by Joseph King

Created on: May 26, 2008

The poetry of the Puritans

Although it is clear that there are numerous methods that could be implied while examining the Puritan lifestyle, many times the poetry of these early Americans is sadly placed on the backburner. Poetry, being a pure form of self expression, is perhaps the clearest way to get a view of the Puritan lifestyle on a micro-level; directly linking our present day selves to their personal thoughts and emotions. Of all of the Puritan Poets the two most renowned were Anne Bradstreet and Edward Taylor. While it is clear from the readings of both Anne Bradstreet and Edward Taylor that they were both deeply religious and devout to the Puritan lifestyle there are some very distinct differences in their poetry. Among these difference are the difference in audience in which they wish to address and the difference on their view of death. Although there are differences in their poetry, a strong similarity for the acceptance of God's ultimate will is seen in both of the poets.

One of the most striking differences in their poetry is the audience for whom they write. Anne Bradstreet wrote for a wide array of people close to her in her personal life. Among those close to her, she wrote for her husband (To My Dear and Loving Husband) her children (In Reference to Her Children 23 June 1659), her grandchildren (In Memory of My Dear Grandchild, Elizabeth Bradstreet) and her deceased father (His Epitaph). It is noticed that even the title tells the reader who the poem is for and who it is about. With Edward Taylor's poetry the reader sees a much different type of title. Many of Edward Taylor's poems are titled after elements in the Bible such as Psalm 2 and Christ's Reply. Just by his titles alone the reader begins to form an idea that his poetry is more spiritual and not as personally specific as Anne Bradstreet's. In Taylor's poem The Soul's Groan to Christ for Succor, he begins his poem by addressing his audience, which is God, by writing "Good Lord, behold this Dreadful Enemy." While the reader can tell from both of these poets' writings that they wished to preserve the teachings of Christ, it is clear that Anne Bradstreet did this by reaching out to her loved ones and Edward Taylor did this by forming a closer spiritual bond with God.
Another difference in the poetry of both of these Puritan writers is in the way that they wrote about death. Anne Bradstreet wrote about death as a painful separation, she often wrote about it while in mourning. Many of her

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>