Transcript THE POETRY OF ANNE BRADSTREET

THE POETRY
OF
ANNE BRADSTREET
“Upon the Burning of Our House”
LITERARY ELEMENT
METAPHOR: 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 of
prose.
Sometimes the speaker’s voice is
that of the poet; sometimes, it is
that of a fictional person—or even
a thing.
LITERARY ELEMENT
AUTHOR’S PURPOSE: his or her
intent in writing a literary work.
AUTHOR’S PURPOSE
Authors typically write for one or
more of the following purposes:
AUTHOR’S PURPOSE
FOR WRITING
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
To persuade
To inform
To explain
To entertain
To describe
“And when I could no longer look,/
I blest His name that gave and
took, /That laid my goods now in
the dust.” lines 13-15
In the preceeding passage,
Bradstreet believes that God is
responsible for all things, good and
bad, and that she must trust God’s
will.
INTERNAL CONFLICT
Lines 27-36 suggest that the
speaker is presenting a dialogue or
debate with herself.
TRIGGERED BY FIRE
The speaker’s thoughts focus on
the tragic destruction of her
material possessions.
CHANGE OF HEART
In line 37, however, Bradstreet
“chides” her own heart, as
she recalls that true wealth does
not abide on earth.
LITERARY ELEMENT
METAPHOR
“Thou hast an house on high erect,
Framed by that mighty Architect,…”
Lines 43-44
LITERARY ELEMENT
METAPHOR
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 on
the cross, Bradstreet explains that
the home has been purchased and
paid for.
SORROWFUL EYES
Possessions were important to the
speaker.
Her “sorrowing eyes” look over the
ashes and mourn for all the
“pleasant things.”
Later, Bradstreet decides that her
possessions really belong to God;
HE is most important in her life.
CELESTIAL SHORES
Bradstreet states that her “hope
and treasure” are “above,” or in
heaven.
HEAVENLY HOME
The speaker suggests that her
home and possessions are
important and not her own.
SUMMARY
Anne Bradstreet comes to terms
with the loss of her home and her
possessions to a fire.