Anne-Bradstreet-2

AnneBradstreet'spoemTheFleshandtheSpirit,revealsaninterestinginnerconflictinthelifeofaPuritanwomanintheNewWorld,aswellasinsightintoBradstreetandherowninternalconflictswithPuritanismandthewildernessofAmerica.BradsteetisconsideredarepresentativeoftheidealPuritanwifeandmother;herpoemsreflectthoseimagesaswellasgivetheopportunitytoquestionthem.TheFleshandtheSpiritisapoemaboutconflictversusresolution,evilversusgood,earthversusheaven,andweaknessversusfaith.ThevictorinthesePuritanpoemsisalwaysthemosthonest.BecausetheconflictisresolvedsotheSpiritovercomesovertheFlesh,Bradstreet'spoemisrepresentativeofthecharacteristicofthePuritanmorals.ThepoembeginswiththenarratorreferringtoherselfasI.Becausethepoemcontinuesinthefirstperson,asthenarratorisoverhearingaconversationtakingplace,thereaderisabletoassociatethisconversationwithonetakingplacewithintheauthor'smind.Theconceptofinnerconflictisalsoestablishedthroughthefirsttwolinesofthepoem,InsecretplacewhereonceIstood/ClosebythebanksofLacrimflood.Thisindicatesasecretplaceinthenarrator'sworldwhere,whetherphysicallyormentally,shedealswithaninnerconflictinatimeofhardship.InternalconflictandmoralresolutionareveryimportanttoPuritanbeliefofselfandfaith.BecauseBradstreetcomposedthispoemintheNewWorld,herstrenuousanddiscouraginglifewasconstantlybeingtestedwithPuritanidealswhilesheadjustedtohernewlife.Whilelisteningtothetwinsistersdebate,thenarratorhearsthevoiceofFleshfirst.NearlyeverythingFleshsaysisanessentialquestionofSpirit'sfaith.HerdesireforworldlywealthandvanityisthecauseforherconfusionwiththebeliefsofSpirit.HerfirstquestionregardsthelivelihoodofSpirit,whatliv'stthouon,/Nothingbutmeditation?(lines9-10).ThisquestionisparticularlyinterestinginthatinthecontextoftheNewWorld,muchquestioningandseparationoccursbetweenthenativesandthePuritansbywhattheyeat.Thesignificanceoffoodforsurvivalisparticularlyimportantbecausethecolonistswerestrugglingforthenecessities,andencounteredmanynewvarietiesoffood.WhenFleshreferstothefaithofSpiritasspeculation...withoutrealityshequestionstheideaofGodasawhole.FleshfurtherinsistsonarguringthebasisofreligiousfaithindescribingSpirit'squestforheavenasonewhichattemptstograspatshadows(lines13-20).Thisdebateofbelievingwhatcannotbeseencouldbefurtherconstruedinthecontextofcoloniallifeasbeingarepresentativeofthecolonizersbelievinginanewandabundantparadiseacrosstheocean.AfterbelievinginthefertilityandbeautyoftheNewWorld,Bradstreetasacolonistmayhavefeltmisguided.Lifeacrosstheoceanwasnotwhatshethoughtitwouldbe.Heaven,toFlesh,couldnotcontainmorerichesthanearth;herbeliefisconfirmedbybeingabletoseeandholdthewealth(lines30-34).WhereasSpiritisassuredoftheabundanceofluxuryavailableinheavenbysomethingsolelyspiritual.TheanswerstoFlesh'squestionscanonlybefoundthroughscripture;Spiritgoestoscripturefortheanswers.Spirit'srepliestoFleshcontainnoquestions;sheisconvincedofthepoweroftheFatherandheaventhroughthepresenceofhersettledheart(line38).Spiritonceagainrecognizestheirrelationshipastwinsfromasinglebeginning.Thisfurtherprovestheclaimthatthesesistersaretwosidestothenarrator'smind.SpiritthenadmitstohavingbeenaslavetotheFleshandtovanityanddeadlytrickery.Spiritsays,ThysinfulpleasuresIdohate,/Theyrichesaretomenobait(lines57-58).ThisisparticularlycontraryinthatthedescriptionofheavenSpiritusesoflargeamountsofvaluablegold,silver,andpearlygatespresentattheendofthepoemdefineveryearthlypleasures.SpiritstatesthathermorehonorablemomentwillbewhensheisabletobecompletelyvictoriousoverFlesh.Thissectionofthepoemisparticularlyinterestingalsointhecontextofthecolonialenvironment.“Whenthoumycaptiveshaltbeled,HowIdolive,thouneed'stnotscoff,ForIhavemeatthouknow'stnotof;ThehiddenmannaIdoeat,Thewordoflifeitismymeat””(lines64-68).Thewordsofcapture,culture,andmeatplayrolesinthephysicalrelationshipbetweenthePuritancolonistsandtheNativeAmericans.BradstreetmayhaveseenthenativesasridiculingthePuritansfortheircultureandtheirlackofabilitytoliveonthelandoftheNewWorld.Sheseesthenativesassurvivingwithmoreresources,butunderstandsthattheydonotacceptthattheFatheristheultimateprovider.TheselinesmayrefertohowBradstreetanswerstoherownquestionsaboutherlackoffoodandnecessitieswhencomparedwiththenon-Christian,devilishnatives.ThispassageisalsoameansofreplyingtoFlesh'squestionofwhattheSpiritliveson.Inthatcontext,itisapparentthattheSpiritdoesnotneedthemeatoftheland,butthemeatofGod.ThishungerhasbeensatisfiedthroughthereligiousfreedomallowedintheNewWorldandwillcontinuetobesatisfiedasSpiritwillriseabovetheearthwithherdeathandbeenrichedbyanEternalsubstance(line75).Anothersignificantaspectofthispoemisthatbothofthecharactersarewomen.TheFleshsisterisverymuchrepresentativeofthewaywomenareunderstoodinthistimeperiod:sheisunabletosatisfyherdesires,shedoesnotunderstandthescripture,shelongsforvanity.Spirit,however,isabletointerpretthescriptureandisafaithfulandthehighestcharacterintheworshipofherFather.TheonlymalecharactersintheentirepoemaretheFatherandAdam,boththecreativeforcesbehindthewomen,butnottheroutethroughwhichspiritualityisachieved.Thi