Anne Bradstreet was the first woman of early puritan society who wrote few intelligent and artistic words. The early puritan society was not favorable for the women. They were neglected and regarded as the servant of men. They have no right to do or write something creative. So, always confined to domestic chores. Their chief task is to look after husband and children. They are totally deprived of enlightenment. So, in this adverse condition Bradstreet wrote this prologue to make the male society realized importance of women in the society.
She did it with help of the rhetorical device "satire", which is used to expose the truth through humor. To expose the truth of the society she uses very soft tone. In the first stanza, she says-
To sing of Wars, of Captain, of Kings
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My obscure lines shall not dim their worth.
She straightly acknowledges that, it is impossible for her to write something valuable about the glorious thing of world. Because, she has got a pen which is mean. So, her mean pen is unable to praise the glorious things and she leaves it to the Great poets and historians. Her lines are valueless or worthless to those poet's creations and these cannot dark their worth. So,the first stanza makes us ready for praise for the women which comes in next stanza in a direct way.
In the second stanza, she gives us a vivid idea about gender discrimination in the puritan society.
But when my wond'ring eyes and envious heart
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But simple I according to my skill.
In these lines, she makes a comparison herself with Bartas. She agrees that she has less intellect than Bartas.
She is jealous with the great creations of Bartas. But, she cannot do whatever she likes. Bartas has the chance to do anything in ocean of art and culture. Though, she has same quality like Bartas , does not get the chance or free will to do something which can overstep Bartas.
From school-boy's tongue no Rhetoric we expect,
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Cause nature made it so irreparable
We cannot expect anything rhetoric or creative from the mouth of a school-boy. So, the male society thinks women like school-boy. Beauty cannot be perfect where is a defect. The defect which women inherits is irreparable. Because, their defect comes with them at their birth. Nature makes it impossible to cure this inability and they cannot be equal to the men.
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