An Author to Her Book is a poem written by Anne Bradstreet, one of the first published poets in the English language. The poem is a deeply personal and intimate reflection on the process of writing and publishing a book.
In the poem, Bradstreet compares her book to a child, saying that it was "born" when she first put pen to paper and began writing. She describes the process of writing as a labor of love, something that she poured her heart and soul into. Despite the difficulties and challenges she faced while writing, Bradstreet says that she would "not from [her] book be parted" because it is a part of her.
Bradstreet also reflects on the fear and anxiety she felt about publishing her book. She worried about what others would think of her writing, and whether or not her book would be accepted by the public. She writes that she "didst fear to show" her book to others, and that she was "ashamed" of its "rude" and "homely" appearance.
Despite these fears, Bradstreet ultimately decides to publish her book, saying that she "could not love thee, dear, so much, loved I not honor more." In other words, her love for her writing and her desire to be recognized as an author outweighed her fears about what others might think of her work.
In the final stanza of the poem, Bradstreet asks her book to "be of [her] dear, thou art," meaning that she wants it to be a part of her and to represent her as an author. She also asks her book to be a source of comfort and guidance for others, saying that she hopes it will "help mold thy readers' minds."
Overall, An Author to Her Book is a powerful and poignant reflection on the process of writing and publishing a book. It speaks to the deeply personal nature of the creative process, and the emotions and fears that come with it. It also showcases the love and dedication that an author has for their work, and the hope that it will be received and appreciated by others.
The Author to Her Book Poem Summary and Analysis
It moves from complete disgust to disappointment because by then the writer do believe she couldve done much better work even if it make look out of reach for her with the rags from home she was given to dress her book. When the poems were published, they were full of errors, which embarrassed Bradstreet as the author of them. Bradstreet's brother died before he could publish the book, so it never became popular. The words are listed in the order in which they appear in the poem. Ultimately, she resigns herself to the inevitable and hopes that the book won't come into the hands of mean-spirited critics. Similarly, the author is unable to change her poem to have an even meter.
A Short Analysis of Anne Bradstreet’s ‘The Author to Her Book’
Bradstreet probably wrote the poem in around 1666, and it was included in an edition published in 1678, after her death. Thou ill-formed offspring of my feeble brain this refers to the birth of an idea from her mind. Others are somewhat more elaborate: The word "feet" here could refer to the two literal feet of a child or the five feet found in a line of iambic pentameter, the meter in which the poem is written. The poem reads as a narrative, following the story of the speaker, who feels her offspring is unprepared for the world. And her final acceptance statement: In critics hands beware thou dost not come, and take thy way where yet thou art not known; if for they father asked, say thou hadst none; And for thy Mother, she alas is poor, which caused her thus to send thee out the door. Bradstreet was the first to write about personal issues, which was her most significant literary contribution to Bradstreet's poems were widely read and admired during her own lifetime, and many critics consider her one of the best female poets in English language history. The poem must be viewed in the context of a 17th century repressed Puritanical woman.
It somehow changes the quality of a literary work. Ultimately, she comes to peace with the poems being in the public as long as they don't fall into the hands of mean-spirited critics. Was their work never intended for public consumption and only discovered after their death? The poet presents the theme of criticism in different ways. Anne Bradstreet When we think about art forms, such as novels, poetry, paintings, or music, how much thought do we give to the diligent work that went into creating it? She wanted her readers to feel emotional responses to her poems, so she compared the heart to a fountain that bursts forth with "joyful tears" and called flowers "the language of love. The first metaphor is of her book to a child, this is the controlling metaphor.
Lesson at a Glance Like a mother protecting her child from the outside world, Anne Bradstreet writes about her poetry being published in her poem 'The Author to Her Book'. Her view of her work is that of a mother viewing her imperfect child Who after birth didst by my side remain, Till snatched by friends, less wist than true After completion, she held onto her book until encouraged by friends to release it. Perhaps just because of its driving, prolix, protean character, wherein discoveries fly out like sparks along the way, the reader sees a new perspective on the age that reaches beyond the Oxford-centered understanding. No one till now has maintained the clarity of vision that is shared with us in the following pages. She uses an extended metaphor to compare her writing to raising a child, and the process a mother goes through when their child is taken from them too early. It's unclear whether or not Bradstreet wanted the book published, but she wrote the poem when the book was being considered for a second edition.
The Author to Her Book Persuasive Essay (600 Words)
The tone of the poet changes in this section but the essence of motherly touch remains the same. While she might despise, or feel disappointed in, the book she wrote, it is still her own. It also makes readers aware of the reality an author faces while sending her book to the market. Her struggle to maintain agency over the book shows when she claims it was 'snatched from thence by friends, less wise than true, who thee abroad exposed to public view. The citation above will include either 2 or 3 dates.
Bradstreet might have written for her own amusement and for that of close family and friends, but in the poem's final lines, she declares, 'And for thy mother, she alas is poor, which caused her thus to send thee out of door. She wrote regularly about her marriage, her family, and her religion, and in 1650, her brother-in-law discovered her book of poems and took it to London to have it published. Her plays exemplify the re-theatricalisation of the African American stage. Thereafter comes the public to criticize her book and last but not least a well-educated critic waits for his turn. But, the representation is a little bit different. Several monographs twine together in a single revolutionary epic.
These elements included similes, metaphors, alliteration, and personification. She further advised that in case the book is in the hands of such criticism, she must assert herself about her being an orphan and having a poor mother, the reason for its mistakes. Although like her contemporaries she reacted to the political events of the period, in contrast with them she presented racial issues in a non-realistic mode. Bradstreet portrays the vulnerability of writers by revealing her own experience of having her writing placed under scrutiny. One of Anne Bradstreet's most intimate and unforgettable poems is "The Author to Her Book. She decides to take it under her wing and attempt to improve it. Through the sincere and loyal tone, it becomes apparent that the? Bradstreet used these techniques to appeal to her audience.
It is just as bad, if not worse than she remembers. She wrote it during the 1600s while living in the Massachusetts Bay Colony in North America, where she'd settled with her husband. At thy return my blushing was not small, My rambling brat in print should mother call, I cast thee by as one unfit for light, The visage was so irksome in my sight; Yet being mine own, at length affection would Thy blemishes amend, if so I could. The process of publishing the unfinished and unpolished work can be compared to a child being taken to a Trudge in rags, where her mother did not have the opportunity to properly dress him up. The second is the date of publication online or last modification online. Ver, begin is a spiritual advance upon much invective and polemic that have gone before. Did they use it for financial support? Lesson Summary ' The Author to Her Book' is a poem by Anne Bradstreet.
