In "Following some verses about the fire of our house, July 10, 1666" Anne Bradstreet delves into the theme of a tragic fire in her house. In the poem, his house is represented as a reminder of all his memories collected inside it and now the fire seems to have turned everything into ash. He expresses his ambivalence between his devastation and his puritanical beliefs by showing both initial pain and eventual acceptance. Various aspects of this poem are used to show Bradstreet's momentary trembling confidence in his providential beliefs. The changing mood of the poem, the few examples of enjambement, the changes in tone of diction, and the use of rhetorical devices express the theme of acceptance. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The content of this poem focuses on the desperation and damage caused by the fire in Bradstreet's house. The author is awakened by loud noises and voices, warning her of the calamity happening around her. The first half of the poem explores the damage caused by the fire and all the tangible items the author lost. However, due to Bradstreet's puritanical beliefs, the poem shifts to a more providential theme than the theme of loss shown at the beginning. He believes that the fire, the loss of his home and all the memories accumulated within it, are caused by God's divine intervention and have a purpose. The transition from mourning the loss to acceptance due to his providential beliefs is clearly shown in the poem. This is especially evident in lines 14-17 where Bradstreet writes: I have blessed His name that gave and took, Which now hath cast my goods into the dust. Yes, so it was, and therefore it was indeed, it was his, it was not mine. This excerpt from the poem shows Bradstreet's acceptance of fire because of his providential belief that everything is predestined. The poem is written in iambic tetrameter and consists only of rhyming couplets. Most of the poem is written with enjambement and this makes the fire and destruction sequence seem more chaotic and desperate. The enjambement between lines 3 and 4: “I awoke with a thundering noise/ And pitiful cries of terrible voice,” creates a faster pace in the poem, emulating the rapid pace of the fire. Throughout the poem, Bradstreet seems to be more reconciled to the fire once she reminds herself that it is because of God's action and it happened for a reason. Of course, Bradstreet cannot be expected to fully accept the fact that his home and all his most cherished possessions have been reduced to ashes. This uncertainty of faith is shown by the difference in language from the beginning to the end of the poem. The mood of the poem seems to quickly shift from desperation to acceptance as she trusts her faith in her Puritan beliefs. This change in mood is shown through Bradstreet's choice of emotional diction. The beginning of the poem is laced with deeply negative diction such as “sorrowful,” (line 2) “pitiful” (line 4), and “unsuccessful” (line 10). The tone of the poem changes significantly when his providential belief is mentioned. The author uses more positive diction such as "mighty architect", (line 44) "richly furnished glory", (line 45) "hope and treasure" (line 54). The language used and the atmosphere of the poem are in this case closely related. The meaning of the poem is largely influenced by Bradstreet's use of metaphors and similes. One extended metaphor in particular, in lines 49-51, reinforces the author's Puritan worldview as well as the theme",.