Edward Taylor

Metaphysical Techniques in "Upon Wedlock, and Death of Children"

Edward Taylor extensively utilizes artful analogies in writing his collection of personal poetry. Instead of plainly stating his thoughts, Taylor ingeniously procures comparisons and wordplay from nature and art to achieve his written communication objectives. By composing in this metaphysical manner, Taylor creates a world in which the reader is forced to contemplate upon simple or naturalistic terminology and correlate it to different concepts. Metaphysical techniques in "Upon Wedlock, and Death of Children" portray Taylor’s love for family and submission to God.

To begin with, Taylor thrusts the poem into the metaphysical world through extensive wordplay on the word "knot". At first, the noun "Knot" describes Taylor’s marriage. True joy and happiness are found in this marriage, being a "True-Love Knot, more sweet than spice" (Taylor 3). Referring to the permanency of Taylor’s marriage, the declaration that "No Alexander’s Sword can it divide" (Taylor 6) depicts the legend of the impervious Gordian knot cut by Alexander the Great (Perkins 67: footnote 4). The peculiar capitalization of the word "Knot" makes it easy to discern when Taylor is referring to his marriage.

In the next verse, through wordplay, the word "knot" transforms into a verb by referring to the beginning and birth of Taylor’s children (Taylor 14-15) . In a proper way, Taylor briefly utilizes these comparisons to show the work of God. Through this work, David describes God’s character in Psalm 139:14, "I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works…" (NKJV).

Not only does "knot" pertain to the beginning and birth of a child, but "knot" converts back into a noun as a tree bud to represent a young child. Just as a fruit or flower blossom begins as a small knot in a branch, so children are buds in Taylor’s tree metaphor. In succession with true joy, Taylor glories: "One knot gave one tother the tothers place. ( / ) Whence Checkling smiles fought in each others face" (Taylor 17-18). Thus far in the poem, Taylor paints a picture of a lively and harmonious home life which could never be extinguished, "Unless an Hellish breath do sindge their Plumes" (Taylor 8).

But in the third verse, "amateur botanist Taylor" (Simmons 17) changes from using "knot" to "flower" in metaphysical wordplay. Following the standards of metaphysical technique, Taylor exploits the word "flower" in six occasions. In each instance, the word "flower" refers to Taylor’s children. After "a manly flower out brake" (Taylor 13) and his first child was born, Taylor’s son received a sister as "another Flowre its sweet breathd mate" (Taylor 16). Instead of viewing children as burdensome and arduous work like weeds in a garden, Taylor truly loves and cherishes his children as sweet blessings and flowers from God.

A dramatic change of events occurs as the Gardener, the Lord, "upsnatched a flower" (Gatta 199) for Himself through the death of Taylor’s daughter Elizabeth (Grabo 126). Being "unlookt for" (Taylor 22), the sudden and unexpected death of this daughter "almost tore the root up of the same" (Taylor 21) through Taylor’s sorrow and bereavement. "Though he had not expected heaven to act like hell" (Daly 163), Taylor continues to look to Christ. God then gives him the hope that "Angells bright did it to heaven tend" (Taylor 23). Instead of brooding in stereotypical Puritan harshness and judgment, Taylor rests in the "inscrutable will of God" (Daly 164) and "consoles himself with the knowledge that his daughter is attended to heaven by angels" (Grabo 127).

Through such contemplation and prayer, Taylor receives a special "perfum’d" (Taylor 25) peace from the Lord. He is stupefied and mesmerized that God would "have a Flower, Choice, Prime, ( / ) And having Choice, chose this my branch forth brought" (Taylor 26-27). Metaphysical wordplay is exercised here with the word "choice" in referring to a precious child and God’s sovereign decision. After realizing where his chosen child actually is, Taylor bursts forth in gratefulness that "thou takst ought of mine, (/) It is my pledg in glory, part of mee" (Taylor 28-29). Although Taylor is not in a glorified state at that time, he relishes the thought that some part of him is actually in the presence of the Lamb glorifying God in the celestial city.

Taylor again applies metaphysical wordplay in describing his family, specifically his wife. In returning to her, and "praying ore my branch, my branch did sprout ( / ) and bore another manly flower" (Taylor 31-32). His "branch" refers to his wife, who gives birth to another boy and girl. Taylor demonstrates true love for his wife by praying for her and submission to God through prayer.

However, the hand of God takes away Taylor’s fourth-born, Abigail (Grabo 127). Unlike the first death in the family, this daughter goes through many trials and "tortures, Vomit, screechings, groans, ( / ) And six week Fever would pierce hearts like stones" (Taylor 35-36). Through this traumatic event, even the most callous heart would melt in compassion though observing the sufferings of Taylor’s sick child. These mournful acts of God were truly not foreseen amidst the gaiety of Taylor’s early family life.

