Born 1612 died 1672 First poet and female writer published in British American Colonies Grew up in a cultured and welleducated English household extremely welleducated for her time especially for a woman ID: 376809
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Anne BradstreetSlide2
Born 1612, died 1672First poet and female writer published in British American Colonies
Grew up in a cultured and well-educated English household (extremely well-educated for her time, especially for a woman)
Emigrated to America in 1630 with her parents and husband, Simon Bradstreet (father was wanted for treason)
Moved twice in MA before finally settling in Cambridge, MA. Slide3
Afflicted with smallpox as a teenager, an illness that she suffered from for her entire life and left her paralyzed in her older years
Birthed 8 children (eight!) and moved throughout the colonies a total of six times.
Wrote all of her poetry in a journal, not intending for any of it ever to be read by a wide audience Slide4
Puritan Women
Women viewed as inferior to men
Primary roles were to be wives and mothers and provide the family’s everyday needs
Expected to serve their husbands and homes in an obedient manner
Wives were considered their husband’s property
Inferiority stemmed from the Puritan thought that women had a piece of Eve’s impurity and sin within themselvesSlide5
Major Topics/Themes
Role of women
Morality/Death
Religion/Faith
WritingSlide6
Discussion Questions
How does Bradstreet's poetry reflect traditional Puritan theology?
Does she question
or challenge such beliefs?
Is
there necessarily any contradiction between her faith and doubt?Slide7
Discussion Questions
How does Bradstreet defend her vocation as a poet
?
What was her motivation to downplay her poetic gifts
?
What does her poetry tell us about the vocation of motherhood and marriage in Puritan families?Slide8
Discussion Questions
What classic stereotypes of a Puritanical wife appear in “To My Dear and Loving Husband”? How do these stereotypes clash with modern expectations for women?Slide9
Discussion Questions
Anne Bradstreet’s poetry is fascinating for many reasons, among them is
the rhetorical
posture she assumes due to her time period; that is, as a woman
she feels
the need to humble herself before her potential male (Puritan) readers.
Find examples
of her humility. Is it sincere, or merely a necessary rhetorical posture
? Explain
.