Puritans were super controlling and strict so that it influenced Anne Bradstreet's writing and it was neat and measured. Contained and humble because she was female. She felt she had to be contained and humble because of the environment she grew up in. Metaphor. "Prologue" - Loc 2586 - Humility, my work isn't good, let me write in peace, I deserve some recognition.
- Humble & Humility
- Great Bartas was a French writer respected by the Puritans. She's humble about her writing ability and says she can't compare. Self Deprecating
- On the surface: You can't fix that because nature made it broken. Underlying: Beauty in the broken.
- Her own brain is weak and wounded and there is no way to cure it. (Greek speaker she's referring to: Demosthenes)
- Gender roles - I am obnoxious and annoying to those who say I'm better for female roles. Sewing not writing. If she does do well they'll say she stole the gift.
- Calliope - Muse of epic poetry. The antique Greeks were nicer to women, why else would they use a muse as female. It wasn't meant to last.
- Men are rightfully on top but women still want to be recognized.
- More successful writers who preying on the worse writers. You will still get your praise. Thyme or Parsley wreaths (garlands of laurel used to crown a poet)
- Feminist ideals - questioning idea that she is supposed to be using a needle instead of a pen - she should be sewing
- Subtle, "in directed" feminism, without coming out and saying it, as was expected in this Puritan world.
- Her brother took her unfinished poems and published them. She was very upset so she used this as an intro once her books were published
- My ill formed poems after I wrote them down stayed by my side until my brother took them from my side. Published you.
- Everyone is going to judge the errors in my poems
- To the poems - I blushed a lot. My rambling child I called my child.
- Eventually I would ignore your wronged
- Because you're my child I've tried to fix it but I can't
- I couldn't dress you up, I couldn't make you better. You'll be aware of how bad you are once you get in the hands of critics. You have no father and your mother is poor and turned you away in the in the way of the world.
- Extended metaphor of her book being an ill-fit child - not finished to her liking
- Acknowledging a sense of pride but also embarrassment.
- Tension of her wrestling with am I still being a good mother if she's publishing this work
- She writes in meter with feet, so in the line "I stretched they joints to make they even feet" refers to the metaphor of the child with real feet, but also to the feet of the poem - and in this line the feet are messed up on purpose.
"A Letter to Her Husband, Absent upon Public Employment"
- Her husband is personified in the sun (metaphor)
- While he was here I didn't feel anything. All my fears were gone
- The good things viewed while you were here... her children?
- You're far away
- Zodiac cancer (not death)
- Strength of love and a lot of natural imagry
- Cancer - 4th sign - Summer
- Capricorn - 10th sign and it represents winter
- Return my sweet sun from winter. I see you in my children. Never elave again until you die. We're two people but we're one.
- Puritan Belief - women lived around their men. Pining after their men.
Here follows some versus Upon the Burning of Our House
- Her house burned down 1666
- Reference to Job - the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away
- Set hope on heaven, not earthly things
- Switch mid poem... where she obviously realizes all her possessions are all important and then they are just gone
- she's trying to convince herself not to care
- balance religion and humanity
- A private poem, wasn't published until many years after her death
- At the end, tongue and cheek idea about how, well our house burnt down, but I only took care about my eternal home in Heaven, so it's okay, questioning that idea
- Spends a lot of time showing all the things in house she's lost
- Kind of metaphysical, like 17th and 18th c brit poets.
Contemplation
- Heat - Sun
- Seasons
- Death imagery
- The crickets and grasshoppers are singing in the praise ofGod
- Cain trying to build a city because no one wants him around
- Cycle of the youth
- Humans only grow older, there is no regeneration or second chance.
- Youth nor strength nor wisdom comes again
- You keep finding a better and better place... shadows to the sun. from sin to enlightenment
- The ocean is an all powerful source on earth as is God
- Time messes up mortal things
- Revelations 2:17
- Be faithful
- All God's creatures are a testimate to God
- Man kind will live on forever
- Cain & Able
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