Bradstreet the prologue. Literary Analysis Of The Prologue By Anne Bradstreet: [Essay Example], 1143 words GradesFixer 2022-12-22
Bradstreet the prologue Rating:
6,7/10
763
reviews
Anne Bradstreet's "The Prologue" is a powerful and thought-provoking poem that explores themes of identity, gender roles, and the role of literature in society.
In the opening lines of the poem, Bradstreet introduces herself as a "plain country maid," seemingly downplaying her own intelligence and abilities. However, as the poem progresses, it becomes clear that Bradstreet is a highly educated and talented poet, challenging traditional gender roles and expectations for women. She writes that "I am obnoxious to each carping tongue / Who says my hand a needle better fits," refusing to be limited by societal expectations that women should only be skilled in domestic tasks.
Bradstreet also addresses the role of literature and writing in society, stating that "I am contemptuous of every one / That says my art is not divine." She believes that her poetry is not just a form of personal expression, but a way to connect with a larger audience and share important ideas and emotions.
Throughout "The Prologue," Bradstreet grapples with her own identity as a woman and a writer, struggling to find a place for herself in a society that often dismisses the talents and abilities of women. However, she ultimately asserts her own worth and the value of her work, defying societal expectations and paving the way for future generations of female writers.
In conclusion, "The Prologue" by Anne Bradstreet is a poignant and inspiring poem that encourages readers to embrace their own talents and individuality, regardless of societal expectations. It serves as a reminder of the power of literature to inspire and connect people, and the importance of standing up for one's beliefs and values.
The Prologue Summary
See eNotes Ad-Free Start your 48-hour free trial to get access to more than 30,000 additional guides and more than 350,000 Homework Help questions answered by our experts. . Schoolboys, she states, would never be expected to produce perfect rhetoric, nor a broken string instrument good music. The importance of the needle emphasizes her main argument on why a woman was prejudiced to household chores and not allowed on the same playing field as men. The Greeks must have been fools and liars, Bradstreet ironically suggests, to have written such things. The citation above will include either 2 or 3 dates. The simple complexity of this writing technique allows for its message on feminism to be emphasized even more.
Literary Analysis Of The Prologue By Anne Bradstreet: [Essay Example], 1143 words GradesFixer
Bradstreet does this in order to lay out the very simple request females ask for and for society to consider her feministic points, that women should not be superior to men but rather, be on the same level of respect and importance. By breaking her previous pattern of assimilating with the sexist views on women, Bradstreet questions and ridicules this ideology and creates an even bigger impact on her argument, that women are just as capable as being academic. The literary technique utilized is her first step into introducing the ideology that women are just as capable of achieving the level of intellect of most men and just as her work implies, she is quite aware of her poetic skills. Cite this page as follows: "The Prologue - Summary" eNotes Publishing Ed. However, here we see she turns towards a different sense of direction.
She goes on, however, to express her envy that her own skill is inadequate in comparison to that of others, such as the French poet Bartas. Here, she is acknowledging her inferiority as a writer, giving readers the idea that she is not knowledgeable or intellectual enough to even write about such topics. The author brought forth the idea that women are qualified just like men and asks society to shift attention towards what women have to offer as well. Bradstreet does the unthinkable during her time as a female poet and challenges her male counterparts with her highly advanced skills as both a writer and as a woman. By employing usage of symbolism in this stanza, she brings forth a different style in her words, and thus, a contrasting impression is brought forward to the meaning of her poem.
Bradstreet tries to change the view that women are or should be inferior by addressing it directly. And by doing so, she is able to prove to readers that although she can achieve the greats, she will succumb to societal standards for now in order to highlight what women must go through on the daily. Through usage of specific poetic structure to assert her writing knowledge despite her ironic language, sympathetic style to ridicule the stereotypes placed on women, symbolism to accentuate the way women are constantly being undermined in society, and repletion to clearly highlight her appeal for attention towards feminism, Bradstreet successfully professes her feministic philosophy against the common Puritan theory. The second date is today's date — the date you are citing the material. The second is the date of publication online or last modification online. The last date is today's date — the date you are citing the material. .
