Final answer:
Anne Bradstreet and Jonathan Edwards have markedly different portrayals of death; Bradstreet's work is personal and reflective, portraying death as part of life's journey, whereas Edwards uses intense imagery in his sermons to depict death as the terrifying fate for unrepentant sinners. Their contrasting views are influenced by their religious beliefs and the historical context of their writings.
Step-by-step explanation:
When comparing and contrasting Anne Bradstreet's description of death with Jonathan Edwards's, it's important to recognize the different contexts and religious sentiments they represent. Bradstreet, a Puritan poet, often wrote in a more personal and reflective manner, seeing death as a natural, though sorrowful, part of life's journey and an entrance to eternity with God. In contrast, Edwards, a key figure in the First Great Awakening, used stark, vivid imagery to characterize death for the unrepentant sinner as an immediate and terrifying plunge into the horrors of hell.
Bradstreet's solemn but hopeful tone reflects her personal losses and the comfort she finds in the Puritan understanding of an afterlife with God. Edwards's fiery sermons, especially 'Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,' depict death as a mere precipice before the eternal wrathful judgment of sinners, aiming to instill fear and motivate conversion.
Both poets write within the conventions of elegies but they treat the subject differently due to their personal experiences and the broader religious movements they were involved with. While Bradstreet's treatment of death conveys a certain peace and acceptance, Edwards presents it as a vivid warning, urging believers to repent before it's too late.