Name: ________________________
Anne Bradstreet - Selected Poems
Background Information:
•1630 came from England to Boston
•Grew up in a Puritan household
•Married Simon Bradstreet at age 16
•Father (Thomas Dudley) and husband both became governor of Massachusetts
•Published 1st book of poetry by an American; 1st volume of poetry by a woman; considered 1st American poet.
•1st volume of poetry contains long poems on subjects such as medicine, history, & qualities of fire.
•2nd volume of poetry contains shorter poems in a simpler style about children, family, & home.
•Later poems are more intimate and express her deep attachment to family and a sense of loss.
•Poems express the Puritan belief that one must not get too attached to the things of the world.
•Typical Puritan wife; quick to acknowledge the superiority of men.
Notes on “To My Dear and Loving Husband”
•2nd volume of poetry; it is short, written simply, and addresses family (specifically her husband).
•Uses anaphora, or the repetition of sentence structure (“If ever”).
•Lines 5-6 create an image of wealth (mines of gold & riches of the East).
•Bradstreet contrasts this material wealth with spiritual wealth (the love of her husband and God).
•Last 2 lines = Puritan belief that successful marriages (faithfulness) are rewarded in the afterlife.
Answer the following questions after reading the poem:
1. Though a devout Puritan, Bradstreet’s poem is a passionate plea for true and eternal romantic love. How
might the ideas she expresses in this poem be considered contrary to popular opinions of the time period?
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2. Label the rhyme scheme of this poem: _______________________________________________
3. Identify one metaphor Bradstreet incorporates into this poem and explain what is being compared:
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Notes on “Upon the Burning of Our House July 10th, 1666”
•1st volume of poetry; it is longer and concerns the qualities of fire.
•Lines 8-10 “And to my God…leave me succorless” show Bradstreet relying on God to give her strength in
tough times and to be fair in his actions
•Lines 14-16 “I blest his name…so ‘twas just” show the Puritan belief in God’s purpose (it must have
happened for a reason)
•Bradstreet began valuing earthly possession more than her faith; therefore, God took them away.
•Puritans believe all things in this world are God’s and he has the right to take them away when he sees fit.
•Lines 43-48 illustrate that Puritans have a permanent house in heaven “house on high erect/Framed by
that mighty Architect”.
•The end of the poem reinforces the Puritan belief in simplicity and plainness “There is wealth enough, I
need no more…my hope and treasure lies above”.
•“Upon the Burning of Our House” is filled with inversions. In an inversion, sentences are not written in normal
word order. For example, Bradstreet writes “I wakened was with thund’ring noise” instead of “I was
wakened with thund’ring noise.” Inversion is often used to make a poem’s rhyme scheme work out or to
maintain a fixed meter.
Name: ________________________
Anne Bradstreet - Selected Poems
•Plain style is a way of writing that stresses simplicity and clarity of expression. There are four characteristics
of plain style: everyday language, simple sentences, direct statements, and Biblical references.
Ornate Style
Shabby but beloved, my
shoes house my feet as
they carry me from place
to place.
Plain Style
My shoes are old, brown,
kind of worn-out, but
comfortable for walking
around in.
The pen spills ink-blood The pen is a blue
as it brings words to life. ballpoint with a leaky tip.
Answer the following questions after reading the poem:
1. What is the speaker’s initial reaction when she wakes up to find her house on fire? ________________
2. In the second stanza, Bradstreet shows the Puritan belief that God is the true owner of everything she
possessed. Write the lines that show this belief. _________________________________________
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3. List three of the items in the house (mentioned in the poem) that burned. ______________________
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4. What is the metaphor in lines 43-48? ______________________________________________
5. Bradstreet chides (scolds) herself. She is having trouble accepting the loss of her house. She asks herself
where true wealth abides (lives). If true wealth is not on earth, according to Puritans, where is it? (Tip: Read
the last line of the poem.) ________________________________________________________
6. What did Bradstreet value more than her house? How did this help her accept the loss of her house by
fire? ______________________________________________________________________
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7. Complete the chart below using plain style.
Example of Inversion from the Poem
“In silent night when rest I took” (line 1)
“I, starting up, the light did spy,” (line 7)
“When by the ruins oft I past” (line 21)
“My pleasant things in ashes lie,” (line 27)
“And them behold no more shall I.” (line 28)
Restatement of the Inversion