Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Anne Bradstreet
Katja
ENGL 48A
Journal #4, Anne Bradstreet
October 10, 2006
"[...] nevertheless she risked childbirth eight times." (238)
Annne Bradstreet had what seems to amount to a hard but full life. Above, the editor ensures the reader, by her choice of words, that Bradstreet had indeed a choice when it came to child-bearing. I argue not. However, what struck me first was the relatively small number of children conceived in the number of years in question.
In the 17th century, as a Puritan wife of a successful man, one was probably not afforded much choice. In fact were there an ad for Puritan wives, it would probably include child-bearing ability in its description. Bradstreet lived an approximately sixty-year long life, about forty-five of them as a fertile and married woman. In all, she gave birth eight times, which amounts to one child every 5.6 years; a pretty poor reflection of actual birthrates in the absence of birthcontrol, even including the temporary "safety" offered by breast-feeding. However, one can figure a conservative number of still-births, two, and miscarriages, three, bringing the number of conceptions to thirteen, bringing a pregnancy every 3.4 years. More in the realm of what is likely, however, one has to wonder was it her or him? Was she worn out prematurely or did he shoot blanks?
Upon reading Bradstreet's poetry, it is evident that she cherished her children, but lived in fear of having them. Her Puritan beliefs foreshadowed their lives as being inevitably stricken with strife and doom, all the while jeopardizing her own life, along with the very real possibility of bereaving her already born children of their mother. The situation is eerily devoid of solace of any kind.
Where did the Puritan daughters turn for support in their efforts to populate the new colonies and to establish their sought-after way of life? The statement above seems to call attention to the fact that the efforts less appreciated by contemporary scholars have value. Fearless women like Bradstreet have a significant role in the building of the new nation; subjecting themselves to being relocated, believing in an unyielding God, giving birth on scummy cabin floors, and forever standing in the shadows of their fathers and husbands. As a woman it is comforting to see women like Bradstreet represented in today's anthologies.
ENGL 48A
Journal #4, Anne Bradstreet
October 10, 2006
"[...] nevertheless she risked childbirth eight times." (238)
Annne Bradstreet had what seems to amount to a hard but full life. Above, the editor ensures the reader, by her choice of words, that Bradstreet had indeed a choice when it came to child-bearing. I argue not. However, what struck me first was the relatively small number of children conceived in the number of years in question.
In the 17th century, as a Puritan wife of a successful man, one was probably not afforded much choice. In fact were there an ad for Puritan wives, it would probably include child-bearing ability in its description. Bradstreet lived an approximately sixty-year long life, about forty-five of them as a fertile and married woman. In all, she gave birth eight times, which amounts to one child every 5.6 years; a pretty poor reflection of actual birthrates in the absence of birthcontrol, even including the temporary "safety" offered by breast-feeding. However, one can figure a conservative number of still-births, two, and miscarriages, three, bringing the number of conceptions to thirteen, bringing a pregnancy every 3.4 years. More in the realm of what is likely, however, one has to wonder was it her or him? Was she worn out prematurely or did he shoot blanks?
Upon reading Bradstreet's poetry, it is evident that she cherished her children, but lived in fear of having them. Her Puritan beliefs foreshadowed their lives as being inevitably stricken with strife and doom, all the while jeopardizing her own life, along with the very real possibility of bereaving her already born children of their mother. The situation is eerily devoid of solace of any kind.
Where did the Puritan daughters turn for support in their efforts to populate the new colonies and to establish their sought-after way of life? The statement above seems to call attention to the fact that the efforts less appreciated by contemporary scholars have value. Fearless women like Bradstreet have a significant role in the building of the new nation; subjecting themselves to being relocated, believing in an unyielding God, giving birth on scummy cabin floors, and forever standing in the shadows of their fathers and husbands. As a woman it is comforting to see women like Bradstreet represented in today's anthologies.
# posted by Katja @ 7:57 PM 
