Rowlandson and Bradsteet

Right off the bat in Rowlandson’s writing there is a reference to the bible, “Come, behold the house of the Lord, what desolation he has made in the earth. Psalms 46:8 (Rowlandson 82)” There is also the mention of Job of the bible. There are so many reoccurring times in this work that the providence of God or the grace of God is revealed. After she had been captured by the Indians she said there was no way she could describe the emotions she was dealing with. Then she makes the statement, “but God was with me in a wonderful manner (Rowlandson 83).” Here she is saying that even through all of her suffering and emotions she was struggling with, God was there to help her get through it. After Mary and her child are captured, Mary’s child dies. Instead of doing something harmful to herself like taking her own life she says it was because of God she was still alive, “I have thought since of the wonderful goodness of God to me, in preserving me (Rowlandson 83).” So because of what God has done to preserve her she is still alive. After spending time in her captivity she learned that her son was alive and well and coming to her. Once they were reunited and living together once more, she noticed that he was sleeping very well. Mary asked him how he could sleep so well, and he replied that he was praying and not sleeping. She then writes this, “I pray God he may remember these things, now he is returned to safety (Rowlandson 84).” All of these references to God and prayer are all characteristics of Puritan writing.

Bradstreet’s work Upon the Burning of Our House is about the burning of her house and the way that she responds to it. In the sixteenth verse she says, “I blest his name that gave and took (Bradstreet 91).” That is a reference to God, and a bible passage Job 1:21 which says, “He who gives also takes away().” He is referring to God. This is a remarkable statement to make considering her house had just been burnt to the ground. What she is saying here is that even though she has just lost everything she will still praise God for what he has given to her. If God has given her a house can he not also take it away? It was such a remarkable example of the Puritan faith when she said that. She also says, “alls vanity (Bradstreet 91).” What she is saying is that everything that she had was extra, a blessing from God. She did not need those things, but she had them because of God’s grace. Then she says something simply beautiful about salvation, “And did thy wealth on earth abide (Bradstreet)?” That was simply amazing the way she said that. Nothing that you have here on earth will last so it did not matter that she did not have the material things anymore because her treasure lied in heaven.