Bradstreet's Poetry
The word prologue means an introduction to a literary work.
Bradstreet titled one of her poems "Prologue." She used it to mark the beginning of a book of her poetry that she intended to remain unpublished.
She wanted to make clear to the reader that writing poetry is acceptable for women to do; also, she wanted women to be acknowledged for what they do.
Read the poem "Prologue."
Do you still think Bradstreet's diction is in plain style?
It may be difficult for you to understand, but the people of the 17th century thought it was written with simple and clear language although they may not have agreed with the themes.
Remember, Puritan women were not supposed to speak their minds or have strong opinions.
If poetry isn't your "thing," that is okay.
Many people can read a poem over and over and never figure out what the author is trying to say. It's not like you can go ask Anne Bradstreet what she means!
Below are some helpful tips for you to try when you are reading poetry.
Form + Content = Meaning
Following this guide will help you learn how to read and explicate a poem with ease.
Think about the content of the poem.
Summarizing the entire poem in just a few sentences will enable you to break it down in simplistic terms.
Then look at the form of the poem, or how the author chooses to write his or her sentences.
Finally, consider the way these two things work together; then you have the poem's meaning.
You may wish to print or save these tips to include in your ACCESS binder.
Answer the following questions:
Summarize the poem "Prologue" in one sentence.
Answer: The 'Prologue' is trying to inform people that women aren't just homemakers; they are just as intelligent as men.
What is Bradstreet's attitude about herself as a female poet?
Answer: She begins in the first stanza by demeaning her own writing, 'For my mean pen are too superior things,' like her lowly pen can't write. However, towards the end of the poem, she identifies herself as a strong woman who wants and deserves credit as a writer, 'Preëminence in all and each is yours--Yet grant some small acknowledgement of ours.
Cite textual evidence where Bradstreet devalues herself as a female writer.
Answer: 'For my mean pen are too superior things'; 'My obscure lines'; 'My foolish, broken, blemished Muse so sings'; 'I am obnoxious to each carping tongue Who says my hand a needle better fits.'
Which words or phrases have the word flawed as a connotative meaning?
Answer: 'mean pen'; 'obscure'; 'Fool'; 'irreparable'; 'weak or wounded brain'; 'obnoxious'; 'carping tongue'; 'weak knot'; 'The Greeks did nought, but play the fools and lie'
What is the connotation of obscure?
Answer: Obscure can mean not well-known; difficult to understand, dark, remote, or not famous. The connotation of the lines suggest her 'unimportant' or 'not famous' writing.
Why do you think she refers to "Great Bartas' sugar'd lines"?
Answer: Guillaume du Bartas is a poet whom Bradstreet admired.
What are the comparisons in the third and fourth stanza?
Answer: She is saying that the audience doesn’t expect young students to write well, and she is a woman; thus, the audience doesn’t expect her to write well. Then she says that she can’t write as well as the 'sweet tongued Greek.' The women are like the Muses because they can influence great art.
What is the tone of the first four stanzas?
Answer: The first four stanzas are somewhat of a mock apology demeaning her incapacity to write because she is a woman.
How does the tone change in the fifth stanza?
Answer: The tone changes to resentment toward the criticism, 'I am obnoxious to each carping tongue/ Who says my hand a needle better fits.' In other words, how dare you say I can’t write! But if men think the writing is good, they will say that she stole it from another poet."
What is the denotatin of obnoxious?
Answer: Obnoxious means extremely unpleasant, offensive, very annoying; the archaic definition is exposed to harm or injury.
What is the argument in stanza six?
Answer: Bradstreet expects Puritans to criticize her because of her gender.
Bradstreet changes tone again in stanzas 7 and 8. How can you tell?
Answer: The lines, 'It is but vain unjustly to wage war,/ Men can do best, and women know it well, imply that everyone knows the status of men, so why make a big deal of women writing. She continues to state, 'Yet grant some small acknowledgement of ours.' She tells the critics that her talent is unique and all hers. Therefore, she says she has the right to her work and demands credit for it. This is an appeal to authority and an appeal for her credibility.
What point is the poet making in the last stanza?
Answer: If these great poets ever lower themselves to read her poetry, just acknowledge it. she thinks her work is humble. Her words aren't bay leaves (made as a crown for great poets and athletes) but rather "thyme or parsley" becasue they are more simple.
What is a recurrent theme?
Answer: One theme that is seen throguout the poem is that society is flawed by thinking women cannot write.
Identify the allusions in the poem.
Answer: 'Great Bartas' is alluding to Guilliame du Bartas who wrote The Divine Weeks; 'The Muses' are the Greek goddesses of art and inspiration; 'Sweet tongued Greek' is a reference to Demosthenes, a Greek orator who overcame a speech defect by placing pebbles in his mouth and addressing the sea; 'Calliope’s own child' is the muse of epic poetry; 'Bays' are laurel leaves used to crown the head of great poets and athletes.
The next poem is shorter; however, Bradstreet still relied heavily on rhetorical devices even though it is written in the plain style.
Notice that the poem uses rhyming couplets to emphasize the speaker's love for her husband.
Read "To My Dear and Loving Husband."
"To My Dear and Loving Husband"
In your lesson's assignment, you will be analyzing "The Prologue" and "To My Dear and Loving Husband" to look for conflicts. Keep your Form + Content = Meaning sheet open while completing the task.