Anne bradstreet 1612 - 1672

overview 1628 married Simon Bradstreet at age 16 1630 immigrated to Massachusetts Bay in the first wave of the Great Migration on the Arbella 1650 published The Tenth Muse (London) Mother of 8 children Husband was an important leader in Mass Bay First colonist to write a sizable body of verse 10th Muse was published by her brother-in-law in London without her knowledge. This made her the first female poet published in both New England and Europe. Many prominent New Englanders praised it, but some argued that she should spend her time with a needle rather than a pen Arbella was part of Winthrop’s fleet Her father and husband were instrumental in founding Harvard

Bradstreet’s poetry Reveals the touchingly human drama of Puritan life Written in clear, unadorned style Imitates English Renaissance poets Shows a capable Christian artist grappling with questions that still concern Christians today Both public and private Public poems highly imitative of what she believed her intended audience wanted Private much freer in content, not published until after her death Religious and domestic (domestic even contain religious content) Vented her rebellion against the Puritan view of the woman After 4th bullet, read “In Reference to Her Children” from p 65-66 Some of her neighbors grumbled that writing poetry was not a fit occupation for a wife and mother

From “The Prologue” I am obnoxious to each carping tongue Who says my hand a needle better fits, A Poets pen all scorn I should thus wrong, For such despite they cast on Female wits: If what I do prove well, it won’t advance, They’l say it’s stoln, or else it was by chance. Let Greeks be Greeks, and women what they are Men have precedency and still excell, It is but vain unjustly to wage warre; Men can do best, and women know it well Preheminence in all and each is yours; Yet grant some small ackowledgement of ours.

Personal poetry Glories in her responsibility as a wife “To My Dear and Loving Husband” Glories in her responsibilities as a mother “In Reference to Her Children” Cheerful submission to God’s will “On My Dear Grandchild” “Upon the Burning of Our House”