Anne Bradstreet

Anne Bradstreet, though one of the first women to be considered, “an accomplished New World Poet”, lived a hard life which is shown through many of her poems. Growing up, she never was granted a real education, however, her father still found it important that she learned to read and write. I find this amazing because during this time period, women rarely did receive a proper education and were expected to stay at home with their domestic duties. She married and moved with her family to Salem, Massachusetts. Anne Bradstreet gave up her posh life in England in exchange for the harsh life of the first settlers in America. Anne Bradstreet experienced much pain in her life. She witnessed “sickness, scarcity of food, and primitive living” as well as “attacks by Native Americans”. Through knowing this, it makes sense why her poems focused mainly on religion and the “promises of heaven”, for that was the only hope she truly had. In her poem, Upon A Fit of Sickness she writes, “yet live I shall, this life’s but small, in place of highest bliss” and continues with, “O whilst I live this grace me give...then death's arrest I shall count best”. Here the reader can sense how hard her life has turned, however her hope for heaven is strong. Towards the end of the poem she writes, “O great’s the gain, though got with pain..”. Anne Bradstreet is an admirable woman. Through a life with struggle, she poured her pain into her work and created poems of beauty that are recognized still today