Bradstreet vs. Taylor

In both Bradstreet and Taylor's poems we see expressions of devotion; however, each author seemed to be devoted to different people.  In Taylor's poetry we see him talking directly to God such as in the opening lines to "Huswifery" (p.160):

"Make me, O Lord, thy Spin[n]ing Wheele compleate"

However, when we look at Bradstreet's poetry we see her devotion more to her husband such as in her poem "To My Dear and Loving Husband" (p.103):

"If ever two were one, then surely we.  If ever man were loved by wife, then thee"

Puritan beliefs can been seen in both Bradstreet and Taylor's work; however, it is much more evident in Taylor's work (due to the fact that he is speaking directly to God).

I did see similarities in their writing (specificially in Bradstreet's "The Author to Her Book" and Taylor's "Huswifery").  Both writers used metaphors in their writing (i.e., metaphysical writing).  Bradstreet using the metaphor of a child to describe her own poetry being taken away and published into a book with out her knowledge (the book being her child).

"Thou ill-formed offspring of my feeble brain, who after birth did'st by my side remian, Till snatched from thence by friends, less wise than true, Who thee abroad exposed to public view;" (p. 102)

 

The metaphor in Taylor's "Huswifery" is that of a Spinning Wheel and the "Weaver"; where the "Weaver" is God and the Spinning Wheel is Taylor (or human's in general).  Taylor goes through each part of the spinning wheel and makes connenctions to God.  To start, in asking God to turn him in to a Spinning Wheel where He (God) is the Weaver, Taylor is stating that he wants God to almost "guide" his life. The "distaff" (a part of a spinning wheel) is the word of God--The Bible.  The "flyers" is his affections or feelings towards God.  Taylor uses many more metaphors throughout his poem.  In his last stanza Taylor asks God to dress him in these newly spun and glorious robes and when he is dressed in them [robes] he will be able to return the glory back to God.

"My wayes with glory and thee glorify.  Then mine apparell shall display before yee/That I am Cloathd in Holy robes for glory." (p.160)
 

Overall I liked Bradstreet's poetry more than Taylors.  Perhaps it is because I like her wit, the fact that she is a Puritan woman writing poetry, and that her poetry seems to be for her own pleasure (i.e., not HAVING to write about the word of God); however, I have to give Taylor some credit in his writing.  I found "Huswifery", very clever and somewhat enjoyable to read (unlike many of the plain style pieces we have read). 


Source:

Perkins, George B., and Barbara Perkins. The American Tradition in Literature: Volumes 1 and 2.
        Boston: McGraw-Hill Higher Education, 2008. N. pag. Print