The Better and More Believable Bradstreet

While discussing the poetry of Anne Bradstreet, thoughts of Mary Rowlandson kept floating into my consciousness, but what would bring about such an impromptu association? Perhaps it was because, on the surface, these are two extremely similar authors, both coming from the same time, place, and faith. Alternatively, it may have been the relevant popularity of their work, as both pieces garnered a wide audience and much acclaim. Maybe it is the fact that to this point, these are the only women authors the course has covered. Still, mulling over the possibilities gave me the feeling that for all the reasons they are the same, it is more likely their differences which caused me to think of Rowlandson in midst of Bradstreet’s poems. Conceivably, what follows is an inevitable comparison of the two, with everything—from their intended audience, to each woman’s purpose, to their overall tone—formulating a strong case for Bradstreet as the genuine, and arguably more believable, author.

The most forthright difference of these two is their intended audience, and the consequences of that readership on their work. It is evident that Rowlandson’s captivity narrative was meant to be published, and was therefore a planned and carefully considered story. It had definite goals like promoting the faith, strengthening current believers, or calling lost ones back. Knowing her purpose was faith endorsement causes skepticism in the reader, since events or facts may have been manipulated to fit said end. Conversely, the introduction to Bradstreet’s poetry prefaces her intentions stating, “Quite unknown to her, her brother-in-law, John Woodbridge...brought with him to London a manuscript collection of her poetry and had it printed there in 1650” (Franklin 187). Unlike Rowlandson, Bradstreet did not mean for her work to be viewed by the general public, and consequently, it was written more for her own sake than for others. For that reason, I feel as though Bradstreet has a more sincere (and arguably more authentic) tone in her work. She was not trying to call others to Puritanism like Rowlandson, but rather, was chronicling her inner thoughts on the faith, seeking to reason through the trials of life. Because it was meant only for her and possibly a few close friends, Bradstreet’s poetry is not “tainted” by ulterior motives, and is easier to read as an honest mediation on the qualities of the Puritan life.

Another major distinction between these women is the previously mentioned “amount of authenticity” in their words. To elaborate, this is to mean that where Rowlandson would have the reader believe she never questioned her belief or doubted God, Bradstreet more credibly struggles with the demands of the faith. Moreover, Bradstreet expertly details the conflict between the desires of the body and the will of the mind (after all, that is a large part of what being human is all about). In her poem, “The Flesh and the Spirit,” Bradstreet uses the image of two dueling sisters to show how the Spirit must constantly work to silence the tempting Flesh:

Spirit: Be still thou unregenerate part,
Disturb no more my settled heart,
For I have vowed (and so will do)
Thee as a foe still to pursue.
And combat with thee will and must,
Until I see thee laid in th’ dust. (37-42)

Her scenario perfectly illustrates the reality of the constant internal conflict many Puritans (and indeed herself ) found themselves subject too. Such a battle is absent from Rowlandson’s story, as her defining quality was relentless devotion which never wavered under any circumstance. Because Bradstreet never claims to be immune from her human condition, she is able to better relate with readers who would also recognize themselves as more human than saint. Ultimately, the personal nature of her work makes it the more plausible piece, and likewise, her awareness of humanness offers a certain air of authenticity Rowlandson’s self-professed flawless faith lacks.

Bradstreet, Anne. "The Flesh and the Spirit." The Norton Anthology of American Literature Vol. A. 7th ed. Ed. Nina Baym. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2007. 202-204.

Franklin, Wayne, Philip F. Gura, and Arnold Krupat. “Anne Bradstreet (ca. 1612-1672).” The Norton Anthology of American Literature Vol. A. 7th ed. Ed. Nina Baym. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2007. 187-188.