How Anne Bradstreet Criticize the male society in her Prologue.
In the prologue, Anne Bradstreet criticizes the frailty and folly attitude of men towards women. In order to criticizes the male society, Bradstreet seeks help some literary devices such as- irony and sarcasm. He satire the whole male society with her soft tone. But, behind her soft tone there is a extreme criticism of male society. She is very polite with the male society. But, her politeness marks the irony.
At the outset of the poem, she uses some understatements to make her position cleared. She uses "mean pen" which indicate to her creativity. But, ironically she uses it to indicate her inability. She compares her with Bartas, who has the chance to write whatever he likes. But, in spite of being talented like Bartas, she is not allowed to do anything according to her will. She sharply criticizes this attitude of male society with polite tone.
She uses another understatements to compare her with school boy and from the later we cannot except anything rhetorical.
"From school-boy's tongue no Rhet'ric we except,
Nor yet a sweet consort from broken strings.
Her inability is inborn. That is why, cannot be irreparable.
"And this to mend alas, no art is able
Cause nature made it so irreparable".
Though she degrades her position by comparing herself with school-boy, but we know she is the first woman who writes something valuable in the early american society.
In the fourth stanza, she compares herself with Demosthenes who mumbles at his early life. But, he had been able to come out from this problem and becomes a great orator. But, as their worse situation are made by the nature, so it is impossible for them to get rid of it.
"Art can do much but this maxim's most sure
A week or wounded brain admits no cure."
According to men, women are week by their born. So, they compel a woman to feel herself as week. This prejudice of men criticized by Bradstreet with polite tone. But, her politeness are no longer exist in the next stanza. She brings directs attacks to male society from fifth stanza. Here she reflects the hostility of the women with the male world. The male society does not want them to have the taste of the enlighten world. So, they want to confined them in darkness. They think that world will destroy,if they are brought out of the house. Male world does not want her to ride on top. She uses "obnoxious" and "carping tongue" to clarify the hostility of the male world. They try to degrade the position of her by telling her that,"Her hands fit better at needle".
In the next stanza, her criticism becomes more direct and she uses some hyperbolic expression to criticize male society in sarcastic way. She uses "excel" and "preeminence" which are sarcastic expression. She calls male society cowards. Because, they want to wage war to whom, are not equal in power to them. So, it is huge unjust of male society.
In the last stanza, she tries to understand the male society that, their writings are not worthless and valueless. If they think so, then they should acknowledge their works and make a sit for them beside their work. Because, their unrefined works cannot dim their worth rather it will shine like glistering gold.
Thus, Anne Bradstreet uses polite tone to criticize the male world. But, she is quite successful in her campaign. Because, she draws the attention of the reader by using sarcastic and ironic expression.
You may Interested in Following-
Anne Bradstreet: Prologue
Summary & Analysis
Prologue as a Lyric Poem
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In the prologue, Anne Bradstreet criticizes the frailty and folly attitude of men towards women. In order to criticizes the male society, Bradstreet seeks help some literary devices such as- irony and sarcasm. He satire the whole male society with her soft tone. But, behind her soft tone there is a extreme criticism of male society. She is very polite with the male society. But, her politeness marks the irony.
At the outset of the poem, she uses some understatements to make her position cleared. She uses "mean pen" which indicate to her creativity. But, ironically she uses it to indicate her inability. She compares her with Bartas, who has the chance to write whatever he likes. But, in spite of being talented like Bartas, she is not allowed to do anything according to her will. She sharply criticizes this attitude of male society with polite tone.
She uses another understatements to compare her with school boy and from the later we cannot except anything rhetorical.
"From school-boy's tongue no Rhet'ric we except,
Nor yet a sweet consort from broken strings.
Her inability is inborn. That is why, cannot be irreparable.
"And this to mend alas, no art is able
Cause nature made it so irreparable".
Though she degrades her position by comparing herself with school-boy, but we know she is the first woman who writes something valuable in the early american society.
In the fourth stanza, she compares herself with Demosthenes who mumbles at his early life. But, he had been able to come out from this problem and becomes a great orator. But, as their worse situation are made by the nature, so it is impossible for them to get rid of it.
"Art can do much but this maxim's most sure
A week or wounded brain admits no cure."
According to men, women are week by their born. So, they compel a woman to feel herself as week. This prejudice of men criticized by Bradstreet with polite tone. But, her politeness are no longer exist in the next stanza. She brings directs attacks to male society from fifth stanza. Here she reflects the hostility of the women with the male world. The male society does not want them to have the taste of the enlighten world. So, they want to confined them in darkness. They think that world will destroy,if they are brought out of the house. Male world does not want her to ride on top. She uses "obnoxious" and "carping tongue" to clarify the hostility of the male world. They try to degrade the position of her by telling her that,"Her hands fit better at needle".
In the next stanza, her criticism becomes more direct and she uses some hyperbolic expression to criticize male society in sarcastic way. She uses "excel" and "preeminence" which are sarcastic expression. She calls male society cowards. Because, they want to wage war to whom, are not equal in power to them. So, it is huge unjust of male society.
In the last stanza, she tries to understand the male society that, their writings are not worthless and valueless. If they think so, then they should acknowledge their works and make a sit for them beside their work. Because, their unrefined works cannot dim their worth rather it will shine like glistering gold.
Thus, Anne Bradstreet uses polite tone to criticize the male world. But, she is quite successful in her campaign. Because, she draws the attention of the reader by using sarcastic and ironic expression.
You may Interested in Following-
Anne Bradstreet: Prologue
Summary & Analysis
Prologue as a Lyric Poem
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