Essay Questions

Michael Wigglesworth often discusses the concept of the Christian afterlife in his poetry. What message does he want to convey with this imagery?

His usage of the concept of eternity is meant to persuade the audience to follow a specific set of rules. As a Puritan minister, he wants to convince his audience that the Puritan rules are the only acceptable ones, as only these will get you into paradise. He uses the concept of the afterlife, of eternity in heaven, as a lure. He contrasts the time spent in eternity with the human life span, stating that the latter is way too short to risk the former with any sinful action. His descriptions of heaven and, for those that do not follow his rule, hell are less graphic than with other writers of his time, but the core believe is the same. Sin and a life dedicated to anything but Christ will end up in hell. Wigglesworth tries his best to avoid that fate for as many of his audience as possible.

The poem "To the Christian Reader" has a different theme than most other Wigglesworth poetry. What is the theme and how does it differ from his usual work?

While most of his poetry talks about the concept of the afterlife and how the avoidance of sin can get you there, this poem has a different theme. It reads like a defense of the narrator's actions. Wigglesworth uses this poem to explain some shortcoming on his side. It is not completely clear what happened, but the poem reads as if the intended audience knows what happened. It is safe to assume that the narrator of the poem has some sort of accident when trying to convert new people to his faith and is therefore unable to fully fulfill his duty as a minister. This has resulted in some criticism. Wigglesworth now writes to explain his position and through the voice of the narrator shows that the true injury is in his failure to commit fully to his duties.

Michael Wigglesworth was a Puritan minister. How is the Puritan believe system reflected in his poetry?

The Puritan believe system is the core element of Michael Wigglesworth's poetry. His poems solely focus on the concepts of afterlife, sin in this world and the life of a proper Christian. The tone, while having some admonishing elements, makes it seem as if the narrator of each poem is truly concerned with the spiritual wellbeing of the audience. Each poem can be read as a lyrical sermon that is meant to convey the message of Christ. The Puritan lifestyle of Michael Wigglesworth is such a big influence on his poetry that no other topics but those related to his profession can be found within the poems.