To My Dear and Loving Husband Compare and Contrast Essay

Spencer Barrett
4th
November 3, 2013
Compare Contrast Essay
In modern times, poetry is often considered a complicated and confusing art, incapable of being fathomed by an average person. Poetry is written in the vernacular which typically becomes outdated and therefore unfamiliar. With regards to Anne Bradstreet’s “To My Dear and Loving Husband” and Edward Taylor’s “Huswifery”, this is not the case. Anne Bradstreet and Edward Taylor use two different writing styles to compare a similar topic in drastically contrasting ways.
Anne Bradstreet often pursues an informal or slang writing style in her poem, using common words such as “repay” (Bradstreet 11) and “reward” (12); whereas, Edward Taylor subscribes to an educated and decorous word choice incorporating words such as “affections” (Taylor 3), and “varnisht” (12). Bradstreet’s use of standard words shows she has a deep, personal relationship with the reader and is comfortable using familiar words and phrases. “Huswifery” is a poem to Jesus Christ and is written in a revered and cascading style, often over-saturating the piece with varnished word choice. Through these techniques, the writers present two differing styles of writing that stupendously express their emotions.
Through the use of tone, the writers are able to fully express their feelings for the reader, in seemingly similar ways. Both writers take a caring tone towards their readers, which creates a sense of innocence and dependency. Anne has a very submissive and dutiful way of expressing her feelings, saying things such as “Thy love is such I can in no way repay.” (Bradstreet 11) , or “I prize thy love more then whole mines of gold,” (5-6). Taylor also has a submissive tone about her poem, but expresses it in a glowing, nearly inspirational way through the use of metaphors. Phrases such as “My Words, and Actions, that their shine may fill” (Taylor 15) and “All pinkt with Varnisht Flowers of Paradise.” flood the mind with an exquisite picture of her love for her Savior.
The last element that separates the two writers is their use of figurative language. Anne Bradstreet appears to be a fairly logical and straight-forward woman that feels that getting her point across is far more important than decorating her poem with metaphorical stanzas and bewildering word choice. She shows this early on in her writing when she writes “Compare with me any woman if you can.” (Bradstreet 4). The reader is given a direct and conclusive statement, leaving no room for interpretation. On the contrary, Edward Taylor prefers to drench her writing in philosophical metaphors to create a brilliant picture. Metaphors such as “My Conversation make to be thy Reele.” (Taylor 5) and “Thine Ordinances make my Fulling Mills.” (10) are metaphorical and deep lines that leave the passage open to thoughtful interpretation.
Both Taylor and Bradstreet use differing styles of writing to convey their feeling for the readers in drastically different ways. Using these techniques, they are able to connect with both casual and formal readers.“Huswifery” and “To My Dear and Loving Husband” are excellent poems that should be studied and observed for years to come.