LITR 5535: American Romanticism
Student Poetry Presentation 2005

Poetry Reader:  Robert Hoffman  

Anne Bradstreet "To My Dear and Loving Husband" 1678

Objective 1a: Romantic Spirit or Ideology

The Romantic writers emphasized the importance of human experience in understanding the world. They stressed the critical affections of intuitions, feelings, and emotions in creating reality for human beings. "To My Dear and Loving Husband" by Anne Bradstreet is a poem that conveys her profound feelings toward her husband. Her perception of their relationship is poetically idealistic when she boasts in line four "Compare with me, ye women, if you can". In reality, no loving relationship is perfect, but Bradstreet's lofty views about love transcend the mundane level of ordinary married couples. In addition, the last line of the poem exemplifies a visionary approach to their love. Bradstreet believes their love will continue after death when she says, "That when we live no more, we may live ever".

Objective 1b: The Romantic Period

Bradstreet wrote the poem "To My Dear and Loving Husband" in 1678 which is over one hundred years before the Romantic Era began. The era Bradstreet lived in is called The Age of Religion. However, traces and kernels of Romantic ideas and thoughts exist in this poem. Hints of an ideal conjugal relationship, a perfect husband, and the uniting of souls suggest Romantic spirit throughout this poem.

Objective 1c: Romantic Genres

The Romantic writers used traditional genres to impart their literary message.  The poetry of the Romantics mimics classical structures, rhyme schemes, and has systematic meter. This lyric genre conveys the cognitions and feelings of a woman who has an unconditional love for her husband. The poem and poetic structure is brief, but communicates the depth of her inner thoughts. The emotions expressed rise above traditional relationships by expressing two souls as one because of their loving relationship. Bradstreet uses the genre of poetry in an effective way to deemphasize the material aspect of life, and accentuate the importance of a deeply refined sensibility and the afterlife.

Questions for discussion

1. Even though "To My Dear and Loving Husband" is written in the Age of Religion, why can the reader find Romantic ideals within the poem?

2. How do Bradstreet's lyrics about love defy rationality, logic, and reason?

3. Why can't Bradstreet repay her husband for all of his love?

4. Why do you think Bradstreet exultingly boasts and vaunts their love? Being a Puritan lady, is it proper to do this?

5. The poem is titled "To My Dear and Loving Husband", but is the poem about her feelings or his feelings? Is she trying to convey they are one soul?

6. Does "To My Dear and Loving Husband" have a universal message? Is it a poem that only represents ideals of its time era, but has no other significance for modern times?

7. Discuss the structure of the poem. How is it similar to other Romantic poets?