Good evening :)
Today we moved on from Mary Rowlandson's captivity narrative to Anne Bradstreet's poetry. The present day is the perfect time to study Mrs. Bradstreet's poetry for so many ways, so on Wednesday I would like to discuss her poems, the concept of the poetess, and some of her contemporaries. Today I alluded to the revitalization of rhyme.
We will not start discussing Edward Taylor's poetry and "The Day of Doom" until Friday.
Here are links to the videos we watched in class. The first is an overview of King Philip's War.
The second is an anime video of Mrs. Bradstreet's poem on the burning of her house:
Here are a few questions for your journals. How are they coming along, by the way?
-- Choose one of the questions I've asked about Mary Rowlandson's narrative. Now that we've finished discussing this narrative, how would you answer this question?
-- Discuss Mrs. Rowlandson's personality.
-- Choose one of the Native Americans she encounters. How does she portray him/her?
-- What may explain the Praying Indians' ambivalence towards the settlers?
-- What is it like for you to return to poetry with Anne Bradstreet?
-- What do you think of her poetry? Why?
-- Which poems of hers do you prefer? Why?
-- How do you respond to her poetic style? Why?
-- Which type of poetry in general do you prefer? Why?
-- How does Mrs. Bradstreet represent her poetry? Why does she compare it to a "brat" at one point in "The Author to Her Book"? Where is she proud of her poetry?
-- How does Mrs. Bradstreet represent Elizabeth I in "In Honor of..."? Why do you think that she chose to write about that queen? Consider what you know about Elizabeth I or do a little research on her. Compare/contrast what you now know with what Mrs. Bradstreet focuses on.
-- What do you make of Mrs. Bradstreet's comparison of her husband to the sun in "A Letter to My Husband..."? Why does she make this comparison?
-- What do you make of her references to the zodiac in this poem?
-- Take a look at the letter to her children, which she had written to them in the event of her death. What does this letter add to your understanding of her and her relationship to her family? of her as a human being? as a poet?
-- Here are some examples of later poems by poetesses, How do they compare to Mrs. Bradstreet's?
-- Here are some examples of Metaphysical poems. How do they compare to Mrs. Bradstreet's?
-- Choose one of Mrs. Bradstreet's poems. Which theme applies best to it?
See you on Wednesday!
Dr. Szlyk
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