Anne Bradstreet on Infant

Bradstreet On Infant Death: Was God Justified?

The death of a child, parent, relative, or any loved one—especially an unexpected passing—is usually followed by a period of mourning over the deceased. Religion and faith, when received into one’s life during this time of grieving, can be a source of guidance and reassurance. As in modernity, those living in Colonial America experienced similar occurrences and emotions, yet on a much more regular basis. Though death was generally looked upon as being part of God’s will, there were those who harbored some form of confusion or resentment towards a God which frequently interrupted lives. More often than not, these feelings were resolved. Through analysis of works by Anne Dudley Bradstreet, this essay will show that, even though death sometimes caused a Puritan Christian such as Bradstreet to struggle with the fairness of early or unexpected death, which could be viewed as undermining basic Puritan doctrine, loss was ultimately viewed through the lens of Christianity and not seen as total or final, but as part of God’s will.

Anne Bradstreet, having come to America in the early 17th century, experienced loss throughout her life. From witnessing fire destroy her home to grieving

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Anne Bradstreet is no different, yet slightly singular in that her poetry allows for multiple interpretations. For example, adding a word such as “bitter” before “crosses,” when the overall premise of “On Simon” would have been unchanged had “bitter” been omitted, leads to multiple interpretations by a modern, as most likely a Puritan, reader of Anne Bradstreet. Further, being among the earliest published authors in Colonial America, she translated these emotional struggles into prose and verse. However, much like “In Memory,” Bradstreet uses subtle literary devices which could be construed as tongue-in-cheek commentary on the fairness of God’s plan. Therefore, she is, in fact, questioning and “bewailing” the death of Elizabeth.

The aptly titled “On My Dear Grandchild Simon Bradstreet, Who Died on 16 November, 1669, being but a Month, and One Day Old” was written after Anne Bradstreet suffered the loss of another grandchild. Bradstreet, though loving of her God and religion, subversively engages in a struggle to come to terms with death and needing to trust God’s plan. "In Memory of My Dead Grandchild Elizabeth Bradstreet, Who Deceased August, 1665, Being a Year and Half Old" and “On My Dear Grandchild Simon Bradstreet, Who Died on 16 November, 1669, being but a Month, and One Day Old. ” Alluding to the deceased grandchild as “dear babe,” “sweet babe,” “fair flower,” and “Blest babe” in the first five lines, the poem’s tone first appears to be cautiously joyful. While there is hope that comfort will ultimately stem from God’s divine plan, Bradstreet does not appear as if she was comforted with such knowledge. One could safely suggest that through these lines, Bradstreet was simply coping with loss by handing the situation up to God. It is the use of “but” that is troublesome, and suggests Bradstreet was not able to accept God’s plan.

Approximate Word count = 1569
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)

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