Final answer:
Religion was a central theme in colonial literature, as seen in the religious references and thematic elements in the writings of Anne Bradstreet and Phillis Wheatley. Bradstreet's lines on the spiritual continuity of marital bonds and Wheatley's emphasis on words like 'God' and 'Saint' highlight the importance of faith in their work.
Step-by-step explanation:
The subject of religion figures prominently in the literary works of colonial authors, reflecting the deeply intertwined nature of faith and daily life during that time period. A close reading of Anne Bradstreet's 'Before the Birth of One of Her Children' and Phillis Wheatley's elegies reveals the emphasis placed on religious belief and the afterlife. In Bradstreet's work, the lines "That when that knot's untied that made us one, I may seem thine, who in effect am none." and "What nature would, God grant to yours and you;" exemplify the religious sensibilities of the era, highlighting her concern with marital bonds beyond death and divine will.
In Wheatley's numerous elegies, her revisions and capitalizations of words such as "God," "Saint," and "Savior" underscore the religious significance she imparted to the subjects of her poems, often addressing the themes of mortality and the celestial journey of the soul.