Anne Bradstreet: a Comparative Analysis

Anne Bradstreet, often celebrated as America’s first poet, provides a unique window into the early colonial experience through her deeply personal and evocative poetry. Her work spans themes of family, religion, and the natural world, and it offers a rich tapestry for comparative analysis. This essay explores the distinct facets of Bradstreet's poetry by comparing her works, highlighting her innovative use of language, and contrasting her thematic concerns with those of her contemporaries.

Innovation and Literary Style

Bradstreet’s poetic style reflects a blend of Puritan plainness and the more ornate Elizabethan tradition. Her poems often exhibit a straightforward, unadorned language that aligns with the Puritan ethos of simplicity and humility. However, Bradstreet does not shy away from employing sophisticated metaphors and classical allusions, demonstrating her education and literary prowess. For instance, in her poem “The Author to Her Book,” she employs an extended metaphor comparing her book to a child, revealing her deep emotional connection to her work and her nuanced understanding of literary creation.

This blending of styles sets Bradstreet apart from her contemporaries, who often adhered strictly to one tradition or the other. The plain style was predominant among Puritan writers like Edward Taylor, whose work remained focused on religious themes and moral instruction without the ornate flourishes seen in Bradstreet's poetry. Taylor’s “Preparatory Meditations” serves as a good contrast, as it is heavily laden with theological concerns and lacks the personal, emotive quality that characterizes much of Bradstreet’s work.

Thematic Concerns

Bradstreet’s poetry often grapples with themes of personal identity, familial relationships, and the natural world, themes that were not commonly explored in depth by her contemporaries. Her poem “To My Dear and Loving Husband” is a testament to her ability to convey deep personal emotion within the constraints of Puritan modesty. The poem is a celebration of marital love, a theme that, while not entirely absent in Puritan literature, is rarely expressed with such fervor and intimacy.

In contrast, Bradstreet’s contemporary, Michael Wigglesworth, in his work “The Day of Doom,” focuses on eschatological themes, reflecting the period’s preoccupation with spiritual salvation and divine judgment. Wigglesworth’s work, while theologically rich, lacks the personal introspection and emotional depth found in Bradstreet’s poetry. This difference underscores Bradstreet’s unique position as a poet who navigates the space between personal expression and religious duty.

Gender and Literary Voice

As a female poet in a patriarchal society, Bradstreet’s work also provides insight into the gender dynamics of her time. Her poem “In Honour of that High and Mighty Princess Queen Elizabeth of Happy Memory” is an ambitious piece that extols the virtues of Queen Elizabeth I, drawing a parallel between the monarch’s strength and her own aspirations for intellectual and creative recognition. Bradstreet’s reverence for Queen Elizabeth serves as a subtle assertion of her own capabilities and a challenge to the gender norms of her era.

In comparison, male poets of her time, such as John Winthrop, who was more focused on prose, tended to reinforce traditional gender roles. Winthrop’s texts often emphasized the subordinate position of women within the Puritan social order. This contrast highlights Bradstreet’s unique voice and her subtle subversion of contemporary gender expectations through her literary work.

Religious Context and Personal Faith

Religion undoubtedly plays a central role in Bradstreet’s poetry, as it did in the lives of all Puritans. However, her approach to religious themes is often personal and introspective rather than doctrinal. In her poem “Upon the Burning of Our House, July 10th, 1666,” Bradstreet reflects on the loss of her home through a lens of faith, ultimately finding solace in the belief that her true home lies in heaven. This personal approach to religious themes distinguishes her from the more didactic tone of her contemporaries.

For example, Cotton Mather, another prominent Puritan writer, approached religious themes with a didactic and doctrinal tone in his works like “Magnalia Christi Americana.” Mather’s writings were primarily concerned with promoting religious orthodoxy and documenting the religious history of New England, reflecting a more communal and less personal approach to faith.

Conclusion

Anne Bradstreet’s poetry remains a significant literary achievement, not only for its artistic merit but also for its exploration of themes that were often neglected by her contemporaries. Her innovative blend of plain and ornate styles, her focus on personal and familial themes, her subtle challenge to gender norms, and her introspective approach to religion all contribute to her unique place in American literature. By comparing and contrasting her work with that of her contemporaries, we gain a deeper understanding of her contributions and the distinct voice she brought to the literary landscape of her time.