Anne Bradstreet's Contribution to American Literature

Up until the early 17th century, American literature was chiefly about politics, religion, and recorded events. These writings were very dry and lacked insight into the everyday lives of the authors. To put into writing any individual spiritual reflections that strayed away from the religion of the colony could be dangerous at that time; possibly resulting in banishment from the colony or worse. Likewise, any writing that did not serve at least one of the purposes listed above was considered to be a waste of time that would be better spent praising God. Anne Bradstreet defied the rules of her time by writing about whatever she wanted including personal thoughts, reflections, emotions, and events. Bradstreet was the first to write about personal matters, which is her greatest literary contribution in early American literature.

By reading Bradstreet’s work, a fair sense of what Mrs. Bradstreet was like can be grasped. She clearly stated her opinion of those who objected to her writing: “I am obnoxious to each carping tongue, / Who says my hand a needle better fits.” (Bradstreet,“ The Prologue”155). Bradstreet refused to give up her passion for writing even if it meant going against the opinions of anyone in her colony, including religious leaders. Although Bradstreet referred to herself as being obnoxious, her written works portray an entirely different Bradstreet. She seeks no reward or fame for her writing: “Give thyme or parsley wreath, I ask no bays” (155). Bradstreet seeks no reward for her writing because she doesn’t think her work is very good: “My foolish, broken, blemished Muse so sings” (154). She refers to her writing as her: “ill-formed offspring” (“The Author To Her Book”165). Even after her work is published she is ...

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...mmon humanity. For the first time in American literature, the reader can see through the eyes of the author, and feel what the author feels. Bradstreet showed all future American writers the beauty of writing as means of self expression. This is why Anne Bradstreet’s single greatest literary contribution is her use of personal content.

Works Cited

Bradstreet, Anne. “The Prologue”, “The Author to Her Book”, “Before The Birth Of One Of

Her Children”, “To My Dear and Loving Husband”, “A Letter to Her Husband Absent

Upon Public Employment”, “In Reference to Her Children”, “Upon the Burning of Our

House”, “On My Dear Grandchild Simon Bradstreet Who Died on 16 November, 1669,

Being But a Month, and One day Old.” Anthology of American Literature. Vol. I.

Tenth Edition. Editor George McMichael. Upper Saddle River, NJ. :

Pearson/Longman, 2011.