Anne Bradstreet's poetry is simple and plain compared to the poetry that we have access to today, but for her time, it was truly inspired. While "To My Dear And Loving Husband" lacks many of the artsy literature tactics that we have come to learn, it's simplicity is profound. The meter is very melodic and the rhyme scheme is strict and modest, with each two lines rhyming. It doesn't have many metaphors or hyperboles. It does briefly say that Bradstreet treasures her husband's love more than a mine full of gold and other many other valuable things, but there is not much flowery language in this poem.
It almost makes you wonder why she wrote a poem so plain. It makes more sense when you consider the Puritan faith. They were very dedicated to the humble work of man and didn't believe in the frivolity of pleasure. To write something that was grandiose and abstract would have gone against all of Bradstreet's Puritan upbringing. The Puritans said what they wanted to say in the the most direct way possible with out big words to obstruct them and this poem reflects that culture.
I think the lack of frivolity, as you said, can also describe how certain she was of her love, that she did not have to describe it in length.
ReplyDeleteI happen to like this style of poetry better than most and it is definitely due to the fact that it is beautiful, simple and profound like you said.
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