The Struggles And Fears Of A Puritan Mother Essays -

The Struggles and Fears of a Puritan Mother Being a Puritan woman, Anne Bradstreet had trouble writing poetry in a patriarchal, unimaginative world. Although Bradstreet grew up in affluence with the luxury of an excellent education, she was expected to behave as a normal Puritan woman. She was the wife and child of colonial governor, but her status could not save her from the maltreatment and contempt of a women stepping over the line. The Puritan belief that a women's place is in the home, perturbed Bradstreet. She did not agree with the cultural bias toward women in her time. Bradstreet was criticized harshly for her role as a female writer; nonetheless, she wrote more and more about being a woman. Bradstreet used her feminine side in her poetry to fight her inner struggles. She showed the world that being a woman was to her advantage in the realm of her poetry. Bradstreet uses a variety of metaphors throughout her poetry, but the metaphor that shows her struggles with being a woman is her metaphor of a mother to a child. Th is metaphor is seen in two of her poems, "The Author to Her Book," and, "In Reference to Her Children, 23 June 1659." In these two poems, Bradstreet uses the metaphor of a mother to her child to accentuate her role as a female and a mother. In the poem, "The Author to Her Book", Bradstreet uses the metaphor of a mother to a child to cope with her struggles of shame and pride toward her book. She addresses the book as if it was a child and compares it to one that is misbehaving and embarrassing. Bradstreet is embarrassed by her, "ill-form'd offspring of my feeble brain (l. 1)." Even though she is embarrassed by her work, she lets the reader know that it is by her own fault that it is deformed. "Who after birth did'st by my side remain, / Till snatcht by friends, less wise than true / Who thee abroad expos'd to public view, (ll. 2-4)." She nursed the child from birth, but it was unexpectedly taken from her and that is why the child is "ill form'd". Her brother with out her consent published Bradstreet's works therefore; the poetry was not ready to be published. She likens this embarrassment to that a mother would have dealing with an unruly child. Made thee in rags halting to th' press to trudge, Where errors were not lessened (all may judge). At thy return my blushing was not small, My rambling brat (in print) should mother call; I cast thee by as one unfit for light, Thy visage was so irksome in my sight; (ll. 6-10). In this passage, she uses the word mother. Along with the words offspring and birth, she builds up her metaphor of her poetry as a child. As would a mother birth a child into the world, Bradstreet has birthed her poetry. Bradstreet goes on to expand her metaphor to show her feelings of pride toward her work. She shows her feelings toward her work in the metaphor of parental love. "Yet being mine own, at length affection would/ They blemishes amend, if so I could: (ll.11-12)." As a mother of eight, Bradstreet knows how to raise her children to the best of her ability and tries to do the same with her poetry. As a mother would try to further the movement, physically and spiritually, of her child, Bradstreet tries to do the same with her poems. I wash'd thy face, but more defects I saw, And rubbing off a spot, still made a flaw. I stretcht thy joints to make thee even feet, Yet still thou run'st more hobbling that is meet; (ll.13-16) Bradstreet tries very hard to make her child perfect. While a parent is always striving for perfection in their child, likewise, Bradstreet is searching for the same perfection in her writing. Even though she cannot reach this unattainable perfection, she still feels pride and "affection". Bradstreet knows that even though the child has faults and is not perfect, that she must let go. "In this array, ?mongst vulgars may'st roam (l.19)." The child is on his or her own now and left to the prey of the critics. This poem, "The Author to