Anne Bradstreet: Poems Lesson Plan

What do these poems show about the nature of Bradstreet's faith in God? Since she believes God ordains everything her life, how does she react when she experiences hardship and sorrow?

These poems focus on difficult subjects: the death of an infant grandchild, the burning of a home, the dangerous journey of a beloved husband, the experience of a debilitating fever. Through all of these events, Bradstreet's essential refrain is, "yet He is good." When her grandson dies, she certainly expresses grief, yet she advises against questioning God's will. She believes that even the tragic death of an infant can fit into God's overall good plan for her life. She does not know the...