Question

Anne Bradstreet suffered from poor health for much of her life. Read the poem "Deliverance from a Fit of Fainting," then answer the question that follows.
"Deliverance from a Fit of Fainting"
by Anne Bradstreet

Worthy art Thou, O Lord, of praise,
But ah! It's not in me.
My sinking heart I pray Thee raise
So shall I give it Thee.
My life as spider's webb's cut off,
Thus fainting have I said,
And living man no more shall see
But be in silence laid.

My feeble spirit Thou didst revive,
My doubting Thou didst chide,
And though as dead mad'st me alive,
I here a while might 'bide.

Why should I live but to Thy praise?
My life is hid with Thee.
O Lord, no longer be my days
Than I may fruitful be.

Anne Bradstreet (1612–1672)


In the first stanza, what is the author's request of God?
A. to cure her sickness so that she can live longer
B. to lift her spirits so that she can praise God
C. to hide her condition from those around her
D. to end the fainting spells that trouble her

Answer 1

The correct option is B.
In the first stanza, the author prayed like this: 'My sinking heart I pray thee raise, so shall give it thee. What the author was praying for in essence is that God should raise her sinking heart, so that she can praise Him. That is, she was asking God to lift her spirit so that she can give him praise.