Edward Taylor

 Puritan Minister
 Like Bradstreet, wrote poetry for self reflection
 Also wrote to instruct congregation in Puritan
values
 Never published, just shared with friends and
community
 “Huswifery”
 Tablework—Read thru the poem and get the following in
your notes
 Stanza 1: What is the speaker asking God to do to him/her?
What will he/she produce in this stanza?
 Paraphrase the stanza
 Stanza 2: What is the speaker asking God to make him or her?
What will he or she produce in this stanza?
 Paraphrase the stanza
 Stanza 3: What is the speaker asking God to do in this stanza?
What is the final result of the work of stanzas 1 and 2
 Theme: What message is Taylor trying to send to Puritan women
through this poem?
 What is the Rhyme Scheme of the poem?
 What is the meter of the poem?
 “Huswifery”
 Definition: the business of a housewife; female
domestic economy and skill
 Compares the household task of making clothing
with the gift of God’s salvation.
 This extended metaphor expresses Edward Taylor’s
deep belief in God and celebrates the divine presence in
daily life.
 The poem is like a prayer imploring God to guide the
speaker to do God’s will.
 By submitting to God’s will, the speaker hopes to
achieve eternal salvation.
 “Huswifery” Analysis
 Extended Metaphor/Conceit (an extended metaphor
that covers the entire poem)
 Speaker compares herself to
 spinning wheel to yarn to loom to cloth to holy robes
 represent steps the speaker hopes she can follow in life to glorify God
and to achieve a state of grace.
 Theme: What message is Taylor trying to send to
Puritan women through this poem?
 That every aspect of their daily like should revolve around
glorifying God and preparing themselves for salvation
 Rhyme Scheme: ababcc/dedeff/ghghii
 Meter: Iambic Pentameter
 “Huswifery” Copy Change
 Now, try your hand at poetry.
 Consider some activity you love to do
 Playing video games
 Talking/Texting/Tweeting using your cell
 Watching tv and chilling
 Break the activity down into its component parts
 The tv, the controllers, the game disc
 Plug in the components into the copy change template