“A Puritan is such a one as loves God with all his soul,” Author Adam Nicolson said in one of his books, “and is less from timid about it.” Puritans were known for being religiously disciplined. They were also known for writing poems, sermons, and short stories about their religious views. The Puritan authors Anne Bradstreet and Jonathan Edward are two examples of Puritan authors who did just that, stating in their works their opinions about God. Anne Bradstreet’s poems show her opinion about God as a good one. She believes first and foremost, God is a giver. In her poem To My Dear and Loving Husband, she describes a loving relationship with her husband thanks to her God. “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; the heavens reward thee manifold, I pray” (page 138). In the first sentence, Anne talks about how her love can never be quenched, but she should compensate God for allowing her to have that love. In the next sentences, she furthers that opinion by stating that she can never repay God for giving her that loving relationship. …show more content…
She believes God will provide as long as people obey his word, and can take away what he gave because it is his right. This poem describes a house burning down in the middle of the night, causing the woman to lose all her possessions. After she is left with the burnt shell of her home, she asks herself what she could have done wrong to have God take away what he’d previously given her. “And, when I could no longer look, I blest his Name that gave and took; that laid my goods now in the dust: yes, so it was, and so 'twas just. It was his own: it was not mine” (page 141). In this quote, Anne states that when she saw her burnt house, she believed God was just in doing so, since it was his and not
“Among all my experiences of God’s gracious dealings with me I have constantly observed this, that He hath never suffered me long to sit loose from him...” (Bradstreet 68). Anne Bradstreet is showing her devotion to God and is focusing on his love and mercy. Bradstreet found inspiration in William Shakespeare but more importantly what drove her poetry was religious beliefs. Being born into a Puritan family, Bradstreet became accustomed to Puritan behavior and had a strong belief in God. Jonathan Edwards, another strong believer in God, had the same Puritan beliefs but thought if a person shall sin they would be destined to end up in hell. Edwards is an extreme pastor and this is shown in the sermon, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” The two being the ideal Puritan religion have strong opinions on viewing God
Historical Puritan Writing and Poetry In the late 1600’s, literature is dissimilar from today’s, such as focusing on being sent into the fiery pits of hell only because one hasn’t converted to Puritanism. There are also different types of writing to display the righteousness and positives of being a convert and loyal to the Puritan culture. Anne Bradstreet and Jonathan Edwards are two popular Puritan authors who project different messages and portray varying energy through a slim number of their pieces. The poems, “To My Dear and Loving Husband” or “Upon the Burning of Our House” by Anne Bradstreet or “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” by Jonathan Edwards are fit examples of the Puritan age and what Puritans believe to be religiously correct or incorrect.
Anne Bradstreet and Jonathan Edwards lived during a period in time where religion was the basis and foundation of everyday life. Bradstreet and Edwards were both raised in prominent, wealthy, and educated families. Both were extremely intelligent and shared similar religious beliefs. However, the way in which each of them brought forth those beliefs was vastly different.
decided that he had other plans for Anne's life. He carried out these plans by
Women have faced oppression in the literary community throughout history. Whether they are seen as hysterical or unreliable, women writers seem to be faulted no matter the topics of their literature. However, Anne Bradstreet and Margaret Fuller faced their critics head-on. Whether it was Bradstreet questioning her religion or Fuller discussing gender fluidity, these two women did not water down their opinions to please others. Through their writings, Bradstreet and Fuller made great strides for not just women writers, but all women.
The components of marriage, family and loss has played a big role in Anne Bradstreet’s writing of “Before the birth of One of Her Children”, “In Memory of Dear Grandchild Elizabeth Bradstreet”, and Edward Taylor’s “Upon Wedlock and the Death of Children.” In, these writings both authors Puritan culture and their faith plays a big role. In these poems one author starts questioning their God and the other to take honor in their God throughout their grieving process, while both showing different aspects of their everlasting union with their spouse, and the love for their children.
