Badass Women of Early America: Anne Bradstreet

It should be noted that "Early America" does not mean "United States". It encompasses Mexico and Canada as well (and probably South America, although we didn't make it that far south in the narratives we read). I mention this because if you search for one of these women in United States you will find very little one her, but in Mexico her works are revered and have been printed many times. I should also note, that by "Early America" I mean 17th century, not Revolutionary War era and not quite to the Salem Witch Trials (we just haven't gotten there yet).

Anyway, the first woman is the amazing Anne Bradstreet. Anne was a Puritan woman (check all your Puritan baggage at the door. The real Puritans were religiously devout, open and forthright about anything you want to ask, and loved bright colors) in the Massachusetts Bay Colony which formed in 1630. Her father, Thomas Dudley, was second in command of the colony and liked to hit people with a stick if her thought they were being disrespectful (kind of like a crotchety grandfather, but more crotchety).

Anne was a poet, who only planned to write privately, for her family. But her brother-in-law thought her poems were so good that he had them published. As a surprise. Thank you Captain Helping Hand (warning: sarcasm alert). This could have turned out really, really bad for Anne. How bad you may ask?

Well, let's give some context. Anne had a sister named Sarah. Sarah and her husband came over to the New World with the rest of the family, but then went back to England. As a Puritan especially, once you were in New England, you didn't go back. Back was were the corruption of religion was. Then Sarah starts prophesying, which in this highly patriarchal society you just did not do. Sarah's husband divorced her. Sarah then comes back to New England, has a sexual affair with a non-believer (say it isn't so!) and is not just banished from the colony, but is excommunicated.

With all that hanging over her, is it a wonder that Anne felt upset and nervous about her poetry being read? This could be the first step to her being shunned. But instead, people in New England and in England love her poetry. And many people in England are enemies of the Puritans at this point. But even they love her.

She uses this position to promote Puritans and their ideals. And she was always careful in what she said to never appear above her station. She played the part of the good Puritan and humble woman. All that she was given came from her god. Here is a sample of her poetry (from her book "The Tenth Muse":

To sing of wars, of captains, and of kings,

Of cities founded, commonwealths begun,

For my mean pen are too superior things:

Or how they all or each their dates have run,

Let poets and historians set these forth

But when my wond'ring eyes and envious heart

Great Bartas' (a poet) sugar'd lines do but read o'er

Fool I do begrudge the Muses did not part

'Twixt him and me that overfluent store;

A Bartas can do what a Bartas will,

But simple I according to my skill

(She spends another two stanzas saying she is but humble woman and no great poet)

I am obnoxious to each carping tongue

Who says my hand a needle better fits,

A poet's pen all scorn I should thus wrong

For such despite they cast on female wits:

If what I do prove well, it won't advance,
They'll say it's stol'n, of else it was by chance

But sure the antique Greeks were far more mild,
Else of our sex, why feigned those Nine
And posey made Calliope's own child;

So 'mongst the rest, they placed the arts divine,

But this weakknot, they will full soon untie,

The Greeks did nought, but play fools and lie

Let Greeks by Greeks, and women what they are,

Men have precedency and still excel,

It is but vain unjustly to wage war;

Men can do best, and women know it well.

Preeminence in all and each is yours;

Yet grant some small acknowledgement of ours.

And oh ye high flown quills that soar the skies,

And ever with your prey still catch your praise,

If e'er you deign these lowly lines your eyes,

Give thyme or parsley wreath, I ask no bays;

This mean and unrefined ore of mine

Will make your glist'ring gold but more to shine

Pretty much, she spends the first stanzas saying "Oh, how I wish I could write poetry as well as great men. I am but small in my skills." And then she says that while men are superior, they ought to give women some credit. She keeps deference in her tone, but she's saying "Hey, we aren't all just pretty faces and baby incubators. Give us a little credit." It's a move for women being less down trodden and yet done in a way that people won't think her impertinent or acting above her station. It's brilliant.

And all of the poems we read by her are wonderful. I had to read some for class and in my free time I plan to go back and read the rest in the section, maybe even find a book of her poetry if I can. Next time on Badass Women of Early America: Anne Hutchinson