Literature of the Puritans - Anne Bradstreet

Pilgrims/Puritans

•Sailed over on the **Mayflower** to Mass. in 1620
•Religious reformers

•Trying “purify” Church of England
•Trying to build “a city on the hill” (Model
based on the Bible)
•John Calvin’s predestination led to
intense self-evaluation and search for
grace, which is seen in literary and oral
traditions.
•Valued religious devotion and work over
private feelings.

•Lasting impact: “Puritan Ethic”of
hard-work and self-discipline remains an
American value.

Puritan Literary Style

•Like their life on the new
frontier:
•strenuous, serious, realistic
•Like their religious
convictions:
•rational, orderly, sober

Puritan Literary Style

•Like their lives of modest,
simple, utilitarian clothes,
furnishings and customs:
•Puritan Plain Style : short
words, direct statements,
and references to common
objects and experiences

Anne Bradstreet

•The Tenth Muse Lately Sprung Up in America, 1650

•Ref. to 9 muses that inspired ancient Greek poetry.

•First woman and first poet published in the
British North American colonies
•Wrote privately, published by brother-in-law
unbeknownst to her
•Despite being a devote puritan wife and mother, she found time to write and express
deep emotions.

“To My Dear and Loving Husband” by Anne Bradstreet

If ever two were one, then surely we.

If ever man were loved by wife, then thee;

If ever wife was happy in a man,

Compare with me, ye women, if you can.

“To My Dear and Loving Husband” by Anne Bradstreet

If ever two were one, then surely we.

If ever man were loved by wife, then thee;

If ever wife was happy in a man,

Compare with me, ye women, if you can.

Rhyme scheme?

“To My Dear and Loving Husband” by Anne Bradstreet

If ever two were one, then surely we.

If ever man were loved by wife, then thee;

If ever wife was happy in a man,

Compare with me, ye women, if you can.

Neat rhyming
couplets

“To My Dear and Loving Husband” by Anne Bradstreet

If ever two were one, then surely we.

If ever man were loved by wife, then thee;

If ever wife was happy in a man,

Compare with me, ye women, if you can.

Neat rhyming
couplets

What is her main idea in this stanza and what

tone does she set?

“To My Dear and Loving Husband” by Anne Bradstreet

If ever two were one, then surely we.

If ever man were loved by wife, then thee; If ever wife was

happy in a man,

Compare with me, ye women, if you can.

Neat rhyming
couplets

She loves her husband very much. If/Then
statements create a logical (Puritan) tone.

Remember God set things rationally in place

“To My Dear and Loving Husband” by Anne Bradstreet

If ever two were one, then surely we.

If ever man were loved by wife, then thee;

If ever wife was happy in a man,

Compare with me, ye women, if you can.

Neat rhyming
couplets

She loves her husband very much. If/Then
statements create a logical (Puritan) tone.

Remember God set things rationally in place

Interesting change
in audience?

“To My Dear and Loving Husband” by Anne Bradstreet

If ever two were one, then surely we.

If ever man were loved by wife, then thee;

If ever wife was happy in a man,

Compare with me, ye women, if you can.

Neat rhyming
couplets

She loves her husband very much. If/Then
statements create a logical (Puritan) tone.

Remember God set things rationally in place

Switch from
speaking to
husband into
speaking to other
women. Why?

“To My Dear and Loving Husband” by Anne
Bradstreet

I prize thy love more than whole mines of gold, or all the riches
that the East doth hold.
My love is such that rivers cannot quench
Nor ought but love from thee give recompense
Thy love is such I can no way repay.
What two metaphors are seen in these lines and what do they
mean? What is the only thing that her love needs?

“To My Dear and Loving Husband” by Anne
Bradstreet

I prize thy love more than whole mines of gold, or all the riches
that the East doth hold.
My love is such that rivers cannot quench
Nor ought but love from thee give recompense
Thy love is such I can no way repay.
•Her love for him is more valuable than riches and can’t be
quenched by even a river. She just needs his love in return.

“To My Dear and Loving Husband” by Anne Bradstreet

Thy love is such I can no way repay.

The heavens reward thee manifold, I pray.

Then while we live, in love let's so persevere

That when we live no more, we may live ever.

How do the first 2 lines reflect her faith?

“To My Dear and Loving Husband” by Anne Bradstreet

Thy love is such I can no way repay.

The heavens reward thee manifold, I pray.

Then while we live, in lovelet'sso persevere

That when we live no more, we may liveever.

What’s adding to the
beauty of the language
here?

“To My Dear and Loving Husband” by Anne Bradstreet

Thy love is such I can no way repay.

The heavens reward thee manifold, I pray.

Then while we live, in lovelet'sso persevere

That when we live no more, we may liveever.

She prays God will repay his love manifold: “many times”

Alliteration!