Ep 6. The Language of the Brag and the Desires of Mothers to Please Others in Letters

Poetry in American Season 3 episode 6, titled "The Language of the Brag and the Desires of Mothers to Please Others in Letters," explores the complexities of communication, gender roles, and motherhood through poetry. Host and Harvard scholar Elisa New leads a discussion with guests about two 17th-century poems: "The Language of the Brag" by American poet Anne Bradstreet and "To My Dear and Loving Husband" by English poet Anne Bradstreet.

In "The Language of the Brag," Anne Bradstreet asserts her own worth and accomplishments as a woman and a writer in a male-dominated society. The poem challenges traditional gender roles and expectations, presenting a female voice that speaks to the struggles of self-expression and autonomy in a world that denigrates women's achievements. The guests on the show will analyze the poem's language, exploring how Bradstreet uses literary devices to assert her own power and language to overcome the constraints of gender and social norms.

In "To My Dear and Loving Husband," Anne Bradstreet speaks of the deep love and passion she has for her husband, and her desire to please him through her writing. The poem, filled with religious imagery and declarations of everlasting love, displays the tension between personal desires and social expectations of a woman in the 17th century. Through a close reading of the poem, the guests on the show will examine Bradstreet's use of language to express her love, and how these expressions were seen as transgressive at the time.

The episode also delves into the role of motherhood and the expectations placed on mothers to please others. Using letters from women to their children and loved ones, the show explores the struggles and pressures of maternal relationships and how they are expressed in poetry. Elisa New and her guests will discuss the language of these letters, examining the ways in which they reflect the desires of mothers to achieve social norms and expectations.

Overall, the episode provides a sophisticated analysis of language, gender roles, and motherhood as expressed in poetry. Through a close reading of two 17th-century poems, the show explores how language can be used to challenge social norms and expectations, and provides an insightful look at the complexities of personal desires in relation to societal norms. Fans of poetry or anyone interested in how language reflects and shapes cultural expectations will find this episode engaging and thought-provoking.