Sampson 1
The mysterious correlation between the human body and the human soul has been
critically analyzed by Christians and non-Christians alike throughout history. Many have
questioned the existence of the soul, and if it exists, how it functions with the body
before and after death. Two pieces of poetic literature from the colonial era approach
this subject from the Puritan Christian point of view. While both poems “The Flesh and
the Spirit” by Anne Bradstreet and “A Fig for Thee Oh! Death” by Edward Taylor illustrate
the complex and eternal relationship
between the body and the soul, they paint that relationship in two very different lights.
Bradstreet’s “The Flesh and the Spirit” presents the relationship between the two entities
as one filled with tension and conflict. While the flesh and the spirit may abide as one being on
earth, they still oppose each other. Bradstreet writes two sister characters in her poem named
Flesh and Spirit. Spirit says to Flesh:
Until I see thee laid in th’ dust.
Sisters we are, yea, twins we be,
Yet deadly feud ’twixt thee and me;
For from one father are we not,
Thou by old Adam wast begot,
But my arise is from above,
Whence my dear Father I do love. (Bradstreet 42-48)
Liv Sampson
Professor Smith
American Literature I
15 April 2023
The Complex Relationship of the Body and Soul
Saamppssoonn 42
Flesh focuses on achieving material gains in this world, but Spirit sees beyond the fleeting
pleasures of earth and into eternity. While Spirit is aware that its existence is eternal, it is also
aware of the eternal consequences that sin committed in the flesh can have. Timothy Whelan of
Georgia Southern University wrote in his analysis that “If the soul remains unregenerate, then
Flesh ultimately triumphs by robbing the soul of the pleasures of Heaven. By 'charming' man's
soul into accepting this world as an end in itself, Flesh succeeds in damning the soul by means of
an elaborate fraud - presenting material existence as ultimate reality devoid of spirit” (‘The Flesh
and the Spirit’ 279). In this poem, the human body and soul are two forces fighting for
dominance. However, this is not the only interpretation that exists in colonial literature.
Taylor’s “A Fig for Thee Oh! Death” depicts the relationship between the body and soul
as beautiful and harmonious. Taylor paints this picture in his writing:
The Soule and Body now, as two true Lovers
Ery night how do they hug and kiss each other.
And going hand in hand thus through the skies
Up to Eternall glory glorious rise. (Taylor 47-50)
Taylor is not just describing the body and the soul in how they relate to each other on earth. He
describes the reunion between the body and soul once Satan is defeated and all the earth is made
new. However, Taylor does not deny that the flesh has sinful power in people’s lives before they
die. He displays the animosity between the soul and the sinful nature of the flesh within these
lines:
“ C h a s i n g t h e e h e n c e : B u t n o t f o r t h i s m y f l e s h ,
M y B o d y , m y v i l e h a r l o t , i t s t h y M e s s ,
L a b o u r i n g t o d r o w n m e i n t o S i n , d i s g u i s e
While each poem presents a different perspective on the relationship between the flesh
and the soul, there are still similar aspects to their presentations. Each poem speaks in defiance
against what is evil and destructive. Bradstreet defies the carnal desires of the flesh with these
words:
I’ll stop mine ears at these thy charms,
And count them for my deadly harms.
Thy sinful pleasures I do hate,
Thy riches are to me no bait,
Thine honours do, nor will I love;
For my ambition lies above. (Bradstreet 55-60)
Sampson 3
Meanwhile, Taylor uses the words of his poem to defy the nature of death itself when he says “Is
this the / Worst thy terrours then canst, why / Then should this grimace at me terrify?” (Taylor
51-52). Both poems also describe how once the soul separates from its earthly body, the person
gets to experience the indescribable beauty and joys of Heaven. Heaven and earth will be made
new, and every soul of every believer along with them.
B y E a t i n g a n d b y d r i n k i n g s u c h e v i l l j o y s . ( T a y l o r 2
An article published by Georgetown University highlights that “His anticipation of the final
j u d g m e n t a n d r e u n i o n o f b o d y a n d s o u l
g i v e s r i s e t o a n e c s t a t i c a f f i r m a t i o n o f
f a i t h i n t h e d i v i n e p r o m i s e o f e t e r n a l l i f e
( E d w a r d T a y l o r ( 1 6 4 2 ? - 1 7 2 9 ) ) . T h e c e n t r a l
t h e m e o f t h i s p o e m i s t h a t f o r t h o s e w h o
b e l i e v e i n C h r i s t , t h e i r s o u l w i l l n o l o n g e r
b e t e t h e r e d t o t h e s i n f u l n a t u r e o f t h e i r
b o d i e s . T h e f e u d b e t w e e n t h e b o d y a n d s o u l
w i l l b e g o n e , a n d t h e y w i l l l i v e i n h a r m o n y
t o g e t h e r .
Sampson 4
The question of how the human body and soul coexist has been debated and analyzed for
centuries. It is difficult to understand a substantial part of human existence that one cannot see or
touch. The works “The Flesh and the Spirit” by Anne Bradstreet and “A Fig for Thee Oh! Death”
by Edward Taylor give beautiful poetic insight into how the flesh and the spirit affect each other
in this life and the next.
SSaamppssoonn 35
References
“Edward Taylor (1642?-1729).” Faculty.georgetown.edu,
faculty.georgetown.edu/bassr/heath/syllabuild/iguide/taylor.html#:~:text=%22A%20Fig
%20for%20thee%20Oh. Accessed 14 Apr. 2023.
Susan, Belasco,. The Bedford Anthology American Literature, Volume 1, Second Edition,
Liberty University. Available from: Liberty University Online Bookshelf, (2nd Edition).
Macmillan Higher Education, 2019.
Whelan, Timothy. “‘The Flesh and the Spirit’: Anne Bradstreet and Seventeenth Century
Dualism, Materialism, Vitalism and Reformed Theology.” Ultimate reality and meaning.
19.4 (1996): 257–284. https://utpjournals.press/doi/pdf/10.3138/uram.19.4.257.
Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)
