Julie Borrego
English 48a
Journal for Anne Bradstreet


"I have had great experience of God's hearing my prayers and returning comfortable answers to me, either in granting the thing I prayed for, or else in satisfying my mind without."

"This was written in much sickness and weakness, and is very weakley and imperfectly done, but if you pick any benefit out of it, it is the mark which I aimed at."







Summary: I thought this line was so well written, that God does hot alway answer your prayers but he will help you realize that you didn't need them answered.

I found it interesting that in her letter to her children she did not, tell them how much she loved them just spoke of her religion and how to be a good christian. Her poetry was so much more filled with emotion than the letter she wrote her children on her death bed.


When I think of puritans I think of unhappy people not capable of smiling. They were afraid of all feelings and did not acknowledge them, but that is really all I knew of them or thought I knew.

Bradstreet opened my eyes to the puritans as people. Her poetry is beautiful and so very honest.

After I read Bradstreet, I was so surprised to read how much she loved her Husband and how honest she was regarding her fears of childbirth. I didn’t know that puritans even expressed their love.

Her poetry put a more of human perspective on puritan women for me. They had fears and hopes. Loved their children and husband.

But that is really all I can say, she wrote beautiful poetry. I have to say that it was not moving or filled me with emotion.