Anne Bradstreet Contemplations Essay
The poem “Contemplations” is said by critics to be one of Anne Bradstreet’s greatest writing accomplishments ever. Born in the 17th century, Bradstreet moved with her family from England to New England in search of a better way of life and to recover her Puritan values. While this transition was quite a struggle, she did not let it take away from her beliefs. In this poem, Bradstreet focuses on three main topics that are important to her spiritually: nature, God, and how they are significant to our everyday lives. This poem takes the reader outdoors, where Bradstreet admires the beauty of the world around her. Not only does being surrounded by nature inspire her to write, it also brings her to “contemplate” how Heaven must be even more magnificent
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It could also refer to a specific type of creature, but in this incident, race is about something much larger. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word “race” is “a group of people, animals, or plants, connected by common descent or origin.” But, in Bradstreet’s poem, race is human kind as a whole. The human race is very complex, and Bradstreet finds a great interest in life and death, which is something that all in the human race must encounter. Not only this, but she also discusses the issues and many turmoil’s in life that the human race encounters. Bradstreet begins by referring back to her biblical teachings with the story of Adam and Eve. She then explains, “glorious Adam there made Lord of all,” (11) had a “penalty impos’d on his backsliding Race,” (11). Here, Bradstreet is referencing the famous beginning story in the Bible in order to explain how the human race is imperfect and flawed. Every human on earth is a sinner, and Bradstreet focuses on this fact by explaining the story of Cain and Abel. She reminds us that, “Cain and Abel come to sacrifice,” (13) and “On Abel’s gift the fire descends from Skies, But no such sign on False Cain’s offering,” (13). By using these individuals from the Bible, Bradstreet is able to compare them to people of the modern world, human emotions, and
It could also refer to a specific type of creature, but in this incident, race is about something much larger. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word “race” is “a group of people, animals, or plants, connected by common descent or origin.” But, in Bradstreet’s poem, race is human kind as a whole. The human race is very complex, and Bradstreet finds a great interest in life and death, which is something that all in the human race must encounter. Not only this, but she also discusses the issues and many turmoil’s in life that the human race encounters. Bradstreet begins by referring back to her biblical teachings with the story of Adam and Eve. She then explains, “glorious Adam there made Lord of all,” (11) had a “penalty impos’d on his backsliding Race,” (11). Here, Bradstreet is referencing the famous beginning story in the Bible in order to explain how the human race is imperfect and flawed. Every human on earth is a sinner, and Bradstreet focuses on this fact by explaining the story of Cain and Abel. She reminds us that, “Cain and Abel come to sacrifice,” (13) and “On Abel’s gift the fire descends from Skies, But no such sign on False Cain’s offering,” (13). By using these individuals from the Bible, Bradstreet is able to compare them to people of the modern world, human emotions, and