Pavel Pushkov
Professor Fanning
English 71/>
14 February 2006
American Poetry of the SeventeenthCentury as a Reflection of Puritan’s
Character:
An Analysis of “Upon Wedlock, and the Deathof Children” by Edward Taylor and “Upon the Burning of Our House” by AnneBradstreet
How much do weknow about the first settlers? We know that they started to arrive in NewEngland in the first part of the seventeenth century. We also know that many ofthem were Puritans. From high school history textbooks we know that Puritanswere a very religious group that managed to overcome the dangers of a strangeland. But who really were those people? How did they live? What did they thinkand dream about? What were the most important things in their lives? I thinkthat works of seventeenth century Puritans’ authors will help us to answerthese questions. Let us take some poems of Ann Bradstreet and Edward Taylor asexamples.
EdwardTaylor, who for many years was a priest in a small frontier town, left behindmany writings. I think that the poem Upon Wedlock and Death of Childrenshows the poet’s character the best. The poem devoted to two the most importantthings in Taylor’s life: his family and religion.
From thefirst lines of the poem we can see a deep love of the author for his wife. Hecompares their marriage to a “True- Love Knot, more sweet than spice, and setwith all the flowers of Grace’s dress” (356). The use of the phrase “more sweetthan spice” is very touching, in my opinion, because it shows the Taylors as anormal, loving couple that time after time had some “spicy” moments in theirlive (356). Nevertheless, they love each other and the poet describes theirmarriage as a “Wedden’s knot, that ne’re can be untied: no Alexander’s Swordcan it divide (356).” Comparing the marriage with a “Gordian Knot,” Taylorshows the strength of the union between his wife and himself (356).
Further on inthe poem, Taylor writes about his children. We can see a happiness of thefather when the author compares himself with a plant whose “stock […] knottedand manly flower out brake” (357). This is how he describes the birth of hisson. And later, “ my [Taylor’s] branch again did knot, brought out anotherflower” this time the writer speaks about his daughter (357). Taylor seeshimself as a plant, and his children are the most beautiful part of that plant:flowers. Moreover, they are one organism with their father, and the flowerscannot be separated from the stem without pain.
Nevertheless,some of his children die. This is how Taylor describes the death of his child: “at that unlooked for […] darksome hour […] a glorious hand […] did crop thisflower” (357). The verb “crop” is used to show how roughly a “flower” was separatedfrom the “stem”; it shows the pain of the father (357). The following linesdemonstrate the agony of a parent watching his child dieing, “… oh, thetortures, Vomit, screeching, groans, and six weeks Fever would pierce heartslike stones” (357). We can see how much the poet loves his children.
However, thereis something that Taylor values even more than his wife and kids: it is hisreligion. Taylor seems to believe that the Lord determines humans’ destiny, andthat God created his family. Taylor writes, “God made in paradise” that “True-Love knot, more sweet than spice (Taylor’s marriage),” and “planted” Taylorhimself “in that knot” (357). All people are no more than flowers in the gardenof God in Taylor’s mind. And it is up to Lord to decide whether he “get’st themgreen, or let them seed” (357).
There is nodoubt that Taylor adores his kids, but let us take a look at these lines. While“cropping” the “flowers (children)” Christ “…having Choice, chose this mybranch […] Lord take’t. I thank Thee” (357). Does it not sound like Taylor isproud and happy that God took his children, and not somebody else’s? The poetsincerely believes that his children are in a much better place than earth now.Furthermore, Taylor sees humans as the property of God. “Take [children], Lord,they’re Thine,” the poet addresses to God (357). Nothing, even the death ofloved ones, can shake the poet’s faith.
Not everyone,however, was as orthodox as Taylor. Anne Bradstreet, a famous Puritan poetess,did not write as much about religion as Taylor. Many other things inspired herwriting. Some critics even consider the poetess to be a ”disguised rebel”against Puritanism. This point of view is very reasonable. For example, afterthe death of her grandson, in her poem On My Dear Grandchild SimonBradstreet, Bradstreet wrote, “such was His [god’s] will, but why, let’snot dispute” (268). Does not it sound like she did ask God “why”? To questionthe God! Can you imagine Taylor doing something like this? Let us examine one ofBradstreet’s poems to find out if she really was a rebel or not.
WhenBradstreet wrote her poem Upon the Burning of Our House, she wasfifty-four, an old age at that time. She might have been a rebel when she wasyounger, but she definitely is not one at that time. Her belief in god issincere. As soon as she realizes that her house is on fire, she asks the Lord“to strengthen me [Bradstreet] in my distress” (269). Later, when her house hasburnt to the ground, Anne is not angry with God at all. On the contrary, shepraises him. “I praised His name that gave and took […] it was his own, it wasnot mine,” the poetess says (270). Taylor uses almost the same words describingthe death of his children. Everything belongs to God. The humans’ existence on Earthis nothing but a preparation to eternal life. According to Puritans’ beliefthere is no sense n being upset about the burned home because for everyonethere is “a house on high erect, framed by that mighty Architect” (270).
The part ofthe poem describing Bradstreet’s burned place is very emotional. I think only awoman could write it. “And here and there the places spy where oft I set andlong did lie,” the poetess writes (270). “My pleasant things in ashes lie, andthem behold no more shall I,” she also mentioned (270). It seems that thepoetess worries more about her memories that were connected with the lostpossessions, than about a real price of her belongings.
It isinteresting how Bradstreet addresses to her house directly ”under thy roof noguest shall sit, nor at thy table eat a bit. Nor pleasant tale shall e’er betold […] No candle e’er shall shine in thee. No bridegroom’s voice e’er heardshall be” (270). The poetess mourns the house like a living being who can nolonger be a host. “In silence ever shall thou [house] lie” (270). These linestell us quite a bit about an every day life of the pioneers. Families wouldspend their leisure time telling tales (270). A visit of a guest could be a bigevent in an isolated community (270). That is why the lost of the house forBradstreet was like the lost of an old and welcoming friend.
The last twolines of the poem are difficult to interpret. “ The world no longer let melove, my hope and treasure lie above” she says (270). Probably, Bradstreetmeans that she does not have much left to live for, and nothing good is waitingfor her in our world anymore. That is why her only “hope and treasure lieabove” in the kingdom of God (270).
AnneBradstreet’s poetry broke the rules of the Puritans’ world. She appreciatesmany earthly matters, not only religion. However, I do not think she is arebel. She understands the limitations of Puritans’ society, but I did not findany evidence in her poetry that she wanted to change anything. This is not arebellion. I think that Bradstreet is a devoted Christian, and believes thateverything is in hands of God.
These twopoems picture the real life of the first settlers. Unexpectedly, we found outthat pioneers were not so differ from us. They, worked, loved, and sufferedwhen their loved ones died. Religion, however, was much more important for themthan for modern people. I think that faith helped pioneers to survive in thosehard conditions.
Works cited
Bradstreet, Anne.“Here Follows Some Verses upon the Burning of Our House July 10th,1666.” The Norton Anthology of American Literature. Ed. Nina Bayem, 6thed. New York: W.W. Norton, 2003. 269-270.
Taylor, Edward.“Upon Wedlock, and the Death of Children.” The Norton Anthology of AmericanLiterature. Ed. Nina Byem,