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George Roddy

Ms. Storer

English 3 Honors American Literature

September 4, 2019

When Two are One

As American businessman Joseph Wirthlin once said, “true love lasts forever.” In the

literary work of “To My Dear and Loving Husband”, Anne Bradstreet displays her great love for

her husband in a very poetic form. Anne Bradstreet’s purpose in writing “To My Dear and

Loving Husband” is to convey how much she loves and values her husband by using the literary

devices of metaphor, personification, and tone.

Anne Bradstreet’s use of metaphors portrays the gratitude and appreciation she has for

her husband. Bradstreet states to her husband, “I prize thy love more than whole mines of gold”

(Bradstreet 5). Bradstreet relates the human sensation of love with tangible assets, such as gold

mines. To Bradstreet, having her husband is more valuable than being rich. Just as one

experiences euphoria for possessing great wealth, she cherishes even more the loving feeling she

has for her husband. Bradstreet later uses a metaphor to describe the relationship between her

and her husband when she states, “Nor ought but love from thee, give recompense” (Bradstreet

8). Bradstreet relates the love from her husband to repayment for services rendered. She feels

that she has been given so much from her husband, in the form of love, that she cannot give back

equivalent value of what he has given to her. In both lines, Bradstreet effectively conveys her

love towards her husband using metaphors.

Anne Bradstreet also uses personification to express the value her husband has in her life.

When comparing her husband to precious objects, she states, “or all the riches that the East doth
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hold” (Bradstreet 6). Bradstreet gives human characteristics to a wealthy geographical area in

the form of holding items, such as precious metals, as if the region has arms and hands. In doing

so, she compares her immense love for her husband in the form of monetary wealth. Bradstreet

continues to state, “My love is such that rivers cannot quench” (Bradstreet 7). Bradstreet

compares love to insatiable thirst in this line. Just as abundance of water cannot satisfy a deep

thirst, neither can any circumstance or event eliminate her deep love for her husband. Through

both lines, it is evident, through personification, that Bradstreet adores and cares for her husband.

In addition to using metaphors and personification, Bradstreet expresses her love through

her positive and optimistic tone. Near the end of her poem, Bradstreet exclaims “then while we

live, in love let’s so persevere” (Bradstreet 11). Bradstreet expresses her optimism in this line by

indicating she and her husband will endure through negative times. She feels that during the

most severe hardship, their intense love for each other will ease the suffering. Bradstreet

continues her positivity in the last line when she states, “that when we live no more, we may live

ever” (Bradstreet 12). Bradstreet displays her optimistic feeling that she and her husband will be

the standard of true love. She believes they have a meaningful and purposeful life. She also

hopes their legacy serves as an example for others to know how to live happily. The last two

lines in Bradstreet’s poem depict the positive spirit she has when it comes to the relationship

between her and her husband.

“To My Dear and Loving Husband” is a profound poem which speaks volumes for the

loving relationship between the author and her husband. Anne Bradstreet uses the literary

devices of metaphor, personification, and tone to describe the deep love she has for her husband.

In reading “To My Dear and Loving Husband,” one can reflect on how future generations would
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be better off if children grew up in households with parents who love each other like the two in

this poem.
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Works Cited

Bradstreet, Anne. “To My Dear and Loving Husband.” Glencoe American Literature, by Jeffrey

D. Wilhelm et al., Glencoe McGraw-Hill, 2009, pp. 92.