【Abstract】Anne Bradstreet is one of the first poets to write English verse in the American colonies. Born to an influential Puritan family， Anne grew up in cultured circumstances. She， along with her family， left England and immigrated to the new colony in 1630.To some extent， her poems reflect her challenge and criticism on some Puritan traditions， especially ideas on proper family life and the role of women.

【Key words】Anne Bradstreet; family love; challenge; Puritan theology

I. Anne Bradstreet’s Family Background and Her Faith to Puritanism

Anne Bradstreet grew up in a wealthy Puritan family in Northampton， England， in 1612. Her father served as a steward of the Earl of Lincoln， and Dorothy Yorke. Anne thus could freely read books in the Earl’s personal library and attain formal education. Anne’s family moved to America in 1630.

Anne tried to act out her beliefs in Puritanism all her life. “I have had great experience of God’s hearing my prayers， and returning comfortable answers to me， either in granting the thing I prayed for， or else in satisfying my mind without it.” She wrote in To My Dear Children. Also， she once blamed God for he was so cruel to take away her relatives.

Anne Bradstreet’s Family Life and Strong Love to Her Family

Marriage was in the first place for Puritan women and they should take care of the whole family for their everyday needs. Anne lived a harmonious and enjoyable family life and perfectly performed domestic duties as well.

In her poems Anne was extremely painful for missing her husband and longing for his return. She primarily emphasized family love in poems as A Letter to Her Husband， Absent upon Public Employment. “Where ever， ever stay， and go not thence， till nature’s sad decree shall call thee hence.” Nothing but death can separate Anne from her husband.

In fact， Puritanism hardly ever appreciated strong family love， which was believed to decrease their religious faith. “I prize thy love more than whole mines of gold or all the riches that the East doth hold.” To Anne， her husband’s love was the best treasures on Earth. Puritan theology could not cover up her outstanding talent on poetry， and not restrain her sincere love to her husband and children.

II. Challenge to Puritan Beliefs on Family Life and the Proper Role of Women

Women were under strict control at that time in Puritan society to cook and clean for the family， well rearing children and attending to everyday need of their husband. Anne suffered from dual pressure from religious beliefs that oppressed humanity and the proper role of women that Puritan society set for her. The centre of Puritanism is God， which at essence represents male hierarchy mutes in the patriarchal society at that time.

Anne cherished her family life and deeply loved her husband and children. But it did not mean that Anne agreed with the idea that men were superior. In fact， Anne promoted gender equality. She was against the stereotype idea that women were inferior to men. In To My Dear and Loving Husband， Anne clearly expressed her undying emotion to her husband. “Thy love is such I can no way repay， The heavens reward thee manifold， I pray.” Her overt affections for her husband fully manifested her challenge and retort to traditional Puritan doctrines.

John Winthrop once remarked of Anne in a common suspicion of women. “If she had dedicated herself to household chores， and not step into an area that known to all is proper to men. She might have well kept her wit and intelligence.”Faced with contempt， Anne wrote such lines in The Prologue that obviously presented her ironic response to the hostile voices. “I am obnoxious to each carping tongue who says my hand a needle better fits.” The accomplishments of women were trivialized in the poem which was really representative microcosm of the way that the problem was evident in the Puritan community. Her poems as The Flesh and The Spirit materialized to expose the real human nature of such depth that challenged not only Puritan theology， but also the alleged Utopian doctrine of the poems.

III. Conclusion

Devout Puritan she was， Anne Bradstreet was at first a woman， wife and mother. She dedicated herself to reconcile contradictions between her enjoyable family life and career， and strict Puritan doctrines. In her poems， Anne Bradstreet not only aired the truths of male domination in the patriarchal society， but also daringly challenged the Puritan theology that wildly ruled the proper family life and the role of women.

References：

[1]Langlin，Rosemary.Anne Bradstreet:Poet in search of a Form[M].American Literature，1970，42(1).