In "Homage to Mistress Bradstreet," Berryman talks about the historical figure of Bradstreet. However, he gives her wishes and frustrations that the character did not describe in real life.
In real life, Bradstreet's literature described her devotion to her husband, her appreciation of Puritan life, and some unhappiness when it came to gender roles. However, this is not the case in the poem. In the poem, the author feels a strong temptation that is not compatible with the Puritan way of life. We learn that Bradstreet has sinned in her thoughts. Moreover, we also learn that she has succumbed to hipocrisy and guilt. This paints her as an unfulfilled wife and poet.
Much of the poem severely questions Puritan values, as well as hints at sinning and temptation in ways that would not have been appropriate in the early American settlements. If the poem had been written in this context, it is likely that Berryman would have been banished from the settlements.
