Prologue: Study Questions

Anne Bradstreet's prologue as a lyric.

Before evaluating the prologue as a lyrical poem, we have to know what lyric is.

Lyric poem is that kind of poem, which usually short and personal expressing the poet's personal feelings and emotions rather than telling a story.This definition of lyric absoulately match with the characteristics of the prologue.

In the prologue, Bradstreet expresses her personal feelings and emotions against the attitude of male society. Women were treated as the servant in the early puritan society. They were confined to the home. It is not possible for them to go outside of the fixed territory without any emergency. So, they were kept in darkness. Looking after the master and children, were their chief tasks. They were disconnected from the social revolution. Women cannot do whatever she likes. There is no value of her likes and dislikes. They often forced to do the things against their will.

Women had not any right to practice art and literature. If someone does so, she will be disconnected from the society.The male society made them week at their birth. They had been brought to the state that, they are soft and they should behave softer and talk  in lower voice. The male society cannot bear their advancement. If someone does something valuable, they say," she must copy or happen it by chance". The male society is reluctant to acknowledge their creations. So, this kind of harsh attitude of male society cannot be acceptable and Bradstreet bitterly criticizes it. She criticizes bitterly, but in a soft tone by using some understatements and exaggerations.

So, the prologue contains the personal feelings and emotions of the poet, for that we can consider the Prologue as lyric.

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Anne Bradstreet Prologue

Summary & Analysis

Prologue: Summary, Analysis & Explanation

In the next stanza, she again expresses her pathos for the women as the nature made them irreparable.
                                  Nor can I, like that fluent sweet-tongue Greek
                                   .........................................................
                                 A week and wounded brain admits no cure.
Demosthenes, who is the great orator of Greek, mumbled at first. But, his unstoppable attempts makes him possible to speak plain. But, the condition of the women is not curable. Because, they are made week and wounded by the nature. So, a week and wounded brain have no cure.
                              I am obnoxious to each carping tongue,
                               ................................................
                              They'll say it's stolen, or else it was by chance.
She is not adorable to the carping tongue of male. They said her hands best fit with the needle.  If any woman does something great they will say, she must steal someone else work or it happens by chance.
                             But sure the antique Greeks were far more mild,
                              .............................................................
                             Yet grant some small acknowledgement of ours.
However, the Greeks in someway show respect to the women. It is clear that, men are preeminently excel than women. We also acknowledge the precedence of men. But, it is very unfair to wage war with women as they are not equal to the men. Women know that men can do best. But, the only thing women want from men is to little acknowledgement in their writing. It will not dim their worth, if they do so.
                            And oh ye high flown quills that soar the skies,
                            .........................................................
                           Will make to glist'ring gold but more to shine.
The last stanza contains the direct attack to the male society. The writings of women are not less worthy than men. They just need to be positive with women. Bradstreet urges the male just to acknowledge their creations, they will not claim anything from them. This mean and unrefined lines of her will not dark their worth, rather it will make their works more shining.
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Prologue: Summary & Analysis

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

                                           .......................................................

                                          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

                                          ..................................................................

                                        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,

                                         .........................................................................

                                        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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Anne Bradstreet: Prologue

 Prologue

The Prologue, was the first literary work produced by a female in the early puritan society. It was written in 1650 and published in England, as it is impossible for women to publish literary works in early American society.

                                           To sing of Wars, of Captain, of Kings

                                           Of cities founded, common-wealth begun,

                                            For my mean Pen are to superior things

                                           Or how they all, or each their dates have run

                                            Lets Poets and Historians set these forth.

                                           My obscure lines shall not so dim their worth.

But when my wond'ring eyes and envious heart

Great Bartas' sugar'd lines do but read o'er,

Fool, I do grudge the Muses did not part

'Twixt him and me that over-fluent store.

A Bartas can do what a Bartas will

But simple I according to my skill.

From School-boy's tongue no Rhet'ric we expect,

Nor yet a sweet Consort from broken strings,

Nor perfect beauty where's a main defect.

My foolish, broken, blemished Muse so sings,

And this to mend, alas, no Art is able,

'Cause Nature made it so irreparable. 

Nor can I, like that fluent sweet-tongued Greek

Who lisp'd at first, in future times speak plain.

By Art he gladly found what he did seek,

A full requital of his striving pain.

Art can do much, but this maxim's most sure:

A weak or wounded brain admits no cure. 

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, or else it was by chance. 

But sure the antique Greeks were far more mild,

Else of our Sex, why feigned they those nine

And poesy made Calliope's own child?

So 'mongst the rest they placed the Arts divine,

But this weak knot they will full soon untie.

The Greeks did sought but play the fools and lie. 

Let Greeks be 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.

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