Bradstreet Analyzed
Anne Bradstreet (1612-1672), although born in England, isconsidered to be the first American poet. She is also revered as thefirst woman to be published. Married to Simon Bradstreet at agesixteen, she ventured with her family to the Massachusetts colony. Simon, the governor of Massachusetts colony, served a major role inher life and her literary career. He was the subject in many of thepoems included in the two volumes Bradstreet had published. APuritan all her life, Bradstreet led a simple life guided by principles ofgrace, plainness, and divine missions. In "To My Dear and LivingHusband", she shows her devotion to her husband in a smooth andsimple manner. We can see from the poem the strong feelings shehas for her husband. However, she contradicts some of her Puritanbeliefs at certain points in the poem. To Anne Bradstreet, her husband is exactly what he should be;the love of her life. Over and over again she expresses her devotionto him with a repetition of images. One such image is presented in "I prize my love more than whole mines of gold
The "w"sound is repeated in the phrases "two were one" and "ever wife was". As I mentioned earlier, lines 5-7 present images which show her love for Simon. My love is such that rivers cannot quench,. It is a difficult todecide whether this poem is a reflection of Puritan life. "To My Dear and Living Husband" is a beautiful and well-writtenpoem. However, she redeems herself in the last three lines. Some may view these threelines as a hyperbole, but love can completely change a person. Notwo people can be united as one. Love is a tricky subject to many, and to some:a fictional thing. " She states here that she would accept nothing in return for thelove that she shares with her husband and that no power, great orsmall, could destroy it. The rhyming pattern throughout the entire poem is exactrhyme. But I willaddress that subject later. In conclusion, we can plainly see the great love Anne Bradstreethad for her husband Simon.
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