Prologue

Fiction | Poem | Adult | Published in 1650

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Summary

Background

Poem Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Literary Devices

Symbols & Motifs

Demosthenes

In stanza four, Bradstreet notes that she cannot be “like that fluent sweet-tongued Greek / Who lisp’d at first, in future times speak plain” (Lines 19-20), which is a reference to Demosthenes, an ancient Greek orator. As a young man, Demosthenes isolated himself due to a speech impediment that caused him to be bullied. Furthermore, when his guardians tried to steal his funds and lands, he could not argue against them—another drawback of non-fluid speech. As legend has it, Demosthenes then retreated to a private underground abode, where he practiced a disciplined routine, working on his diction, voice, and gestures until he achieved a sophisticated persona. Eventually, he won his case against his guardians and became a professional litigator and orator. Scholars commended his natural, accessible speech and his ability to strike a balance between common language and complicated concepts. Finding eloquence is a repeated concern for Bradstreet throughout her poetry, while balance is a recurrent theme. For Bradstreet, Demosthenes is a figure worthy of admiration since, although he faced a seemingly insurmountable obstacle, he did not have “a weak or wounded brain [that] admits no cure” (Line 24).

Calliope and the Muses

In ancient Greek mythology, nine goddesses called Muses preside over literature, history, science, and the arts and bestow inspiration upon favored mortals. Calliope, the Muse of eloquence and epic poetry, was considered the greatest among them because epic verse was considered the greatest literary art form. Her name comes from combining the Greek words kallos (beautiful) and ops (voice). Bradstreet uses Calliope in her argument that since the Greeks revered women, and made Calliope a woman, women in Bradstreet’s own time should be revered, too. In her opinion, “the antique Greeks were far more mild” (Line 31) and supportive of women in the arts—for example, by praising Sappho, a woman poet. While Bradstreet suggests that the ancient Greek approach is better than that of her contemporaries, she accedes to “let Greeks be Greeks, and Women what they are” (Line 37)—i.e., men’s inferiors. Nevertheless, calling on a female goddess who previously inspired such notable Western poets as Homer and Virgil for support is a mark of brave self-assurance. Of further note, by titling her collection The Tenth Muse, Lately Sprung Up in America, Bradstreet calls herself an additional Muse to the Greek nine, positioning herself as a fitting inheritor of this literary legacy and demanding that readers hear her voice and grant “some small acknowledgement” (Line 42) to its merit.

Thyme and Parsley

Near the end of the poem, Bradstreet seemingly rejects wanting laurels for her work: “I ask no Bays” (Line 46). Laurel wreaths, made of bay leaves, were used by the ancient Greeks to crown illustrious poets or military heroes. Bradstreet implies that this kind of ceremonious award is not necessary for her humble poems. However, she notes that she wouldn’t mind a “thyme or Parsley wreath” (Line 46). The choice of these two herbs is significant in several ways. First, both are commonly used in cooking, which suggests Bradstreet’s familiarity with her domestic tasks. Yet, because she was also supremely well-read, Bradstreet likely knew that parsley wreaths were bestowed on victors in Greek games that memorialized the dead. The Greeks also saw thyme as symbolic of courage and sacrifice and used it as an emblem on generals’ togas. This shows that while laurel wreaths were perhaps the most laudatory gift, the other wreaths represented praise as well. Both herbs were also rumored to be able to draw out bitter or melancholic feelings and were used medicinally. Bradstreet implies that if given them, any bitterness for not being as good a poet as Virgil, du Bartas, or another man might be drawn away. Finally, in English folklore, both herbs are tied to pregnancy (parsley was believed to help with fertility, and thyme assisted during childbirth), which may indicate Bradstreet’s role as a creator of art, with the poems acting as children.