Bring on the tough stuff - there’s not just one right answer.
- Why does the speaker judge her work so harshly? Do you think Bradstreet felt this way about her poems, or is this just a posture? Why do you think so?
- Do you get sick of the constant, “my book isn’t good enough” routine? Do you think the speaker intended you to feel that way? Why or why not?
- What’s with the no-father business? If you had to guess, who might the “father” of the book be?
- The speaker compares her book to a child. What effect does this have? What does it say about the book, other than the fact that the speaker is its mother?
- What is the effect of the poem’s strict rhyme and meter (heroic couplets)? Does it make the poem boring, tedious, fun? Why?
- What does this poem say about female authorship in general, if anything?