Anne Bradstreet’s A Letter to Her Husband, Absent Upon Public Employment Essay Example

printing a book, considering it unconventional for her gender (qtd. In Cowell, n.d.).

Anne Bradstreet's poems were originally meant for her personal use, as well as for her husband, family, and friends. She did not write with the goal of impressing or captivating an audience. The fact that she challenged societal norms is what gives A Letter to Her Husband its touching, honest, and intimate nature. Despite the expectations placed on her and the prevalent male chauvinism of her era, Anne utilized any free time she had after finishing her daily duties to engage in poetry writing.

In her poem "A Letter to Her Husband," Bradstreet showcases her impressive understanding of astronomical and sea-faring language, a remarkable feat for a woman in her time. She lovingly refers to her husband as the sun that brings warmth, her dear Sol, who has left her now cold earth. It is worth noting that during the 1600s, laws and resolutions concerning women's rights often included clauses like this one: "A wife may shine only through the wealth of her husband, just as the moon has no light of its own but reflects the sun's" (Brown, 2005, p. 73). However, Bradstreet's poem does not excessively idealize or glorify her husband to the point of becoming blindly dependent on him. As the poet herself, she is the one who designates him as the sun.

Meanwhile, the belts lie between them, the Tropics of Capricorn and Cancer, serving as the starting and endpoints of her husband’s journeys. In mentioning them, Anne embraces the elements of the sea. She does not view the unpredictability of the sea as a

foe to love. Instead, Anne Bradstreet embraces the idea that such journeys through perilous waters and treacherous landscapes are essential.

Despite the modesty and plainness commonly associated with Puritanism during the time it was written, Anne Bradstreet's A Letter to Her Husband remains boldly lyrical and rich. The careful and solid rhymes, along with the flowing iambic feet of her lines, create a poetic journey. The poem seems to be intended for simultaneous reading in two ways. As Bradstreet composes it, she searches for the right words that will come to life on paper, while her husband reads her love letter from the other side of the ocean, experiencing the unfolding of the poem line by line until its end. Through this approach, Bradstreet allows us to eavesdrop on her personal love letter, enabling us to understand the sadness of absence, the hardships of waiting, and above all, the unwavering power of love.

Anne Bradstreet exemplifies a powerful and equal voice as a woman, not just a wife to her husband. She showcases her artistry through her choice of words, skillfully utilizing terminologies. Additionally, she skillfully juxtaposes the mortal body with the unwavering forces of nature. She refers to her own limbs, breast, heart, and the face of her children's father, emphasizing their connection to her own flesh and bone. The storms, frost, burning sun, and Earth's changing seasons further illustrate this parallel. With these poetic devices, Bradstreet demonstrates her strength and equality as a woman alongside her husband, serving as his partner.

O strange effect! You have now moved to the south.

I am getting tired because the day is

becoming so long.

In her poem, Anne Bradstreet openly expresses her discontent without hesitation, acknowledging that she is only human. Nevertheless, by writing the poem, she has bridged the distance between herself and her husband.

We exist in both places simultaneously, yet we are unified as one.

There is no need for a more decisive declaration of love than this.

The poem by Anne Bradstreet is timeless as lovers still bid farewell to each other after four centuries, due to the unavoidable leave for work. This includes the confinement of offices or factories, where one becomes consumed by capitalism or any other ism that may be present. It may seem that employment was unlikely for women in the 17th century, and they were resigned to wait for their husbands' return. However, historian Rosalind Miles (1988) asserts that women have been diligently working since prehistoric times, often more than men. Bradstreet's poem exemplifies this notion. The poem's theme is straightforward: the sorrow of separation. Despite everything, Bradstreet remains optimistic.

The return trip is always the sweetest.