Puritanism In My Dear Loving Husband, By Anne Dudley...

Anne Dudley Bradstreet is one of the most widely recognized North American poets. She was the first in the British colonies to have poetry published and the first puritan figure in America. Although Anne Dudley Bradstreet did not attend school, she received an excellent education from her father. She became cultured in several languages, and was said to spend many hours reading by herself. At 16 she married her childhood sweetheart Simon Bradstreet. Anne and Simon both migrated to America where they had eight children. The demanding responsibilities of raising all her children and her relationship with her husband resulted in writing that reflected the religious and emotional conflicts she experienced as a puritan women. Anne Bradstreet†¦show more content†¦In the puritan era, a husband was treated like a king and not to be taken lightly. She also spoke highly of her husband â€Å"prize thy love more than whole mines of gold, or all the riches that the East†. Purita nism is defined in the line †The heavens reward thee manifold, I pray...Then while we live, in love let’s so persevere, that when we live no more, we may live ever.† Bradstreet (page.121) She believes that while her and her husband are living on earth they should love each other as much as possible so that when they see the lord in heaven there love will be eternal. In puritan society marriage was a main component and couples needed to meet the expectation that marriage should be for life. This poem is simple yet represents a robust meaning between a puritan husband and wife. This narration shows Anne’s feeling toward her relationship as being full of love and still following puritan values and beliefs. In the poem (Before the birth of her children) Anne uses a very straightforward style in which she seems to think that perhaps she will die during labor. Women often faced the dangers of pregnancy and childbirth in the puritanism culture. A married woman in the colonial era could expect to be pregnant every two years until her death or menopause. â€Å"Women died so often during childbirth during the colonial that it was either anticipated or expected.†(http://anthropology.si.edu/writteninbone/difficult_births.html). The poem starts offShow MoreRelatedDiffering Views Of Puritanism : Bradstreet Vs. Taylor2044 Words   |  9 PagesFedor 1 Differing Views of Puritanism: Bradstreet vs. Taylor When the Puritans came to America in the 1600s, they brought many aspects of their lives with them, including their beliefs in modesty, hard work, and religious devotion. Their strong values in religion were a constant part of their everyday life and were a big feature of their society. Even though they were urged to suppress their feelings and fully devote themselves to God, some Puritans had struggles with this, and used poetry to