Puritans and Possessions

Think about the major Puritan belies as you re-read this poem. What philosophical beliefs about God and the purpose of human life are reflected in Bradstreet’s poem?


In the poem, Anne Bradstreet described how she felt when her house burned down and how she reminded herself that she shouldn’t be sad about it. For Puritans, they believed that they should be grateful for things that god gives them. “It was His own, it was not mine”. The puritans believed that God have all rights to take away or give them things. Although she was sad that all her precious books and material possessions were destroyed and burnt in the fire, she chided herself that she shouldn’t care so much about earthly things because all the great thing are actually high above in the haven, as she described in her poem “My hope and treasure lies above.” By thinking this way, Bradstreet can easily move on in her life that she can restart despite losing all her previous possessions. Puritan believed that what is important is keeping the bond between God and put hopes and treasure high above in heaven. She treasured the time when she enjoyed possessing and using god’s gift for a period of time in her life.