Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Semester of Degree Completion

2000

Thesis Director

Parley Ann Boswell

Abstract

Anne Bradstreet was confronted with two very different influences when she began writing her poetry. One was the Renaissance literary style that she encountered in her native England; the other was a strict Puritan upbringing that would be the controlling factor of her life in the colonies. Both of these influences put a strong emphasis on order and a hierarchical structure. Bradstreet was unable to accept either of these influences completely, but she did manage to combine them in order to create some of the most interesting and memorable poetry of her time. The conflict that she faces is evident in her more formal writing through her use of voices and argumentation. Her later, more domestic poetry reveals an attempt to express her own voice and doubts about the Puritan faith, particularly its doctrine concerning the dangers of becoming attached to earthly things.

One of the distinguishing characteristics of Puritanism is its strong emphasis on rules and order, particularly God's order. However, it seems that Anne Bradstreet's place in God's order was difficult for her to determine, as evidenced through her continuing struggle for a strong conviction of her faith. Although she was privileged in her New England community, Puritan doctrine and culture placed her -as a female- near the bottom of the hierarchy of the community of Saints. Bradstreet struggled with the conflict between her own emotions and the Puritan doctrine for most of her life, and this conflict can be seen clearly in her writing.

There is a form of argumentation both within and among her poems. In her more domestic poems, Bradstreet reveals her strong relationship to God and her continuous struggle with her faith. But in some of her other poetry, there is no mention of God or religion at all. In much of her poetry, Bradstreet allows two or more opposing forces to battle for a more privileged status. This argumentative style extends to her domestic poems as well, although it is not seen quite as clearly. Whereas in the more formal poems, the struggle can be seen in each individual poem, the struggle in the domestic poetry can be seen when taking several poems in context. Bradstreet almost always either puts heavy emphasis on the role of God and religion, or else she ignores it completely in her domestic poems. This inclusion or exclusion of religion can also be seen as her struggle for order as she tried to determine the limits of her own voice in her new community.

Throughout her life, Bradstreet was torn away from the places and people she loved the most. Despite wanting to blame God for these separations, she reluctantly convinced herself that it was His will. Bradstreet used her writing as a way of working through these struggles and separations, thereby keeping a written record of her own story, which was much more emotional and personal than the writings of her male counterparts. The conflicts that Bradstreet faced helped her to find her own poetic voice, silencing those who criticized her for imitating her Renaissance predecessors. Bradstreet used her writing as a way of dealing with the constraints that were placed upon her as a woman, and as a way of demonstrating her ability to use characteristics of two strongly contrasting literary influences and to transform them into something that was completely her own.

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