22 pages • 44-minute read
The Flesh and the Spirit
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Further Reading & Resources
Related Poems
“Contemplations” by Anne Bradstreet (1678)
This is one of Bradstreet’s most admired poems; it explores themes similar to those of “The Flesh and the Spirit.” The speaker loves the beauty of the world, which is so great that some have worshipped it: If the sun is so majestic, how much more so must its creator be. She contemplates the sorrows of human life in a sinful world, and states that it is foolish to mistake this world for heaven. Refuting the case made by Flesh in “The Flesh and the Spirit,” the speaker states that even famous people (like kings) are forgotten, in spite of the monuments built in their name.
“As Weary Pilgrim” by Anne Bradstreet (written 1669, published 1867)
This poem was not published until nearly two centuries after Bradstreet’s death. Its speaker compares herself to a weary pilgrim; she is old and weighed down with cares and sorrow. She longs for the time, not far off, when she will be at rest in heaven, raised up by Christ—longing that echoes Spirit’s desire for the holy city in “The Flesh and the Spirit.”
“The Vanity of all Worldly Things” by Anne Bradstreet (1678)
Bradstreet sounds what for her is a familiar theme. Nothing in the world can bring a person what they need and desire; everything is transient, and people’s fortunes are always changing. A man can be a king one minute and a prisoner the next. Riches lead only to anxiety and distress and can be lost. The only hope is to possess faith and thus ensure an eternal life free from care.
Further Literary Resources
“Anne Bradstreet” by Poetry Foundation (n.d.)
This introduction to Bradstreet’s life and poetry discusses her principal issues of sin and redemption, death and immortality. The article suggests that she had difficulty in reconciling her enjoyment of the world and her family with her perceived need to focus on the spiritual life and her future heavenly reward: “As a Puritan she struggled to subdue her attachment to the world, but as a woman she sometimes felt more strongly connected to her husband, children, and community than to God.”
“From Hierarchy to Balance: Anne Bradstreet's Union of Renaissance and Puritan Influences” by Christy Shannon (2000).
In this master’s thesis from Eastern Illinois University, Shannon argues that Bradstreet had to struggle to affirm her Puritan faith, and this is a recurring theme in her writings. On “The Flesh and the Spirit,” Shannon states, “The victory of Spirit over Flesh seems half-hearted and unconvincing, not based on stronger arguments or rhetoric, but rather on Bradstreet's compliance with the Puritan faith” (19).
Anne Bradstreet: Pilgrim & Poet by Faith Cook (2010)
This is a concise biography by a Christian writer. Cook traces Bradstreet’s life from her early days in England to her later experience of raising eight children in Puritan New England. Bradstreet maintained her faith throughout the challenges faced by the early colonists in a harsh and often uncertain environment. The book has many photographs and illustrations.
Listen to Poem
VonClegg Classics reads “The Flesh and the Spirit” by Anne Bradstreet
An audio recording of “The Flesh and the Spirit” is available on YouTube, uploaded by VonClegg Classics.
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