Edward Taylor
c.1642-1729
Life
Homes
- England (c.1642-1668)
- Boston, Massachusetts (1668-1671)
- Westfield, Massachusetts (1671-1729)
Occupation
- Puritan minister
- physician
Religion
Chronology
- c.1642: born in Sketchly, England
- 1668: moves to Boston, Massachusetts
- 1671: graduates from Harvard University
- 1671: becomes pastor and physician in Westfield, Massachusetts
- 1674-1675: paraphrases psalms
- 1680: composes Gods Determinations touching his Elect
- 1680-1683: composes Occasional Poems
- 1682-1725: composes Preparatory Meditations before my Approach to
the Lords Supper
- 1720: composes A Valediction to all the World
Issues and themes
Now regarded one of the major poets of the Puritan era, Edward Taylor
was known primarily as a minister in his lifetime. Indeed, most of his poetry
was not discovered and published until the 20th century. Like other Puritan
writers, such as John Winthrop and Anne Bradstreet, Taylor devoted much
of his work to introspection as he attempted to understand and fulfill
his role as a Christian. Taylor's "occasional poems," particularly
"Huswifery" and "The Ebb & Flow," resemble those
of the other great American poet of the period, Anne Bradstreet, in their
use of domestic imagery. Unlike Bradstreet, however, Taylor wrote
in the tradition of the English metaphysical poets John Donne and
George Herbert, known for their conceits, compression of material, and challenging
syntax.
Work
Preparatory Meditations
- Composition: 1682-1725
- Publication: 1960
- Taylor composed these poems before he administered communion. What
features of "Meditation 8" suggest that Taylor was meditating
on the Scripture before his service?
- Look up "metaphysical poets" in one of the resources
on literature and language. In what ways does "Meditation 8"
fit into this tradition? In particular, what conceits does Taylor construct
in this poem? Why do you suppose Taylor chose this style of poetry?
Occasional Poems
- Composition: c.1680-1683
- Publication: 1960
- In these poems, which he called "occurants," Taylor created
allegories out of everyday events. What everyday event does he describe
in "Huswifery"? What is the poem's conceit?
- What is metaphysical about "Huswifery"?
- What is the point of "Upon Wedlock, & Death of Children"?
- Stanzas 5 and 7 of this poem were published in Cotton Mather's Right
Thoughts in Sad Hours and were among the only portions of Taylor's
poetry published during his lifetime. Why do you think Mather chose to
publish these stanzas of this poem for his Puritan audience?
- Analyze the final couplet of the poem: "I joy, may I sweet Flowers
for Glory breed, / Whether thou getst them green, or lets them Seed."
Bibliography
- "Edward Taylor." Norton Anthology of American Literature.
Shorter Fourth Edition. New York: W.W. Norton, 1995. 156-157.
- Taylor, Edward. Poems. Norton Anthology of American Literature.
Shorter Fourth Edition. New York: W.W. Norton, 1995. 157-166.
© Mark Canada, 1997
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