puritans

Puritans are very religious. They have one main goal and that is to purify the English church. They wanted to establish a city on a hill. They believed that everyman should read the bible. They believe that people can only change through god and they believe in pre destination. They believe in theocracy, plainness, and simplicity. They dress simply their religion is simple and they life simple lives. Also, their art and culture are very simple. Their literature is also very simple. In Anne Bradstreet’s poem “Upon the Burning of Our House”, her house gets burned down and shes asking god to help her see the good in the situation. She is asking for strength and help. In the poem she is struggling with her puritan beliefs. She is very un-puritan in some parts of the poem. For example, “but yet sufficient for us left. When the ruins oft I pass. My sorrowing eyes aside did cast, and here and there the places spy where oft I sat and long did lie” Here she is struggling and you can see that because she looks away and can not stand to look at her burning house and belongings. Also another way she is un-puritan is that she is upset because all of her stuff is gone. Puritans are not materialistic and here she is. Especially when she says “My pleasant things in ashes lye and them behold no more shall I. Under thy roof no guest shall sit, Nor at thy Table eat a bit. No pleasant tale shall ‘ere be told, Nor things recounted done of old.” She can not stand losing her valuables. Many puritans do not mind losing valuables and she does. This poem is about her confusion towards her religion.