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  • Essay / Analysis of Anne Bradstreet's literary work

    In “Here are some verses about the burning of our house, July 10, 1666,” Anne Bradstreet addresses the subject of a tragic fire in her house. In the poem, her house is depicted as a reminder of all her memories created inside and now the fire seems to burn everything to ashes. She expresses her ambivalence between her devastation and her puritanical beliefs by displaying both initial grief and eventual acceptance. Various aspects of this poem are used to show Bradstreet's momentary simmering faith in his providential beliefs. The poem's changing mood, rare instances of enjambment, shifts in tone of diction, and use of rhetorical devices express the theme of acceptance. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essayThe content of this poem focuses on the despair and damage caused by the fire in Bradstreet's house. The author is awakened by loud noises and voices that warn her of the calamity occurring around her. The first half of the poem explores the damage caused by the fire and all the tangible items lost by the author. However, due to Bradstreet's Puritan beliefs, the poem shifts towards a more providential theme as opposed to the theme of loss presented at the beginning. She believes that the fire, the loss of her home and all the memories created there, was the result of God's divine intervention and had a purpose. The transition from grieving his loss to accepting it because of his providential beliefs is clearly shown in the poem. This is particularly visible in lines 14-17 where Bradstreet writes: I have blessed his name who gave and took, who has now laid my goods in the dust. Yes, it was, and it was just, it was his, it wasn't mine. This excerpt from the poem shows Bradstreet's acceptance of fire because of his providential belief that everything is predestined. The poem is written in iambic tetrameter and consists only of rhyming couplets. The majority of the poem is written with enjambment, which makes the sequence of fire and destruction more chaotic and desperate. The enjambment between lines 3 and 4: “I awoke with a noise like thunder/And pitiful cries of a terrible voice” creates a faster rhythm in the poem, imitating the rapid rhythm of fire. Throughout the poem, Bradstreet seems to be more reconciled to the fire once she remembers that it is because of God's work and that it happened for a reason. Of course, Bradstreet can't be expected to fully accept the fact that his home and all of his most cherished possessions have been reduced to ashes. This uncertainty of faith is manifested through its difference in language from the beginning to the end of the poem. The mood of the poem seems to shift quickly from despair to acceptance as she trusts her faith in her Puritan beliefs. This change in mood is manifested through Bradstreet's choice of emotional diction. The beginning of the poem is filled with deeply negative dictions such as “sorrow” (line 2), “pitiful” (line 4), and “helpless” (line 10). The tone of the poem changes considerably when his providential belief is mentioned. The author uses more positive diction such as “mighty architect” (line 44) “richly furnished glory” (line 45) “hope and treasure” (line 54). The language used and the mood of the poem are very closely linked here. The meaning of the poem is largely affected by Bradstreet's use of metaphors and similes. One extended metaphor in particular, in lines 49-51, reinforces the Puritan view of. ».