Even when "Grief o’re doth flow" (Taylor 37), Taylor’s "reconciliation to grief through obedience to God’s will is attined with joy…" (Grabo 127). Having God’s ultimate purposes as his "Spell Charm, Joy, and Gem" (Taylor 38), Taylor dedicates his children to God for His glory. No longer does he think of hardship as a "Hellish breath" (Taylor 8), but realizes God can be glorified in both good and bad, life and death. Through "peacemeal pass" (Taylor 40), Taylor yields his children and gives them to radiate praise before the Lord. Taylor then has an assurance that whether God permits his children to die "green, or lets them seed" (Taylor 42), He would be glorified in them. Although Taylor claims to possess true happiness in the early years of his family, it is through Job-like submission to God in life or death as that Taylor finds genuine peace and joy.

Taylor’s passionate love for his family and humble submission to God are carefully woven into "Upon Wedlock, and Death of Children" by extensive utilization of metaphysical techniques. Instead of stating fact upon fact, metaphysical techniques analogize elementary vocabulary in nature and correlate these words to other familiar objects, concepts, feelings, or actions. This metamorphoses the text into a whole new illustrated world from which to grasp the ardor and fervency of the author’s heart message. Through such metaphysical techniques, Taylor’s love and submission intuitively shine forth as he induces tangible objects to depict the thoughts and feelings of his heart. Edward Taylor himself wrote, "Natural things are not unsuitable to illustrate supernaturals by. For Christ in his parables doth illustrate supernatural things by natural, and if it were not thus, we could arrive at no knowledge of supernatural things, for we are not able to see above naturals. But Grace excels all Metaphors" (Daly 162).

Annotated Bibliography

Daly, Robert. God’s Altar: The World And The Flesh In Puritain Poetry. Los Angeles, CA: University of California Press, 1978. 162-199. In this chapter expounding on the writings of Edward Taylor, Daly compares and contrasts Taylor’s writing style with Anne Bradstreet. Daly also highlights Taylor’s approach to death and his handling of metaphors. Taylor’s revision of "Upon Wedlock…" is denounced because it is left "more fragile than the original." Taylor’s metaphors are explained clearly, yet compared in a confusing manner with other Puritan literature (162-166a).

Gatta, John. Gracious Laughter: The Meditative Wit of Edward Taylor. Columbia, MO: University of Missouri Press, 1989. 199. From a facetious perspective, Gatta brands Taylor’s "Upon Wedlock…" as "sacred jest" on the subject of "valediction". Gatta expounds upon Taylor’s eternal hope as evidenced in the "wit [that] surpasses mourning, extending the poet’s own chant of salvation to the mouth of the grave." To a Taylor fancier, the highly offensive style of Gatta is centered upon humor and satire, thus polluting Taylor’s dignified elegy (199).

Grabo, Norman S. Edward Taylor. New York: Twayne Publishers, Inc., 1961. 125-128. This section regarding Taylor’s early poems demonstrates how "Upon Wedlock…" is truly an intensively "personal and human" work of Taylor. Grabo correlates and differentiates Taylor’s work with Donne and Herbert’s writing style. Most importantly, the background of Edward Taylor, being a "frontier minister and physician", and his family life are discussed to furnish authority to his testimony and humble character. This work greatly assists in correlating names and lifetimes of Taylor’s family members who are described in "Upon Wedlock…". For someone interested in learning more about how Taylor’s family worked into "Upon Wedlock…", this work is worthwhile to read (125-128).

Halbert, Cecelia L. "Tree of Life Imagery in the Poetry of Edward Taylor." American Literature. 38.1 Mar. 1961: 22-34. This essay is intensively engrossed with horticultural aspects of Taylor’s writing. Although not solely critiquing "Upon Wedlock…", Halbert correlates the intensive garden imagery in this poem with other seventeenth-century authors, such as George Herbert and John Fiske. Halbert’s style of comparison between these authors contributes to the defamation of the authenticity and originality of Taylor’s writing. This work would be helpful to someone comparing and contrasting "Upon Wedlock…" with Taylor’s other poems containing horticultural metaphors (22-25a).

New King James Version, The Holy Bible. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, Inc. 1982.

Perkins, George ed., et al. The American Tradition in Literature. 7^th ed. Shorter. New York: MacGraw Hill, 1990.

Simmons, Jes. "Taylor’s UPON WEDLOCK, AND DEATH OF CHILDREN." The Explicator. Washington, D.C.: Heldref Publications. 42.1 Fall 1983: 17-18.

Taylor, Edward. "Upon Wedlock, and Death of Children." The American Tradition in Literature. Ed. George Perkins et al. 7^th ed. Shorter. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1990. 67-68.

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