Anne Bradstreet: Prologue Study Questions

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.
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Anne Bradstreet: Prologue
Summary & Analysis
Prologue as a Lyric Poem

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

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.

Next: Summary & Analysis