Sunday, February 15, 2009

Anne Bradstreet & Edward Taylor

Anne Bradstreet, known as one of the best American poets, settled in the Massachusetts Bay colony with her husband Simon. During her time, Puritans did not appreciate the talent of women and often ignored or disclaimed that their works were theirs. The brief account on Anne Bradstreet's life gives note of her poetry book called, "The Tenth Muse Lately sprung Up in America," where Anne wrote a preface to deface those who would accuse her of not being the author. She speaks of her greatness as a women, mother, and writer. Her poetry is of many themes but all of which tie into her life of Puritanism. Her greatness also arises in her individuality of being her own poet. She used her life experiences as the key to help write her poems and to transfer her knowledge of Puritanism.
Edward Taylor, an unpublished writer until 1937, was a man that took on many roles in life. He was a farmer, rural physician, and minister. His poems were of a very lyrical form. He wrote love poems and allegories on insects and objects. He wrote a well known poem, " Upon Wedlock, & Death of Children," based from his life experience of having five children who died at infancy. This poem resembled elegies from Anne Bradstreet 1678 second edition of poems. He is also known for the paraphrases of the Psalms. His poems also were of a debate over salvation. Taylor believed that one must conduct self-examination to rid out the sins of ones soul. Taylor became most known from his poems of Preparatory Meditations-what ones must do to partake of the lord's supper.
These two poets contributed greatly to the new world with their poems and writings on Puritanism.

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