The Common and the Divine
Taylor’s choice to use domestic items to make a
profound theological point demonstrates his
desire to assign importance to everyday items.
By developing a complex metaphor around the
process of creating cloth and making it into a
garment, Taylor elevates the common to show
how he believes God’s glory can best be reflected
in something that is both humble and accessible.
Throughout the speaker’s description of the proc-
ess, he describes the interaction between the com-
mon and the divine. His soul—the part of him that
connects to the divine—is a simple spool, and the
spinning wheel is operated by God. Items com-
mon in people’s homes during Taylor’s time are
elevated in being used by God for his purpose,
which unfolds over the course of the three stanzas.
God’s intention all along is to create a garment of
salvation that will cloak the speaker in God’s glory
and prepare him to enter into heaven at the end of
his life. This is where the poem becomes personal
for the speaker. Just as the common wool has been
elevated into something only God could see its
potential for, the speaker is elevated from a com-
mon man into a reflection of God’s glory who is
ultimately worthy of heaven.TOPICS FOR
FURTHER
STUDY Readers in Taylor’s time were familiar with
the process of using a spinning wheel, but
few modern readers are. Research the spin-
ning wheel and its parts, threads, products,
and users. See how knowledge of this device
adds a deeper level of understanding to
your reading of the poem. Create a diagram
describing the parts and functions of a spin-
ning wheel and include excerpts of the poem
in your display. Then write a one-paragraph
summary explaining the significance of the
spinning wheel in the poem.
Who were the metaphysical poets, and what
distinguished them from other poets? Iden-
tify two of the major poets in this movement,
and read at least three poems by each. What
do any of these poems have in common
with Taylor’s ‘‘Huswifery’’? Would you cat-
egorize Taylor as a metaphysical poet? Why,
or why not? Write an essay on the topic.
‘‘Huswifery’’ gives an overview of Puritan
beliefs; was any aspect surprising to you, or
was what you read consistent with your
perceptions of Puritans? Read more about
Puritan religious beliefs, society, customs,
and motivations. Write a one-week journal
from the perspective of an important mem-ber of that society (such as a pastor or suc-
cessful farmer). Read one of your diary
entries to your class and explain how Puri-
tan life is similar to and different from life in
modern society.
Like Taylor, many early American writers
were influenced by the metaphysical poets.
LaterPuritanwriterssuchasNathanielHaw-
thorne, however, were more influenced by
New England’s transcendental writers. Read
about these two movements to uncover how
literary expression moved from metaphysical
poetry to transcendentalism. Create a flow-
chart to show what you have learned, with
examples of writings from both movements.
Taylor left Harvard for the wilderness of a
rural Massachusetts community. Research
what life was like in such a town. Find out
how the changing seasons affected daily life;
what activities families performed alone and
what they did as part of the community;
how a town’s economy was run; and who
the most influential people in a community
were. Take on the identity of the new news-
paper editor of such a town and create your
first edition. Then create a second edition
for a different time of year.Huswifery