Mary Rowlandson and Anne Bradstreet

After reading works from both Mary Rowlandson and Anne Bradstreet, I was highly impressed with the amount of wit and creativity each piece of literature expressed. Rowlandson talks of her experiences as being a hostage of the Native Americans. Bradstreet puts into a simple, yet captivating poem a burning house full of burning things that ultimately all belonged to God. Although each author uses a variety of sentence techniques and writing styles, each has similar writing qualities reflecting that of Puritan writing, that based on God and the Bible.

When Mr. Langley began to discuss his presentation of the Puritans in class, the first thing that came to my mind was, "Okay, how can I relate this Puritan stuff to the things I will be reading from my textbook for homework?" At first I was a little hesitant because I had yet to actually read my assignment. After listening to Rowlandson's story and hearing Bradstreet's poem, I immediately was able to pick out the Puritan style of writing.

Puritan writing was very simple and plain for its time (PowerPoint Presentation). A lot the literature of the time period was based on God and Biblical teachings (PowerPoint Presentation). In Rowlandson's story, she mentions God time and time again. "...but God was with me in a wonderful manner, carrying me along, and bearing up my spirit, that it did not quite fail (Rowlandson 83)." In this quote, the main character is basically giving all of the glory to God, despite her unfortunate situation with the Native Americans. It highly demonstrates Puritan writing qualities in that it is highly centered on God and the works He does in outer and inner life.

As I previously mentioned, Puritan writing was drastically focused on God. Everything involved in the Puritans every day lives had a hint of the Holy Spirit in it. In Anne Bradshaw's poem, the main character says, "And that when I could no longer look, I blest His name that gave and took, that laid my goods now in the dust. Yea, so it was, and so 'twas just. It was His own, it was not mine, far be it that I should repine (Bradstreet, 91)." Even though this individuals house and belongings were burning down, she still praised God and said that all of her things belonged to Him because she knew she had a house in Heaven. He was only taking back what rightfully belonged to Him in the beginning. Puritan writing, if I have not already stated, is very Godly.

Overall, each piece of literature had its own unique style of Puritan writing, but was very similar in a way. In Rowlandson's case, she spoke of the main character's rough time with the Native American's and all of the sufferings she had to endure. Despite her situation, she gave all of the glory to God and did not focus on the bad things in life, but rather the good. In Bradstreet's poem, like Rowlandson's story, the main character suffers through something tragic, in her case, her home burns down. This does not keep her from praising the Lord, and even states that God is only taking back with belongs to Him. I find it interesting how Puritan writing was so simple but represented something bigger, like God. I was very intrigued by each piece of work and learned a lot regarding Puritan writing.

*I would like to cite Mr. Langley's very well prepared presentation of Puritan writing.

Bradstreet, Anne. "Upon the Burning of Our House." Glencoe Literature. Ed. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm. American Literature ed. Columbus: McGraw-Hill Co, 2009. 91. Print.


Rowlandson, Mary. "The Narrative of the Captivity and the Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson." Glencoe Literature. Ed Jeffrey D. Wilhelm. American Literature ed. Columbus: McGraw-Hill Co, 2009. 82. Print.