Bradstreets Poems example essay topic

It is important as well as very crucial to compare Bradstreets works and doings to those of another female poet who received high recognition and fame in the literature world as well, Frances Osgood. On the one hand, this poets task of defending women's rights was much easier than the responsibility that was put on Bradstreet many years ago. On the other side, no significant improvement could be observed in the general state of feminist ic movement since 1600-s to the mid-nineteenth century. Thats why Osgood had a lot to do and make in order to alter common public opinion about women's place in the society. Many critics believe that Lines was created in response to the Bill for the Protection of Womens Rights that was passed in New York at that time. In this poem she conveys a message that females have much more intangible assets that need to be protected and secured than merely the material goods that men are so proud to announce guarding.

Ye make our gold and lands secure; Maybe you do not know, That we have other property, Wed rather not forego. There are such things in woman's heart, As fancies, tastes, affections; Are no encroachments made on these? Do they need no protections? (Lines 9-16, Page 2715).

As one notices, Osgood sees kind and subtle nature of women that should be cared about and protected from various mishaps. On the contrary to Bradstreet, this poet concentrates on depicting the feelings of love, romance, and passion. Although Anne illustrated all of these aspects in her writings too, she was not able to fully concentrate on showing the true or wanted women's role in the society because of her puritan background as well as period of time she lived at. Bradstreets poems are very often harsh and bitter because the author was too concentrated on keeping her thoughts and ideas alive. Such condition was possible only if she put lots of effort and strength in her doings.

If she wrote soft and easy (meaning her most prominent and striking feminist ic poetry), she would never be able to reach the desired heights because the critics would simply not allow the poems to be published. Thats why the strong and even somewhat appeal-less style, which was accompanied by the profound knowledge of God (represented in numerous puritan poems) enabled Bradstreet to gradually receive approval of the general public and permission to distribute her writings. Osgood style and manner of writing largely differed from the one of Anne because of the number of socio-cultural aspects involved in the situation. Frances lived couple of hundred years later, and therefore had dissimilar ideas and thoughts generated in her mind. She concentrated on disclosing and showing the subtle side of the females nature. This person was strongly persuaded that women are kind and beautiful creatures that can attract everybody not only using their physical characteristics.

Osgood was strongly opposed to the general notion that women have merely the gorgeous appearance that makes men pay attention to them. On the contrary, this poet wrote about the various creative abilities that could be found in women of those days. Females are not only for pleasure and entertainment of men. Women can be doctors and lawyers because they have enough potential to perform such operations at the level, which can even be higher than that of men with similar responsibilities.

To continue, Osgood had to go through some hard times, but she never gave up or rejected her words. In her poem The Woman, author discuses the status of females in the mid-nineteenth century. No longer then the toy, the doll, the slave, But frank, heroic, beautiful, and brave, She rises, radiant in immortal youth, And wildly pleads for Freedom and for Truth! (Lines 31-34) I plead not that she share each sterner task; The cold reformers know not what they ask; I only seek for our transplanted fay, That she may have- in all fair ways- her way! (Lines 47-50).

As one can conclude from this poem, Osgood tries to prove that females are no longer dolls or slaves that have no opinion or frank thought about the subject. No, they are the representatives of the society and should be given equal rights and fare choices to decide and choose what is better for themselves. Frances, similarly to Bradstreet believes in the future of feminist ic movement because women are those who bring life and order to this world. They can not only prolong the living on the whole planet; they can not only pacify the angry men when they decide to start another war; they also are capable of occupying the highest positions in the society because women's mind and reasoning is surely not worse (if not better) than the similar one of men who claim to occupy the only important and notable place in this world that is supported and carried by women.