The way that people express their views about the same thing can show a lot about people’s beliefs and their character. Anne Bradstreet, writer of Upon the Burning of our House essentially has the same views as Jonathan Edwards, a preacher, whose most famous sermon is called, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”. Both Bradstreet and Edwards have God as a very important figure in their lives, they just project their views onto the public in vastly different ways. Bradstreet views God as a forgiving and loving figure and Edwards always describes God as an angry being who will not hesitate to throw people into Hell. When Anne Bradstreet writes, she makes it obvious that she views God as a loving being who does things for good reasons. For …show more content…
. .”(lines 14-18). Only a couple of lines into this 54 line poem Bradstreet is already saying how she knows her house burned down for a reason. She knew she could do nothing about her recently burned down house so, instead of lashing out at God, she just accepted that God had a good reason for burning her house down. She also mentions, “It was His own. . .” meaning that she knew her time on Earth was limited and that nothing was permanent so she basically owned nothing anyway, she only had the stuff she had because of God’s will. Making Bradstreet seem like a forgiving person because she believed that was God’s …show more content…
. . Yet by his gift is made thine own;/ There’s wealth enough, I need no more. . .”(lines 50-51). By saying this she is expressing her belief that the only reason that she had anything was because of God and that even though she had lost most of her possessions and, presumably, most of her money she still did not care. She knew that there was more money in the world and she thought that it did not matter if that money was in her possession or God’s. Anne Bradstreet knew that everything on Earth was temporary so she did not mind the fact that she had lost her possessions, for she could get new ones and she could get more money. The fact that she lost what she had previously called home did not bother her much because she knew that she could easily get a new place to call home. Bradstreet believed that the only eternal thing was Heaven, Edwards believed it was Hell. Edwards, on the other hand, says God has an, “. . .everlasting wrath. It would be dreadful to suffer this fierceness and wrath of the Almighty God one moment; but you must suffer it to all eternity. There will be no end to this exquisite horrible misery”(lines 75-77). Edwards is telling people that if they believe in God but are not converted, or if they do not believe in God, that they would face eternal damnation in Hell. Edwards made people afraid of invoking God’s wrath, he told people that God was always angry at them. Bradstreet does the complete
One of the major differences in Bradstreet and Edwards’ writing styles is how angry and demanding Edwards’ works are compared to the logical and rather positive works of Bradstreet. Bradstreet said, “I prize thy love more than the whole mines of gold…” (116, Line 5), this renders the image of Bradstreet relying on love more than money because love isn’t superficial, and this demenstrates the logical side of her writing. When it came to “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”, the writing style is angry, for example when Edwards said, “So that, thus it is that natural men… they have deserved the fiery pit.” (126). Not only does this exhibit his vextation and absurdity, but it also shows a side of religion that differs from Anne Bradstreet’s. Edwards hates the unconverted man, and he believes that if you aren’t converted, that you anger God and he will send you to hell. Bradstreet on the other side believes that if those who worship God, he will always be there to assist them, even if they aren’t completely converted, which is odd for two converted Puritans to differ on these
Bradstreet was a Puritan and was therefore raised with a simplistic view of the world. This, combined with the fact that she was a woman, carried over into her way of writing. Her writing style was not eloquent but plain, humble, and pleasant to read. Her poems dealt with topics such as faith, family, and adversity and were easy to understand. Bradstreet had great faith which she gained through the experiences she encountered in life.
Bradstreet also made it appoint to compare the sudden death of her grandchild to nature stating, “But plants new set to be eradicate, / And buds new blown to have so short a date, / Is by His hands alone that guides nature and fate”( lines 12-14). Conversely, Edward describes his loss of his child as a honor from God. Taylor states, “ Lord take’t. I thank Thee, Thou tak’st ought of mine: / It is my pledge in glory, part of me / Is now in it, Lord glorified with Thee” revealing his honor to have his child sitting with the lord (Edward lines 28-30). Both authors took their faith into great consideration when speaking of the loss of a family
“How awful it is for that person which suffers this great wrath and infinite misery!”(Edwards 89-90). This is the best example of Edwards doing what he does best in his sermons; using literary devices to scare people. Why would anyone do this? Well, he uses fear for persuasion. How he does this is carefully and delicately layered in his words. Edwards uses loaded language, vivid imagery, and specific types of sentences in order to scare his audience into becoming better Puritans.
