Torrin Heritage
Mrs.Staber
Honors English 2
30 January 2023
Justice and Mercy Fire and spiders and love oh my! These are all examples or early puritan writing. Early American history has a representation of Puritan culture with people who display differing ideas. Bradstreet and Edward represent early American priorities as illustrated through their distinct views on religion and their contrasting emotional appeals. The Puritan faith clearly has God as their main focus. But both authors express their view of God in distinct ways. Bradstreet presents a calming space where she believes God and religion are guiding her through life, marriage, troubles, and that she will be rewarded for accepting guidance. For example, in My Dear and Loving Husband
…show more content…
This shows she communicates with God through prayer giving evidence to her trust in Him. Likewise, in Burning House, Bradstreet uses fire to describe the all-consuming fire of hell, but she portrays God as personal and responsive as she cries out “I, starting up, the light did spy, And to my God my heart did cry To strengthen me in my distress And not to leave me succorless.” (Line 7). Here again she stresses her trust in God’s mercy (to strengthen her and not leave her). In his sermon, Edwards also uses the imagery of fire to describe hell but paints God as angry, “the God that holds you over the pit of hell, much as one holds a spider…abhors you and is easily provoked…” (126). As a pastor, his message was one that would provoke fear in his audience in the hope of inspiring a change of heart. In his concluding remarks, he did provide relief by adding …show more content…
Edwards' language could be described as frightening and threatening. He frequently repeats many words such as “hell” and “wrath” and uses personification to magnify his point such as “their damnation does not slumber; the pit is prepared, the fire is made ready, the furnace is now hot, ready to receive them”. He clearly set out to stir up fear and emotion in his audience by painting a picture of their tragic reality if they don’t respond. In contrast, Bradstreet uses softer, poetic language to describe the reality of hell (without using the word) but from a different point of view, that more of an on-looker to the wrath of God rather than a potential victim, “And when I could no longer look, I blest His name that gave and took.” (Line 13). In this, she also acknowledges that God has the authority to do as He chooses. Neither author questioned that God is just and has the power to show mercy. In her conclusion, Bradstreet claims the prize, “The world no longer let me love, my hope and treasure lies above.” (Line 53) This is in contrast to Edwards' sermon which left the decision to choose “the Kingdom of God”(129) yet to be