The Poem: To My Dear and Loving Husband

Introduction

“To My Dear and Loving Husband” is essentially a love letter written by Anne Bradstreet to her husband. This poem is written in the genre-name form by content, it would look something like this: “Bradstreet: love letter.” Anne Bradstreet expressed her unconditional love and affection for her husband in the poem. She has made a point highlight her husband about her love and devotion as opposed to duty that leaves several questions in the mind of Puritan lifestyle of her time. There are three areas in which the poem will be criticized that are gender/feminist, cultural and Marxist criticism. As Bradstreet has conveyed the message through different perspectives, which can be interpreted differently by using imagery, repetition, and paradoxes, the poem will be elaborated in different ways (www.vcu.edu/).

Discussion

To My Dear and Loving Husband cues a lot of the poems that used to write in Valentine cards: “Roses are red, violets are blue, sugar is sweet; so are you”. One reason why the “Roses are red” poem is so easy to remember is because of the rhyme scheme: ABCB. Bradstreet's poem also uses rhyme scheme (a different form than ABCB) which connects the stanzas. Bradstreet employs a similar rhyme scheme. The rhyme scheme for Bradstreet's poem looks like this: AABBCCDEFFGG. She pairs the lines up. When reading the poem aloud, it allows the meaning of the first line to flow into the second line because of the exterior rhyming.

Analysis

The exterior rhyme scheme is obvious, and it was the first component of this poem that has been recognized. When going through this poem for the third time, a person can notice the first two lines were striking. By using paradox, Bradstreet shows the reader what love is like: “If two were one, then surely we.” It even occurs in the second line: “If ever man were loved by wife, then thee.” Then later in lines 5, 6, and 7, we see how much the poet loves her husband; Bradstreet uses hyperbole: “I prize thy love more than whole mines of gold, Or all the riches that the East doth hold. My love is such that rivers cannot quench,” She uses another hyperbole in line By using paradoxical and hyperbolic statements, Bradstreet is showing the reader how much she really loves her husband.

Although the use of rhyme scheme, paradox, and hyperbole are imperative in making this ...