Anne Bradstreet's In Reference To Her Children
A Story of Eternal Love
Anne Bradstreet was perhaps the first established poet to voyage to the new world from England. In her poem “In Reference To Her Children”, expresses the love and sadness experienced throughout life raising her children and her devotion towards her everlasting reward.
Anne Bradstreet was very proud that she raised good children and instilled them with religious and moral values. Anne says, “I had eight birds hatched in one nest” (1). This infers that she might have raised her children mostly by herself. Bradstreet proves her pride and relentless efforts to raise good children when she states, “I nursed them up with pain and care, Nor cost, nor labour did I spare” (4). She’s trying to express her love for her children, even though sometimes it hurt her to use disciplinary action on them. She wanted to make sure that they grew up knowing that there are consequences for their actions.
During her poem Anne Bradstreet expresses her internal conflict with “empty nest syndrome.” “Chief of the brood then took his flight,” (7) suggests that …show more content…
“My mournful chirps I after send, till he return, or I do end,” (9) shows the beginning of her internal struggle with loneliness as she is awaiting his return. At this moment, Anne has realized that her children are now growing and beginning to move out of the “nest.” They are no longer dependent on her to survive. She is struggling to trust that they will survive in life with what she has taught them. Two of her children leave the “nest” for marriage. One “flew” to the academy to attend college. One “Is ‘mongst the shrubs and bushes flown,” (34) suggests that her fifth child became a forest ranger. With five of her children gone from home she felt as if part of her was missing, however she still had three children that remained in the
Anne Bradstreet was perhaps the first established poet to voyage to the new world from England. In her poem “In Reference To Her Children”, expresses the love and sadness experienced throughout life raising her children and her devotion towards her everlasting reward.
Anne Bradstreet was very proud that she raised good children and instilled them with religious and moral values. Anne says, “I had eight birds hatched in one nest” (1). This infers that she might have raised her children mostly by herself. Bradstreet proves her pride and relentless efforts to raise good children when she states, “I nursed them up with pain and care, Nor cost, nor labour did I spare” (4). She’s trying to express her love for her children, even though sometimes it hurt her to use disciplinary action on them. She wanted to make sure that they grew up knowing that there are consequences for their actions.
During her poem Anne Bradstreet expresses her internal conflict with “empty nest syndrome.” “Chief of the brood then took his flight,” (7) suggests that …show more content…
“My mournful chirps I after send, till he return, or I do end,” (9) shows the beginning of her internal struggle with loneliness as she is awaiting his return. At this moment, Anne has realized that her children are now growing and beginning to move out of the “nest.” They are no longer dependent on her to survive. She is struggling to trust that they will survive in life with what she has taught them. Two of her children leave the “nest” for marriage. One “flew” to the academy to attend college. One “Is ‘mongst the shrubs and bushes flown,” (34) suggests that her fifth child became a forest ranger. With five of her children gone from home she felt as if part of her was missing, however she still had three children that remained in the