Compare and contrast the lives and writings of Anne Bradstreet and Phillis Wheatley. 5-6 sentences only, stating only the most influential and important facts.

Answer 1

Anne Bradstreet and Phillis Wheatley were both influential female poets during colonial America, but their lives and writings significantly differed. Bradstreet, born in England in 1612, immigrated to Massachusetts in 1630 and wrote extensively about her Puritan beliefs and experiences as a female in a patriarchal society. Her most famous work, "The Tenth Muse Lately Sprung Up in America," was published in 1650. On the other hand, Wheatley, an enslaved African woman, was brought to Boston in 1761 and became the first African American woman to publish a book of poetry in 1773. Her work, such as "Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral," primarily focused on themes of Christianity and her experience as a slave. While Bradstreet wrote mostly in a plain and straightforward style, Wheatley's writing had a more refined and elegant tone, influenced by neoclassical poets. Furthermore, Wheatley's poetry often highlighted her bid for freedom and the abolition of slavery, whereas Bradstreet's work primarily focused on her role as a wife and mother. Despite their different backgrounds and experiences, both poets contributed significantly to American literature and paved the way for future female writers.