Who Was Anne Bradstreet?

An Interpretation: Who was Anne Bradstreet? While reading the poetry of Anne Bradstreet, the straightforward Puritanical figure emerges, as well as the loving, caring person she was. She was truly a faithful puritan, but she was also a daughter, wife, mother, scholar and critic. In her poetry she balances both sides. In the poem "Upon the Burning of Our House" she is definite in her belief in God, and shows her spiritual growth as she learns amazing, heartfelt lessons. This poem could be interpreted to be an insight on her judgment day. However line 6 "Let no man know is my desire" shows a personal side of Bradstreet. She prays that another person not ever feel the pain she felt at that moment. The pain and grief she was suffering, watching all her worldly possessions burn, probably some of her writings as well, made her cry out to her Lord and God. Lines 7 and 8 "And when I could no longer look, I blest his name that gave and took" show again her powerful belief in God. God giveth, and God taketh away. Through this tragedy she learned to always thank God, to remember earthly belongings can be gone in one flame, And that true wealth lies in heaven. Bradstreet shows a deeper personal
The educated, scholarly side emerges. In this poem, she is objective and sentimental, referring to her poetry as her children. She calls the poetry her "ill-formed offspring." She is critical of herself as she writes, wanting to wash the faces of her children, meaning she wanted to fix the errors in print. She evaluates herself as a poet, yet expresses it in a way that only a fond mother would. In the last lines of the poem Bradstreet shows a more humorous side "If for thy father asked, say thou had'st none; And for thy mother, she alas is poor, which caused her thus to send thee out of door." She shows she can be critical of herself and make fun of herself as