Analysis of Anne Bradstreet's Metaphor in 'Upon the Burning of Our House'

What does Anne Bradstreet compare to a house in her poem?

In Anne Bradstreet's poem 'Upon the Burning of Our House,' she uses a metaphor to compare a specific concept to a house. What is that concept?

Answer:

In the poem 'Upon the Burning of Our House,' Bradstreet uses the metaphor of a 'house' to signify our mortal life and material possessions, which she compares to the permanency and importance of spiritual life in heaven.

Anne Bradstreet, one of the most prominent early American poets, wrote the poem 'Upon the Burning of Our House' as a reflection on the loss of her physical home to fire. In this poem, she skillfully employs the metaphor of a 'house' to convey deeper meanings about life, material possessions, and spirituality.

Bradstreet's choice of comparing the physical house that burned down to our mortal lives and worldly possessions symbolizes the impermanence and fleeting nature of physical things. She contrasts the temporary nature of material wealth and belongings with the eternal significance of spiritual life in heaven. By using this metaphor, Bradstreet emphasizes the transitory nature of earthly goods and the enduring value of spiritual treasures.

Lines such as 'Adieu, Adieu, all's vanity' and 'The world no longer let me love, / My hope and treasure lies above' underscore Bradstreet's detachment from worldly concerns and her focus on spiritual values. The description of the 'house on high erect' serves as a powerful symbol of a heavenly dwelling untouched by earthly disasters.

Overall, Bradstreet's metaphor of the 'house' in the poem 'Upon the Burning of Our House' conveys profound insights into the contrast between the material and the spiritual, urging readers to contemplate the true essence of life and the importance of focusing on eternal values.