Anne’s thoughts and perspectives of stuff she encountered with, or the struggles she endured weren’t shown in depth in the film. Her curiosity and wonders of countless stuff weren’t shown to the best of ability. Anne was a young girl figuring out many new things in life, in the film however her thoughts aren’t really elaborated. Making the film less interesting, considering the book is a diary full of her encounters of war and the disruptive life that she constantly envisaged throughout her life. She says, “What does that matter? I want to write, but more than that, I want to bring out all kinds of things that lie buried deep in my heart. (20 June, 1942). This quote accentuates the way she wants to write stuff, in the film however she doesn’t
I told you why Anne had felt this way during her ordeal, and what this reveals about her character and her views about life. Anne is a strong and heroic young girl who has a heart for others and she is very compassionate towards others. Which is a great quality to have in that time period she was going through? No one could have done it better than Anne. She helped people look at the good in the situations she was never the one mention the negative things. You think how you would react to this situation. Would you be buoyant? Or would you be colorless in this and always look at the crummy never say anything positive. All quotes can be found in the collections book pages
Puritans wrote to document life, or as religious writings. In Anne Bradstreets poem, To My Dear Husband, she confesses and illustrates her love for her husband; “Then while we live, in love let’s so preserve That when we live no more, we may live forever.” (Bradstreet, PG 120) This poem was humble and loving, but also showed religious aspects by saying “we may live forever.” Both Puritans and explorers stood with a strong backbone of religion.
Anne had poor health, suffered a difficult journey. In 1666 the family experienced a strong fire, which, among other things, almost entirely burned down the library where Anne received a good education (in the library had 800 volumes on the history, theology, medicine, political science); there is even a poem by Bradstreet dedicated to this fire which made so much harm to her family. Following these events, she developed tuberculosis, she lost her daughter. It was supported by faith, will, and help of loved ones.
To understand how the Puritans viewed religion, one needs to look at how they understood their Christian God. The Puritans knew God though the bible and what their ministers preached. They did not believe that God would speak directly to mortals. The Puritan Minister Robert Cushman once stated, “Whereas God of the old [Testament] did call and summon our fathers by predictions, dreams, visions, and certain illuminations…. Now there is no such calling to be expected for any matter whatsoever.” In the Puritan’s time, if God was to speak directly with a mortal, it was thought to be the devil in disguise. One Puritan woman, Anne Hutchinson, was believed to have predictions from God. This infuriated the Puritans because they did not believe in the idea of God giving her visions and thoughts. They believed that Satan was the one giving her these visions and thoughts. Consequently, the Puritans then banished her into the wilderness outside of Massachusetts Bay. This shows that the Puritans treated anyone who did not totally agree with them as an outcast to their society.
Anne Bradstreet was a Puritan. Much like all the other Puritans of her time she examined her conscience daily and that they always felt that they were humbled by God's creations and powers. One poem in which she expresses her religion's ideas and philosophies was "Contemplations".
Anne Bradstreet and Edward Taylor are two of the most recognizable poets from early American History; they were also both American Puritans, who changed the world with their poetry. We can see many similarities in their poetry when it comes to the importance of religion and also on having children and losing children. There are however differences in the audience of their poetry and their personal views on marriage. Bradstreet and Taylor both came over to America in the 17th century and settled in New England. Though Taylor came years later we can see the similarities through their poetry.
The Puritan life, although simple, demanded diligence both mentally and spiritually which put stress on even the most faithful of followers. Although the common practice entailed brushing religious struggles under the rug, few writers bravely wrote of their religious doubts and endeavors to become better Puritans. Author Anne Bradstreet shows in her work “Here Follows Some Verse upon the Burning of Our House, July 10th, 1666” that religious struggles are often met by Puritans and it takes brave souls to admit their difficult time with their religion. This poem shows a woman dealing with a religious crisis and how even though she struggles her faith still holds strong in the end. Bradstreet’s poem displays a crisis of faith in her content and reflects her struggle with the Puritan beliefs, however, the form and structure of the poem reflect her internal religious solidarity.
She only allows her to see her worth in having a clean home and a satisfied man. She never once tells the girl to follow her dreams or even talk about what they are. The mother only keeps on instructing her on even the simplest things like smiling : “...this is how you smile to someone you don 't like too much;this is how you smile at someone you don 't like at all;this is how you smile to someone you like completely...” this poem is filled with the phrases “this is how”. “ don’t do this”, and “ be sure to..” the speaker does not even give the girl a chance to speak her mind or form her own thoughts. The young girl was only able to get one sentence out the whole poem : “...but what if the baker won 't let me feel the bread?”