Topic > A Study of How Anne Bradstreet and John Winthrop Are Similar

Comparison of John Winthrop and Anne BradstreetBoth John Winthrop and Anne Bradstreet were both writers and settlers in the early colonies of America. Although both wrote about their lives in America, as well as the basic tenets of Protestantism, their writings differ in specific purpose on the topic of death. John Winthrop's speech to the first settlers aboard the Arbella is modeled on how they cannot die in the New World despite the obstacles that might be thrown at them. Anne Bradstreet, who wrote many years after the colonies were settled, wrote about how her life will be much better after she dies and hopefully she will go to heaven. Both writers still present core Protestant values ​​in their writings, but the way the two deal with the topic of death varies completely. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay In the writings of Winthrop and Bradstreet, there is a clear discrepancy in how the two handle death. John Winthrop and other members aboard the Arbella believed they were "The Chosen", a special group of people sent personally by God to the New World. In John Winthrop's speech, he tells the people on board the ship that their colony must survive, and never in his speech does he mention how their lives will be better once they die if one is predetermined to go to heaven, which is an ideology of principle of Protestantism. Although John Winthrop neglects the idea of ​​life after death, he does so on purpose to motivate his speech. “If we treat our God falsely in this work which we have undertaken, and thus compel him to withdraw from us his present help, we shall become a history and a byword in this world” (Pattern of Christianity 9). Winthrop declares that, no matter what, they must survive to establish this colony. Winthrop writes that he and the other Puritans aboard the ship cannot disappoint God because if they do God will disown them and they will not be able to go to heaven, which is contrary to other Protestant values, especially compared to Bradstreet's writings. Thirty years later Anne Bradstreet writes about the brevity of life and that if you die and believe you are on the bright side of predetermination, you will leave your life behind and start a better life in heaven. “That fearful sound of 'fire' and 'fire', to let man know is my desire” (Verses about the burning of our house). Bradstreet writes that she secretly wants to die and hopes that she is predetermined to go to heaven. In the poem, he conveys that if he has to die in a house fire, he knows it is God's doing and believes it is his time to go to heaven. The contrast between the idea of ​​death is completely different between the two authors. Winthrop's idea of ​​having to survive once the colony is established and tries to stay there for a long period of time. Once there is no longer a need to motivate people to live, this idea seems to disappear in favor of death to live a better life. Bradstreet and Winthrop both believe in the fundamental principle of starting a family. Winthrop states that it is essential to provide for one's family as he backs his speech to motivate the members aboard the Arbella. “A man must set aside for posterity, fathers must set aside for posterity and for their children, and he is worse than an infidel who does not provide for his own” (Model of Christian Charity 3). Winthrop expects passengers aboard the Arbella to start families, stay with their children and ensure they can survive into adulthood. This vision seems quite intense, but the message remains clear: the people on board.