After Reading
Comprehension
1. RECALL In “To My Dear and Loving Husband,”
what does the speaker value more than gold?
Bradstreet values her husband’s love more
than gold.
2. RECALL When the speaker in “Upon the Burning
of Our House” wakes up to find her house on fire,
what is her initial reaction?
The speaker initially prays to God for strength
and help.
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After Reading
Comprehension
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3. CLARIFY The speaker in Taylor’s “Huswifery”
compares himself to a loom. Who or what is
compared to the weaver?
God is compared with the weaver.
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After Reading
Literary Analysis
4. CLARIFY MEANING Review the examples of archaic
language and inverted syntax you recorded as
you read the poems. How would you restate lines
19–20 of “Upon the Burning of Our House”: “He
might of all justly bereft, / But yet sufficient for us
left”?
God is entitled to take everything away but
will meet our needs.
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After Reading
Literary Analysis
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5. DRAW CONCLUSIONS Use details from the two
poems by Anne Bradstreet to explain what she
reveals about her
• marriage • religious beliefs • daily life
“To My Dear and Loving Husband”: Lines 1–4
suggest a strong, loving marriage.
“Upon the Burning of Our House”: Lines 19–
20 and 49–54 reveal a strong faith in God;
lines 25–34 suggest a happy and sociable
daily life.
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After Reading
Literary Analysis
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6. MAKE INFERENCES What did Bradstreet value
more than her house? How did this help her
accept the loss of her house by fire?
More than her house, Bradstreet valued her
faith in God, whom she trusted to meet her needs
and grant her an eternal home in heaven. This
faith helped her accept her loss and recognize
that material possessions are relatively
unimportant.
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After Reading
Literary Analysis
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7. ANALYZE FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE How do the “holy
robes for glory” mentioned in line 18 of
“Huswifery” complete the poem’s extended
metaphor?
The image of the “holy robes” completes the
poem’s extended metaphor by showing the
garment that is the finished product of the
clothing-making process the speaker has
described. These robes allow the speaker to
glorify God and “display” the spiritual character
of a person whose ultimate destiny is heaven.
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After Reading
Literary Analysis
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8. EVALUATE DESCRIPTION Why do you think Taylor
used a typical Puritan housekeeping activity to
express his religious faith?
Taylor’s housekeeping imagery is something
that Puritans understood well. It also reflects
Puritan beliefs by suggesting that God is present
in everyday activities.
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After Reading
Literary Analysis
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9. COMPARE LITERARY WORKS What do the poems
by Bradstreet and Taylor have in common? What
distinguishes one poet’s work from the other’s?
In a chart like the one shown, compare and
contrast the poets’ work, noting the religious
views expressed, the formality of each poet’s
style, and the personality revealed. Use specific
details from the poems to complete the chart.
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After Reading
Literary Analysis
continued
Religious Views: Both poets have a deep
religious faith; both look to God for help.
Style: Bradstreet uses more accessible
language; Taylor’s style is more formal; both use
figurative language, but Taylor’s is more complex
and extended; both poets also use archaic
language and inverted syntax.
Personality: Bradstreet provides personal
details and insights into her emotions, making her
seem human and real; Taylor is personal but
offers little insight into his life, making him seem
more remote.
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After Reading
Literary Criticism
10. EXAMINE SOCIAL CONTEXT The Puritans strongly
disapproved of women writers. A Puritan minister
even wrote a letter to his sister in England saying,
“Your printing of a book, beyond the custom of
your sex, doth rankly smell.” In spite of this
disapproval, do you think the Puritan community
would have considered any aspects of Anne
Bradstreet’s poetry praiseworthy? Explain your
answer.
Yes, Puritans probably would have approved
of Bradstreet’s glorification of God and her
reconciliation to the loss of material possessions.
No, they might have thought it inappropriate
for her poetry to focus on her personal life.