the poetry of anne bradstreet. “upon the burning of our house ”
Post on 19-Jan-2016
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THE POETRYOF
ANNE BRADSTREET
“Upon the Burning of Our House”
LITERARY ELEMENTMETAPHOR: a figure of speech that compares or equates two seemingly unlike things.
LITERARY ELEMENT
EXTENDED METAPHOR: to develop
a metaphor beyond a single line.
LITERARY ELEMENT
INFERENCE: a general statement based on the information in a text.
LITERARY ELEMENT
SPEAKER: the voice of the poem,similar to the narrator in a work ofprose.
Sometimes the speaker’s voice isthat of the poet; sometimes, it isthat of a fictional person—or evena thing.
LITERARY ELEMENT
AUTHOR’S PURPOSE: his or her intent in writing a literary work.
AUTHOR’S PURPOSE
Authors typically write for one ormore of the following purposes:
AUTHOR’S PURPOSE FOR WRITING
1. To persuade2. To inform3. To explain4. To entertain5. To describe
“And when I could no longer look,/I blest His name that gave andtook, /That laid my goods now inthe dust.” lines 13-15
In the preceeding passage, Bradstreet believes that God isresponsible for all things, good andbad, and that she must trust God’swill.
INTERNAL CONFLICT
Lines 27-36 suggest that thespeaker is presenting a dialogue ordebate with herself.
TRIGGERED BY FIRE
The speaker’s thoughts focus onthe tragic destruction of hermaterial possessions.
CHANGE OF HEART
In line 37, however, Bradstreet“chides” her own heart, asshe recalls that true wealth doesnot abide on earth.
LITERARY ELEMENTMETAPHOR
“Thou hast an house on high erect,Framed by that mighty Architect,…”Lines 43-44
LITERARY ELEMENTMETAPHOR
The “almighty Architect” is God.
EXTENDED METAPHOR
Bradstreet is describing a heavenly home, built by God for her.
ALLUSION
In an allusion to Jesus’ death onthe cross, Bradstreet explains thatthe home has been purchased andpaid for.
SORROWFUL EYES
Possessions were important to thespeaker. Her “sorrowing eyes” look over theashes and mourn for all the “pleasant things.”
Later, Bradstreet decides that herpossessions really belong to God;HE is most important in her life.
CELESTIAL SHORES
Bradstreet states that her “hopeand treasure” are “above,” or inheaven.
HEAVENLY HOME
The speaker suggests that herhome and possessions areimportant and not her own.
SUMMARY
Anne Bradstreet comes to termswith the loss of her home and her possessions to a fire.
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