Anne Bradstreet 1612 – 1672

Father was John Dudley, a nonconformist soldier 1630, sailed with family to America His coworker, Simon Bradstreet, married Anne when she was 16 and he was 25 Anne was well tutored in literature, history, Greek, Latin, French, Hebrew, and English.

In her memoirs, she wrote of America: "I found a new world and new manners at which my heart rose [up in protest.]“ Both her her father and husband were governors of Massachusetts, allowing her some luxury of lifestyle. Though her men had social prominence, "any woman who sought to use her wit, charm, or intelligence in the community at large found herself ridiculed, banished, or executed by the Colony's powerful group of male leaders."

Her husband, in quest for more land and power, constantly moved them to the edges of the dangerous frontier. Through this dangerous life, Anne and Simon had 8 children, all of whom lived through childhood, which was rare enough in more populous areas. Anne herself was frequently ill and constantly expected death, but survived to be 60 years old.

Because of the tendency of the Puritans to ostracize female intellectuals, Anne was hesitant to publish any of her poetry. Her brother took some of her early poems to England (legendarily against her will) and published them as The Tenth Muse Lately Sprung Up in America when she was 38. It sold very well.

Her later poetry was published posthumously, and contained a much more well-developed poetic voice. Her Apologies, especially, dripped with sarcasm in her response to the male opinion of women in society. Anne was a radically feminist poet, challenging the banishing of women to the private sphere of life and questioning the idea of an unforgiving Puritan god.

Criticism Anne’s poetry was heavily influenced by Guillaume du Bartas, who was heavily favored in the 17th century. He impacted the format and stylistics of her earlier poetry, especially before she developed her real independent voice. Since she stuck to this traditionally accepted courtly style, her Tenth Muse was well-acclaimed among critical circles.

Anne was viewed as an intriguingly feminist writer, merging her sometimes overtly sexual imagery with the concepts of both her love for God and for her husband and family. She examined the paradoxical reconciliation of a woman in the Puritanically repressive role’s carnal love for her husband and her more stately and respectable relationship with God and the church. This led to a more in-depth examination by feminist critics in the mid-20th century of her individualist take on more traditional doctrine.

Special thank you to “Biography of Anne Bradstreet” by Ann Woodlief located at http://www.vcu.edu/engweb/webtexts/Bradstreet/bradbio.htm.