Introduction: “The Flesh and the Spirit” and “For Deliverance from a Fever”
“The Flesh and the Spirit” and “For Deliverance from a Fever” by Bradstreet are similar in several ways in terms of style and theme. “The Flesh and the Spirit” was published in 1650. The poem is a dialogue between Flesh and Spirit, which Bradstreet depicts as two conflicting sisters. There is tension between these two facets of human nature, and in the poem, Bradstreet explores some of the most significant and omnipresent questions within the Puritan faith. The poem begins with Bradstreet wandering along the banks of Lacrim (a variation on the Latin word for tears, suggesting sorrow or grieving) and coming across the two sisters in heated conversation. In light of Puritan philosophy, it is clear which one of the sisters will “win” or have the metaphorical last word, but the conversation between the two raises some plausible scenarios surrounding faith. Flesh begins by asking her sister how she can subsist on examination and reflection alone. Flesh wonders if the lack of immediate results is debilitating. She also attempts to capture Spirit’s attention by pointing out various and wondrous material goods. She celebrates the pleasure of honor, wealth, precious stones – “enough of what you will.” Flesh, as critic Robert J. Richardson writes, “is not gross, disgusting, arousing, or careless.” Instead, her questions are probing and meaningful, as she is trying to mediate between the sinful self and the redeemed self – which are, as Bradstreet suggests, close kin (Ann, 12).
“For Deliverance from a Fever” is Bradstreet’s second exploration of illness after her first surviving poem, “Upon a Fit of Sickness.” Despite “Deliverance’s” strong Puritan themes, the content is highly relatable as readers can easily understand the agony of being afflicted with a terrible illness and wondering if the cause is that God is angry or displeased.
The poem begins with Bradstreet describing her pain. Her body is burning, she is sweating, filled with torment, and experiencing headaches. She tosses and turns, unable to find a physically comfortable position. Her mental anguish mirrors her physical suffering, creating intense turmoil within her soul. She fears that God is displeased with her because she can no longer find evidence of his favor. When Bradstreet speaks of “Proof,” it is likely that she is referring to the Puritan understanding of salvation. Puritans believed that one continually sought proof of his or her salvation, pursuing a conversion experience that clarified whether he or she had been saved. Those Puritans who underwent conversion experiences were known as “visible saints.” By lamenting her inability to discern “Prove,” Bradstreet suddenly begins to question the certainty of her salvation (Bradstreet et al., 10).
Differences: “The Flesh and the Spirit” and “For Deliverance from a Fever”
“For Deliverance from a Fever” in her troubled state, she calls upon God, requesting that He not avoid her. She says that exclusive He knows the genuine substance of her heart. She understands that if her body is not going recuperate, then her spirit should be spared. In the event that her body falls into clean, her spirit must be acquired before God His transcendence. This sort of point of view would have been soothing for Puritans, who trusted that their anguish on Earth was proposed to convey them nearer to God and reorient their attention on life following death. Luckily for Bradstreet, as she clarifies in the last eight lines, she recoups from her fever. God takes his “bar” from her and extras her “slight” body. He demonstrates her beauty and love, and she now offers acclaim to Him for recovering her body. Puritans acknowledged whatever difficulties occurred for them as a piece of God’s arrangement, and also, Bradstreet is diminished that God has conveyed her from her fever. Right on time in the ballad, she obviously communicates her dread of God’s dismay and promises to acknowledge her passing as a pathway to God’s greatness, she appears to be to a great degree assuaged to that He permits her to live. In this lyric, Anne Bradstreet uncovers her enthusiastic connection to her life on Earth, which is a typical subject in her work.
“The Flesh and the Spirit” continues with Soul speaking next, and her words are more grounded. Clearly, the conflict between the two will never be reconciled. Soul lashes out against her sister: “…For I have vowed (thus will do)/thee as an adversary still to seek after, / and battle with thee will and should/until I see thee laid into clean…” (17). Spirit does not take time to invalidate Flesh’s arguments but simply insists that her sister is wrong and deserving of condemnation. Soul claims to spend her time contemplating things beyond Flesh’s mental capacity and priggishly declares that she will be the victor.
Richardson notes “the crowned irony” in the second half of Spirit’s monologue, which is that “Soul describes Heaven in the very material terms she has just deplored.” She talks about her royal robes, precious stones, royal walls, and sparkling streams. Soul states that the allure of these things is not inherently wrong but that she prefers the eternal versions. The City where Spirit will eventually reside for eternity is free from “disease and sickness” and “darksome night,” but Flesh cannot go there. Soul typically “gets the last word” in the discussion between the two sisters, as it would have been unlikely that Bradstreet would have given the victory to Flesh. However, as with many of Bradstreet’s poems, the questions surrounding religion are not necessarily straightforward. “The Flesh and the Spirit” implies the inner conflicts that many Puritans faced.
Work Cited: “The Flesh and the Spirit” and “For Deliverance from a Fever”
- Bradstreet, Anne, and Jeannine Hensley. The Works of Anne Bradstreet. Cambridge, Mass: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 2011. Print.
- Stanford, Ann. Anne Bradstreet, the Worldly Puritan: An Introduction to Her Poetry. New York: B. Franklin, 2015. Print.
Relevant Questions: “The Flesh and the Spirit” and “For Deliverance from a Fever”
- Theme of Inner Conflict:
- Both poems, “The Flesh and the Spirit” and “For Deliverance from a Fever,” seem to explore inner conflicts, one involving spiritual aspects and the other dealing with physical suffering. How do the themes of inner conflict manifest in each poem, and how does Bradstreet use language and imagery to depict the struggles within the human experience, whether they be spiritual or physical?
- Puritan Influence and Theological Reflection:
- Considering that Anne Bradstreet was a Puritan, how do these poems reflect the Puritan beliefs and worldview? Analyze the poems in the context of Puritan theology, examining the portrayal of sin, salvation, and the relationship between the spiritual and physical aspects of human existence. How does the poet grapple with these theological concepts in her exploration of inner conflict and deliverance?
- Comparison of Poetic Devices:
- Compare and contrast the use of poetic devices in both poems. How does Bradstreet employ literary elements such as metaphor, imagery, and rhyme scheme to convey the themes of the poems? Consider the tone and style in each poem and how they contribute to the overall impact of the work. Additionally, analyze how the poetic devices differ in their application between the spiritual contemplation in “The Flesh and the Spirit” and the plea for deliverance in “For Deliverance from a Fever.”
