THE POETRYOF

ANNE BRADSTREET

“Upon the Burning of Our House”

LITERARY ELEMENTMETAPHOR: a figure of speech that compares or equates two seemingly unlike things.

LITERARY ELEMENT

EXTENDED METAPHOR: to develop

a metaphor beyond a single line.

LITERARY ELEMENT

INFERENCE: a general statement based on the information in a text.

LITERARY ELEMENT

SPEAKER: the voice of the poem,similar to the narrator in a work ofprose.

Sometimes the speaker’s voice isthat of the poet; sometimes, it isthat of a fictional person—or evena thing.

LITERARY ELEMENT

AUTHOR’S PURPOSE: his or her intent in writing a literary work.

AUTHOR’S PURPOSE

Authors typically write for one ormore of the following purposes:

AUTHOR’S PURPOSE FOR WRITING

1. To persuade2. To inform3. To explain4. To entertain5. To describe

“And when I could no longer look,/I blest His name that gave andtook, /That laid my goods now inthe dust.” lines 13-15

In the preceeding passage, Bradstreet believes that God isresponsible for all things, good andbad, and that she must trust God’swill.

INTERNAL CONFLICT

Lines 27-36 suggest that thespeaker is presenting a dialogue ordebate with herself.

TRIGGERED BY FIRE

The speaker’s thoughts focus onthe tragic destruction of hermaterial possessions.

CHANGE OF HEART

In line 37, however, Bradstreet“chides” her own heart, asshe recalls that true wealth doesnot abide on earth.

LITERARY ELEMENTMETAPHOR

“Thou hast an house on high erect,Framed by that mighty Architect,…”Lines 43-44

LITERARY ELEMENTMETAPHOR

The “almighty Architect” is God.

EXTENDED METAPHOR

Bradstreet is describing a heavenly home, built by God for her.

ALLUSION

In an allusion to Jesus’ death onthe cross, Bradstreet explains thatthe home has been purchased andpaid for.

SORROWFUL EYES

Possessions were important to thespeaker. Her “sorrowing eyes” look over theashes and mourn for all the “pleasant things.”

Later, Bradstreet decides that herpossessions really belong to God;HE is most important in her life.

CELESTIAL SHORES

Bradstreet states that her “hopeand treasure” are “above,” or inheaven.

HEAVENLY HOME

The speaker suggests that herhome and possessions areimportant and not her own.

SUMMARY

Anne Bradstreet comes to termswith the loss of her home and her possessions to a fire.