Symbols, Imagery, Wordplay
Speaker
Imagine a woman you've known all your life has just gotten married. You were at the wedding, and you could tell she was really happy. Well, now it's a few days later, and she's still glowing. You s...
Setting
We really don't get any clues for the setting of the poem. In our "Sound Check," we suggested that these sound like wedding vows, but we feel like our lady isn't writing this (or reading it) at our...
Sound Check
Sometimes at weddings the bride and groom write their own vows. Frequently, people say things like "my dear Amelia, you are my everything" or "my beloved Bill, I can't imagine myself going through...
What's Up With the Title?
"To My Dear and Loving Husband" is exactly that: a poem addressed to Anne Bradstreet's "dear and loving husband." This is actually, however, a very neat title. The word "dear" refers to the speaker...
Calling Card
Anne Bradstreet really loved her husband. She loved him so much that she wrote several poems about him. In addition to "To My Dear and Loving Husband," there is "A Letter to Her Husband Absent Upon...
Tough-o-Meter
"To My Dear and Loving Husband" is a pretty straightforward poem. Often, words are left out (the second halves of the first two lines come to mind) and sometimes the claims seem strange (especially...
Trivia
Anne Bradstreet's father was instrumental in the founding of Harvard University. He signed the charter for the school while governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Now we see where Anne gets her...
Steaminess Rating
"To My Dear and Loving Husband" is all about love and passion, but it's not a sexual passion (maybe it is, but she doesn't talk about it). The poem's religious bent (see "Religion") would make anyt...
Allusions
The Book of Genesis (1-4)Simon Bradstreet, husband to the poet (throughout)