Anne Bradstreet

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The prologue by Anne Bradstreet
Anne Bradstreet in her poem the “The prologue” focuses on what the audience perceives it means for a woman to write poems. In the poem, Bradstreet begins by stating that her composition will not focus on big concepts of history such as kings and war. Bradstreet thinks that such ambiguous subjects are a man’s forte and also states that the society denied her right to a poetess since she is a woman (Bradstreet 1-1). She focuses on the critics who she says are not pleased to see her write but would be pleased to see her sew. Consequently, Bradstreet manages to inform the audience that she does not approve of men dominating the world of poetry.
Bradstreet crafts her identity as a woman by attempting to usurp men’s dominance in the field of artistry albeit in a subtle manner. The poetess informs the audience that poetry was perceived to be a man’s sphere. In the starting lines, the poetess praises the ability of men to write about great concepts such as wars, kings and captains. In the last line of the first stanza, she writes “my obscure lines shall not dim their worth” (Bradstreet 1-6). Bradstreet uses this line to announce that she will compete with men in writing poetry.
Puritan poets in their works were required to adhere to strict code such as simple writing styles and revering God. However, Bradstreet does not display signs of a Puritan poet because the poem serves as a weapon of rebellion. The poet’s goal is to defy the norms that make poetry a male-dominated arena by fiercely hitting at her critics.

For instance, she writes “if what I do prove well, it won’t advance, they will say it’s stol’n, or else it was by chance” (Bradstreet 5-5,6). Bradstreet does not have doubts about writing as Christian because she says that she envies and reads Great Bartas who was a Christian writer. Poetry offers Bradstreet an artistic identity which is independent of her Christian identity which is evidenced by the rebellious nature of this poem.
The poet’s role as a mother is evidenced by her resolve to combat the institutionalised male chauvinism in the area of poetry (Bradstreet 5-6). Bradstreet wants men to give credit to a woman’s work and not to relegate them to only house chores.

Work Cited
Bradstreet, Anne. Poems: Classic Poetry Series. Poemhunter.Com – The World’s Poetry Archive, 2012, pp. 123-124, www.poemhunter.com/i/ebooks/pdf/anne_bradstreet_2012_3.pdf. Accessed 26 Sept 2018.