Analysis Of The Prologue By Anne Bradstreet

more writers on this module, and its role in defining the self and a relation to the world Beginning in the seventeenth century, America began to experience a whirlwind of new religions. The Puritan movement began in the sixteenth, but more predominantly seventeenth century. Religious beliefs are pivotal when identifying people during this time period. According to The Oxford English Dictionary, self-definition is “ones individuality and role in life”, this is particularly evident in some of the key figures I will discuss within my thesis. Self-definition can also be linked to a person’s abilities and attitude to understanding. Puritans believed themselves to be pure in terms of Christianity. They believed God was the apex being and that the bible was the literal …show more content…
Religion in this time period was more important than religion in today’s world. Being a part of a religious group gave a sense of identity and order within society. Anne Bradstreet, a devout Puritan woman in the Seventeenth century, let her religion define her and guide her throughout the teachings of life, this is particularly evident within her writing. Within her poetry, Bradstreet presents herself to the reader as self-flagellating and unworthy. This is particularly evident in “The Prologue”, Bradstreet presents herself politely humble whilst putting her writing to shame as she is at risk of harsh judgement from critiques, however, according to Ann Stanford “the very fact she wrote, that she considered herself a poet, that she continued to write in spite of criticism, indicates that she was willing to act independently in spite of the dogmatic assertions of man of her contemporaries” (Stanford, 374). This intellectually stimulating poem encapsulates feminism, poetry and most importantly, religion. These three factors aid both the reader and Anne Bradstreet herself when defining the self. Whilst drawing on global references,