1. Comprehension Bradstreet values her husband’s love more than gold.
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 continued
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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3. 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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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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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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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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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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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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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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10. 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.