In her poem “Upon the Burning of Our House”, Anne describes a scene of despair, helplessness, and above all prayer. Through the chaos of the literal and figurative burning of her house, Anne’s faith remains strong. She says “And to my God my heart did cry/ To strengthen me in my distress/ And not to leave me succorless”. Anne feels that God is her first responder, and calls on him to strengthen her in this time of need. Anne accepts her fate when she says “I bless His name that gave and took...it was his own, it was not mine…He might of all justly bereft”. Her faith is so strong that even if God took everything from her she would still believe, because everything that God does is just and fair. This was probably a common view and feeling toward God during the Puritan period. Later on Anne says “Adieu, Adieu, all’s vanity”, showing that all of the things that might have once been of significance to her such as materialism and wealth,
In her poem, “Here Follows Some Verses upon the Burning of Our House, July 10th, 1666,” Bradstreet tries to explain God’s intentions through human actions and how she overcame the trials thrown at her. The poem opens with her house burning in flames. “I, starting up, the light did spy, / And to my God my heart did cry / To strengthen me in my distress” (Lines 7-9). She is calling to God to help her as she watches her house become engulfed in flames. However, as the poem continues, she realizes that everything she had was artificial and not part of her heavenly home and states, “It was His own, it was not mine” (Line 17). She thanks God for taking things that were not hers to begin with and leave her with all she needed: her family and promise of Heaven. Nonetheless, she still misses all the memories and moments shared in the house, “My pleasant things in ashes lie, / And them behold no more shall I” (Lines 27-28). She suffers through an internal struggle between her love of people and things and her love and service to God. By being alive to tell the story of her house, she believes she is special to God and he makes her realize what is truly important in
Bradstreet’s last learned lesson is her wealth does not come from the things she gains on earth but her true wealth lies in heaven. She begins Stanzas 37-42 rebuking her thoughts of what will no longer take place in her ash filled home. Furthermore, Bradstreet gives her depiction of the “heavenly” place in Stanzas 43-48; which is built on permanent grounds and consist of expensive furniture all financed by God. In the last Stanzas of the poem Bradstreet begins focusing on the place where wealth is defined:
It dictated most of her way of living. She writes about her many struggles between her “flesh” and “the Spirit”. She is honest about sometimes feeling inadequate and wanting to digress away from God’sS way. She includes a constant tension between her selfish thoughts and what she know is the best path. It is not so much a battle between personal beliefs and what one is expected to do. Rather it is a battle between what one is doing and what one already knows is the best route in thinking and living. Bradstreet’s family moved from England to the New England in order to follow this movement of Puritans creating a new life in accordance to the church (White, p.103). So she was well aware of Christian principles and very familiar with the Bible. In Some Verses upon the Burning of Our House she talks mostly about the many vanities of this world and that one should focus on things that are eternal. She
...e from her love to the world. Perhaps, she believed that in this love of her, she became God-like and God thus punishes her. Nevertheless, the presence of God in her poems is more than clear. Perhaps, it was due to religious beliefs that she though that it was wrong to feel too strong feelings to world and she considered herself to be a sinner who deserves punishment. Today, there are few followers of Bradstreet, but she, her ideas and her thoughts about sufferings still remain in modern books.
Anne Bradstreet loves her children so much because she raised them all with pain and care. Bradstreet often talks about her children loving people, and people loving them, “And with her mate flew out of sight” (14) and out of her reach so she can not watch over them. Bradstreet’s strong Puritan heritage gives her unquestionable belief that God is watching over her children for her, and her children are watching for God. With this relationship between her and God, Anne Bradstreet accepts the departure of her children. In this poem Anne Bradstreet talks about success, “Coupled with mate loving and true” (23) this is Bradstreet’s idea of success for her children in this poem. Anne Bradstreet’s idea of success is so much more than just this line, in the fact that she wants her children to be educated, and live good productive Christian lives. All of these things are implied in the poem as simple as finding a mate and “flying” off.
In “Upon the Burning of Our House,” Anne Bradstreet demonstrates her devastation towards the loss of her possessions that had been burned, but finds comfort in her belief of God, ultimately indicating her faith in God even though He placed this loss upon her. Anne Bradstreet, a Puritan in the Massachusetts colony, writes about a time in her life when her dwelling place got burned down. Bradstreet writes, “I blest His Name that gave and took / That layd my goods now in the dust” (Bradstreet 14-15). Bradstreet’s belongings and house were valuable to her because of the irreplaceable memories behind them, but they were turned “into dust” in a house fire. Although Bradstreet is aware that God has put her in this position she “[blesses] His name”
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).
Often when children are spoiled, they develop a sense of superiority to those around them. However, after leaving the closed environment of a household, the need for authority and supremacy can create unintended consequences imbedded with sorrow. The fallout from this misfortune is seen in “Why I Live at the P.O.” in the family quarrel that ensues due to the return of Stella-Rondo. Throughout the narration, the author asserts that because, the world is apathetic to one’s dilemmas, a shielded and pampered upbringing can only hamper personal development. Through the denial of truth that the family exhibits in attempts to improve relations and through the jealousy that Sister experiences as inferior to Stella-Rondo, the source of hindered maturity is exemplified.
He chastised his congregation repeatedly in high hopes that they will turn away from their sinful ways. His Puritan beliefs were the impetus force behind his message. The Puritans emphasized the “covenant of works”, which was in the control of humans, and the “covenant of grace”, which was in God 's power to give. (Covenant of grace). Edwards believed that mankind could save itself from damnation depending on the way that they lived. Basically, it is man’s control to save himself of certain damnation. He believed God 's grace could possibly be limited. He proposed a belief that God is judgmental and angry. Edwards ' belief in God was that He was ready to throw people into hell because of all of their unrepentant sins. Edwards used his sermon to give proof to the people that they were only worthy of hell and God 's grace kept the people from being tossed into the Lake of fire. “There are in the souls of wicked men those hellish principles reigning, that would presently ignite and burst into flames of hell fire, if it were not for God 's restraints. “There is laid in the very nature of carnal men, a foundation for the torments of hell”(Edwards 432). Edwards believed man was so dishonorable that hell was waiting for him. He preached that God was showing grace and mercy to people or otherwise mankind would be destroyed by hell 's
She caught severe disease after only two years of arriving in America. Her sickness and expectation of death strengthened her faith and made her consider each day as being her last day. After she recovered from her sickness, she believed that to be blessing. Her sickness became a turning point and self realization for Bradstreet. She built a strong foundation for her faith as a Puritan woman and overcame all her doubts about the existence of God and started to seek salvation from God. When her husband was a way for business, she missed him because of her true and deep love for him. Yet his absent and severe physical and emotional feeling created inner conflict between worldly desire and spirituality. Her love for her husband competed with her love for God. But by using her writing, she sustained her faith and overcame her physical