Compare And Contrast Anne Bradstreet Society Or Self

Society or Self Writing poetry can be a long and relentless task. There are several points that may arouse concerns when an author writes poems. One of those concerns would be criticism. In the world of literary arts, criticism can be found everywhere. The individual does not have to be a scholar, in order to be a critic. Critics surround authors in many different directions, and they are among a diverse group. These facts alone would be a reason for authors to be very skeptical of their works. Moreover, that reason alone would cause an author to be very protective of the use of such works. Authors tend to have concerns about cultural views as well. Culture values were at a very high peak during Anne Bradstreet’s time. Those specific concerns can very easily peak an author’s insecurities. Anne Bradstreet exemplified insecure thoughts towards her poetry because of society and the culture of the 1600s. Bradstreet’s insecurities made her a target among the male writers. During her time, women were not common

John Berryman wrote a critique of Bradstreet’s “The Author of Her book” and did not withhold details of his revulsion towards her work. His revulsion was based solely on her “weakness” and “feminine” ways. He believes she was a “boring, high minded Puritan woman who may have been our first American poet but was not a good one” (Berryman 12). The synopsis of the critique was based on her weaknesses and feminine insecurities more than the actual analysis of her writings. Berryman believed that she did not want “The Author of Her Book” to be published because she knew she did not amount to the expectations of society. “Till snatched from thence by friends, less wise than true, Who thee abroad, exposed to public view, Made thee in rags, halting to th’ press to trudge, Where errors were not lessoned (all may judge)” (Bradstreet