman to be recognized as an accomplished New World Poet. Her volume of poetry The Tenth Muse Lately Sprung Up in America received considerable favorable attention when it was first published in London in 1650. Bradstreet was the first to write about personal matters, which is her greatest literary contribution in early American literature.
Quotes
“Sweet words are like honey, a little may refresh, but too much gluts the stomach.”
“Authority without wisdom is like a heavy axe without an edge, fitter to bruise than polish.”
“If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant: if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome."
