this is so. The metaphysical poets, primarily
British, wrote during the seventeenth century,
penning verse concerned with psychological
and philosophical treatments of common experi-
ences like love and death. Their poetry stood in
marked contrast to that of the Elizabethan poets.
The metaphysical poets were not afraid to
explore the shocking or to look at things in decid-
edly unconventional ways. Consequently, their
poetry’s content, language, diction, and imagery
seem rough or abstract to some readers. Their
approach, even to subjects like passion, faith,
and heartache, is logical and draws on seemingly
unrelated images from everyday life. Metaphysi-
cal poetry is also characterized by attention to
form and meter. The most well known of the
metaphysical poets were John Donne, Richard
Crashaw, Abraham Cowley, and George Herbert.
Taylor is one of the very few Americans included
in this category.
Critical Overview.
Because Taylor was such a prolific writer and
produced other lengthy works, there is not a
great deal of critical commentary specifically on
‘‘Huswifery,’’ despite the fact that it is frequently
anthologized. Still, his reputation as an impor-
tant contributor to early American literature is
widely recognized among scholars. Writing in
theDictionary of Literary Biography, Donald E.
Stanford states that Taylor ‘‘is now considered
the most important poet to appear in America in
the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.’’
Taylor’s work is often discussed in the con-
text of the metaphysical poets, and he holds the
distinction of being one of only a very few Amer-
ican poets in this largely British category. ‘‘Hus-
wifery’’ is especially relevant in this context, evenCOMPARE
&
CONTRAST 1680s:Small Puritan communities, such as
Taylor’s parish of Westfield, Massachusetts,
proliferate in the colonies. While smaller
communities are addressing the basic needs
of their towns (such as resources, crop plant-
ing, security against native attacks, town
leadership, and buildings), larger Puritan
communities are established enough that
they are no longer concerned with mere sur-
vival and turn their attention to other things.
By the end of the 1680s, the Salem witch
trials of 1692 are just around the corner.
Today:There are no longer Puritan commun-
ities in Massachusetts, but there are Congrega-
tional Churches, which were founded by the
Puritans. Among Congregational Churches,
there are denominational distinctions, but the
main Calvinist doctrine remains the same.
1680s:Spinning wheels and looms are com-
mon household items. Women use these
tools to make clothing for their families,
starting from scratch.Today:Very few women use spinning wheels
or looms to make clothing for their families.
Most families purchase clothing from stores
and know little about the process by which it
is made. Women who do make clothing for
their families generally purchase the fabric
and follow patterns to make garments.
1680s:Puritan writers like Taylor and the
minister Cotton Mather are prolific, and
their writings reveal the demands of their
jobs and their harsh circumstances as well
as the heart of their faith and doctrine.
Today:Many pastors also consider them-
selves writers and pursue writing as part of
their careers. Unlike their Puritan forebears,
who focused on doctrine, the most success-
ful of these pastor writers (such as T. D.
Jakes and Joel Osteen) write books to help
readers merge their faith with their daily
lives. Their material is more application ori-
ented, akin to self-help books.Huswifery