The Author to Her Book
By: Anne Bradstreet
Megan Mes
2nd Period
Thou ill- formed offspring of my feeble brain,
Who after birth didst by my side remain
Till snatched from thence by friends, less wise than true,
Who thee abroad, exposed to public view
I washed my face, but more defects I saw,
And rubbing off a spot still made a flaw.
In critic’s hands beware thou dost not come,
And take thy way where yet thou art not known
And for thy mother,
she alas is poor
Which caused her to send thee out of door
Thematic Analysis
Anne Bradstreet wrote “The Author to Her Book” in 1666 in response to the unknown publication of her poems she had written when she was young in order to please her father. Her brother-in-law, John Woodbridge to the manuscript of her poetry to London and thus The Tenth Muse was created. In “The Author to Her Book”, Bradstreet refers to her poetry as a child not yet ready to face the world. She is embarrassed of the “blemishes” that are her unfinished work but understands that she must make the most out of the circumstances. Bradstreet closes the poem with ambition and high hopes that her poems will be successful in America. This poem was added when the 2nd edition of her work was contemplated.
Connections
“The Author to Her Book” is a direct response to the main event in Anne Bradstreet’s life that got her famous. Without her brother-in-law publishing her work, no one would have ever known the genius of her poetry.