Literary Analysis Upon The Burning Of O

Kaytlin Woollen
Kim Harper
Essay One
October 19, 2014 Three Life Lessons
Literary Analysis of “Upon the Burning of our House”

“Fire, Fire!” these are the cries that woke the poet Anne Bradstreet one ordinary night and changed her life forever. The fire inspired the poem “Verses Upon the Burning of our House”. This poem is written from her personal experience and reflection, which is a trademark of her work. She is often referred to as America’s first “authentic” female poet. She expresses her suffering to God, yet writes of at least three life lessons she learned as she watched her house turn ashes.
Anne Bradstreet is a Puritan wife and mother of eight children living in the seventeenth century.(Piercy 17) In many of her poems she portrays the struggles of being a Puritan woman and in the poem ‘Upon the Burning of our House” it is no different. Anne reflects back to that dreadful night when she could do nothing, but helplessly watch her house burn, taking all of her worldly belongings with it. She grieves the loss of these possessions and then quickly scolds herself for forgetting that as a Puritan, there is a much greater reward waiting for her in heaven. (Richardson) This is evident in lines 54-55 where Anne writes, “The world no longer let me love, my hope and treasure lies above.” In these lines, she refers to the scripture in the bible that encourages believers to store up their treasures in heaven, not on earth. (textbook) In life lesson number one, Bradstreet realizes that on this terrible night wealth does not come from the things you gain on earth, but true riches are in heaven. She describes heaven in Stanzas 43-48 as a permanent establishment, a majestic home with expensive furnishings all paid for by God. (textbook) Bradstreet continually acknowledges God throughout this poem. Even though, these are her last words in the poem, many critics believe she struggles with this loss. Bradstreet’s home was very important to her. It was a symbol of her life and role as a woman, yet because of her faith she learns that only one home should mean anything to her and that is her heavenly home. Bradstreet’s strong Puritan background often influences her writing. Brenwen Price compared the role of a woman and their female identity to their body, which henceforth was linked to their speech and sexual promiscuity. If a woman chose the public domain through speech or writing instead of “child bearing” she was therefore going against her natural role and would suffer God’s wrath.(Endberg 5) This is a perfect example of the Puritan mindset that binds her life. Anne is convinced that this tragedy was to teach her some life lesson from God.
In life lesson number two, Bradstreet learns to thank God even in the midst of devastation. This is evident when she wrote “And when I could no longer look, I blest his name that gave and took”. This use of rhyming couplets explains Bradstreet’s beliefs that everything that was burning belonged to God anyway, therefore he had the right to take it away. ( textbook) Critics like Robert Richardson states that “Bradstreet’s struggles between love for this world and reliance on the next, and the poetic expression of those struggles, not as there rebelliousness of anti- Puritan temperament, but as to achieve the Puritan ideal of living the world without being of it (Richardson 108) In this poem, she expresses three undeniable life lessons, lessons that literally cost her everything. In life lesson number three, Bradstreet learns that material possessions are easy to gain, as well as loose. The poet struggles with the memories of her home and the thoughts of her things , her trunk and chest and everything she “counted best”. She continued to think of the dinners that she would no longer have at her table, the candles that will not shine in her windows and of the bridegroom’s voice that will never be heard. The poet is expressing in these lines her infatuation and attachment to her home and its memories. In Stanzas 31-36 she explains that earthly pleasures are short lived and can become ashes very quickly .She wrote, No pleasure take shall ere be told, Nor things recounted done or old. No candles o’er shall shine in thee. Nor bridegroom’s voice o’er heard shall be .In silence ever shall thou be, Adieu, Adieu, All’s vanity! (textbook) In conclusion, Bradstreet shows her real feelings, feelings of uncertainty, sadness and loss in this poem. She demonstrates her respect and devotion to her Puritan faith, as well as her love and desire for a home in heaven. (Richardson ) On July 10th 1666, Bradstreet lost everything that meant anything to her accept for her devotion to God. The fire took her most earthly treasures, but left her with three valuable life lessons; lessons that changed her perspective and started her on a new path, a path of hope and survival. “Fire, fire!” those screams wake Anne from a peaceful sleep and here is where the poem “Upon the Burning of our House” begins, along with “Three Life Lessons”