10/8/12
English III 5H
Ms. Sanchez
Anne Bradstreet: Uncustomary and Unique
A seventeenth century poetic writer, Anne Bradstreet is a very important figure in American Literature history. Born in 1612 in England, she came to America as part of a fleet of Puritan emigrants in 1630. Bradstreet is considered by many to be the first American poet. Her writing style is typical of Puritan writing in some cases, and in other cases it is atypical of Puritan writing.
Being a Puritan woman, Anne Bradstreet incorporated many ideas like religion into her writings, as religion was a fundamental, pivotal focus of Puritan society and life. In her poem “To My Dear and Loving Husband,” Bradstreet wrote, “The heavens reward thee manifold, I pray” (10). In this line Bradstreet is talking about praying to the Lord and heavens about rewarding her loving husband. This poem is more romantic than typical Puritan writing. This line is an example how Bradstreet included Puritan concepts like religion and worship even into her more personal, romantic poetic writings.
In Bradstreet’s poem “Upton the Burning of Our House, July 10th 1666,” Bradstreet in multiple instances wrote in a typical Puritan style, one with a focus on religion and the Lord. In lines 8-9 of the poem, Bradstreet wrote, “And to my God my heart did cry to strengthen me in my distress.” In this line, Bradstreet said that when her house burned down, her heart cried to God to give her strength in the tough time she was going to. Bradstreet showed how she believed in God as the one who provides strength in time of need. Also, in the same poem, Bradstreet wrote, “Thou hast an house on high erect framed by that mighty Architect” (43-44). God is the Architect that Bradstreet wrote about in these lines, and the Kingdom of Heaven is the “house on high erect”. Bradstreet showed that her focus was not on her burned house, but rather the house that God has for her in His glorious Kingdom.
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