Spirituality and its Domestic Portrayal Anne Bradstreet...

Spirituality and its Domestic Portrayal: Anne Bradstreet and Edward Taylor The views on domestic life is not consistent in the early modern period, primarily due to the inner religious struggle that many people faced. Anne Bradstreet and Edward Taylor were born 30 years apart and their views on domestic life and God are seemingly contrasting. Anne Bradstreet has more of negative view on life and due to the fact that she was a woman, her thoughts weren’t valued very much. Conversely, Edward Taylor focuses more on the positive side of life, no matter what the situation is. Anne Bradstreet, â€Å"In Reference to Her Children, 23 June 1659†, describes eight birds and their departure from her nest and expresses her feelings about their absence.†¦show more content†¦Bradstreet has a sense of appreciation for her children that she can’t seem to express deeply enough. She ends the poem by telling her children to show their children the love she has shown them and by letting her children know that she will be happy, simply if they are happy. In â€Å"Upon Wedlock and Death of Children† Taylor focuses his poem on the positive side of his children’s lives. Taylor explains that death is a natural process and compares his children to flowers growing. â€Å"Guarded with Angels, soon did crop this flower†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (20 Taylor). Taylor describes his child being taken to heaven with the angels. This a beautiful depiction of a child’s death rather than having a pessimistic view. Throughout the poem, there is a feeling t hat Taylor feels honored instead of feeling anger towards God. There is a similarity with Taylor and Bradstreet on the subject matter of comprehension of tragedy rather than mourning. He feels that his children were so amazing that God wanted his children closer to him. Edward Taylors, â€Å"Huswifery†, is focused on a man’s desire to be closer to God. It seems that he is reaching the point of desperation to become a vessel for God. All aspects of his life are completely devoted to God and sharing His wisdom. Throughout the poem Taylor goes through the cycle of what it takes to make clothing, starting from the spinning wheel, and going through the process. All while comparing this process to becoming a