Figurative Language
Language that communicates ideas beyond the literal meaning of words.
Metaphor
a figure of speech that compares two things that have something in common
Extended Metaphor
a type of metaphor that compares two things at some length and in various ways
Personification
a figure of speech in which an object, animal, or idea is given human characteristics
Hyperbole
a figure of speech in which the truth is exaggerated for emphasis or humorous effect
Allusion
An indirect reference to a person, place, event or literary work with which the author believes the reader will be familiar
Archaic Language
words that were once in common use but that are now considered old-fashioned or out-of-date
Inverted Syntax
a reversal in the expected order of words
Who is the author of the poem,"Huswifery"?
Edward Taylor
What was Edward Taylor?
He was a Puritan minister.
Was Edward Taylor a well known writer of his time?
No. He was not know as writer or poet until 1920's, when someone found an old trunk in an old family home with poetry written by Edward Taylor. The family took the writings to a publisher and found out he was a better poet of this time period.
What is the poem, "Huswifery" about?
turning wool to cloth
How is the author setting things up in the poem, "Huswifery"?
...
What does "Huswifery" mean?
housekeeping
What housekeeping activity is being described in lines 1-6?
spinning a wheel to make yarn
What extended metaphor does Taylor use throughout the poem to express his relationship to God?
comparing the transformation of wool to cloth
The speaker in Taylor's "Huswifery" compares himself to a loom. Who or what is compared to the weaver?
God
How do the "hold robes for glory" mentioned in line 18 of "Huswifery" complete the poem's extended metaphor?
In other words, he has done his best, followed the Lord all his life, and now he is ready to be taken to his eternal reward in Heaven.
What do the poems by Bradstreet and Taylor have in common?
Strong faith that characterizes Puritans
What distinguishes one poet's work from the other's?
...
In lines 5-7 of "To My Dear and Loving Husband", how does the poet use hyperbole to emphasize her feelings for her husband?
To emphasize her husband's love, she exaggerates it by saying it is more prized than gold and riches, cannot be "quenched" by a river, or cannot be repaid.
Use conventional word order to restate the inverted syntax in lines 11-12. What relationship do the lines suggest between earthly love and eternal life?
staying true to loving each other on earth will lead to eternal life
In "Upon the Burning of Our House", How does the poet use contrast to convey a sense of fear in lines 1-6?
She contrasts silent night and sleep with shrieks of "Fire!"
How does the biblical allusion in the word "dust" express the poem's theme?
material goods are not as important as spiritual goods and everything is temporary and meaningless
In lines 43-48, what two things does Bradstreet compare in the metaphor in these lines?
a temporary earthly home to an eternal home in heaven
Bradstreet uses hyperbole in the first four lines of "To My Dear and Loving Husband" to exaggerate the truth that...
she and her husband love each other
Clarify the meaning of line 8 from "To My Dear and Loving Husband." Which sentence restates the line?
Nothing by your love can repay me for my love.
The speaker of "To My Dear and Loving Husband" shows her faith in God when she...
prays that Heaven will reward their love
The speaker of "Upon the Burning of Our House" learns of the fire when...
she wakes up during the night and hears people screaming.
What does the personification in lines 8-10 of "Upon the Burning of Our House" reveal about the speaker?
She prays to God in times of trouble.
Which line from "Upon the Burning of Our House" indicates that the speaker misses her home after it burns down?
"There lay that store I counted best"