Huswifery
by Edward Taylor
Make me, O Lord, thy spinning wheel complete.
Let thy holy word be my distaff for me.
Make my affections, swift flyers, neat
And let my soul be thy holy spool to be.
Make my conversation the reel that turns
And reel the yarn that is spun by thy wheel.
Make me thy loom then, knit therein this twine:
And let thy holy spirit, Lord, wind quills:
Then weave the web thyself. The yarn is fine.
Thine ordinances make my fulling mills.
Then dye the same in heavenly colors of choice,
All painted with varnished flowers of paradise.
Then clothed therewith my understanding, will,
Affections, judgment, conscience, memory
My words, and actions, that their shine may fill
My ways with glory and thee glorify.
Then my apparel shall display before thee
That I am clothed in holy robes for glory.
Unraveling “Huswifery”: A Deep Dive into Edward Taylor’s Poetic Masterpiece
Edward Taylor’s “Huswifery” stands as a profound exploration of spiritual devotion, masterfully crafted through an extended metaphor that transforms the mundane into the divine. This poem, a cornerstone of early American literature, invites readers to witness a speaker’s fervent desire for complete spiritual transformation, using the familiar imagery of domestic textile production. Understanding “Huswifery” means appreciating its intricate layers of meaning, its clever use of language, and its enduring message of faith.
Summary of “Huswifery”: The Essence of Devotion
- What is “Huswifery” About? “Huswifery” is a deeply spiritual poem where the speaker petitions God to be transformed entirely into an instrument of divine will. The poem uses the elaborate process of spinning and weaving as a central metaphor, comparing the speaker’s inner self and actions to the various parts of a spinning wheel and loom, all working together to produce a garment of glory for God.
- The Central Idea: The core message of “Huswifery” is the speaker’s yearning for absolute spiritual utility and union with God. It is a prayer for sanctification, where every aspect of the speaker’s being, from thoughts to actions, is consecrated and made holy, ultimately reflecting God’s glory. The poem emphasizes that true faith involves a complete surrender and transformation, not just outward acts of piety.
- Key Things to Know: This poem is renowned for its use of a conceit, an extended and elaborate metaphor that draws surprising connections between seemingly disparate things. Here, the domestic act of “huswifery” (housekeeping, particularly textile work) becomes a powerful allegory for spiritual purification and divine service. It exemplifies the Puritan tradition of finding spiritual significance in everyday life and using allegorical language to express profound theological concepts.
Huswifery Analysis: Weaving Spiritual Meaning
The true brilliance of “Huswifery” lies in its meticulous and sustained metaphor, which serves as the foundation for its rich spiritual message. A thorough Huswifery analysis reveals how Taylor constructs this intricate comparison, line by line, to convey a powerful plea for divine grace and transformation.
The Extended Metaphor: A Divine Spinning Wheel and Loom
The poem opens with a direct appeal, establishing the central conceit immediately:
“Make me, O Lord, thy spinning wheel complete.”
This line sets the stage for the speaker’s desire to be fully utilized by God. The speaker does not merely wish to perform God’s work, but to become the very tools through which divine grace operates. Each subsequent line in the first stanza meticulously maps parts of the spinning wheel to aspects of the speaker’s spiritual life:
- The distaff, which holds the raw fiber, is equated with “thy holy word.” This suggests that God’s scripture should be the foundational material and guide for the speaker’s thoughts and actions.
- The flyers, which twist the fiber into yarn, represent the speaker’s “affections, swift flyers, neat.” This implies a desire for emotions and desires to be orderly, pure, and directed by God.
- The spool, which collects the spun yarn, symbolizes the speaker’s “soul be thy holy spool to be.” The soul is envisioned as the receptacle for divine inspiration and spiritual growth.
- The reel, which measures and winds the yarn, is the speaker’s “conversation.” This signifies a wish for all speech and interactions to be guided by divine truth, producing spiritual “yarn.”
The second stanza shifts the metaphor from spinning to weaving, further extending the process of spiritual creation:
“Make me thy loom then, knit therein this twine:
And let thy holy spirit, Lord, wind quills:
Then weave the web thyself. The yarn is fine.”
Here, the speaker desires to be the loom, the framework upon which the spiritual fabric is woven. The “holy spirit” is the power that “wind[s] quills” (bobbins), providing the thread for the weaving. Crucially, the speaker asks God to “weave the web thyself,” acknowledging that the ultimate act of spiritual creation and transformation belongs to the divine. The “fulling mills,” used to clean and thicken cloth, are equated with “Thine ordinances,” representing the purifying and refining power of religious practices and divine laws.
Literary and Poetic Devices in Huswifery
Edward Taylor’s skillful use of literary devices in Huswifery and poetic devices in Huswifery elevates the poem beyond a simple prayer, making it a rich text for study.
Conceit and Metaphor
As discussed, the entire poem is built upon an elaborate conceit, an extended metaphor comparing the speaker’s spiritual journey to the detailed process of textile production. This sustained comparison is the poem’s most prominent literary device, allowing Taylor to explore complex theological ideas through tangible, domestic imagery.
Imagery and Symbolism
Taylor employs vivid imagery to make the abstract spiritual process concrete and appealing. The most striking example comes in the second stanza:
“Then dye the same in heavenly colors of choice,
All painted with varnished flowers of paradise.”
This imagery evokes a sense of divine beauty and perfection, suggesting a soul not merely cleansed but adorned with celestial splendor. The symbolism is clear: the “heavenly colors” and “flowers of paradise” symbolize the grace, virtues, and spiritual beauty bestowed by God. Each part of the spinning and weaving apparatus also functions symbolically, representing different facets of the speaker’s spiritual life and God’s transformative power.
Sound Devices: Alliteration and Assonance
Taylor’s attention to sound enhances the poem’s musicality and impact.
- Alliteration, the repetition of initial consonant sounds, adds emphasis and rhythm. Consider the line “Make my affections, swift flyers, neat” where the repetition of the ‘f’ sound in “swift flyers” creates a subtle, flowing effect. Another example is “weave the web” in the second stanza, where the repeated ‘w’ sound draws attention to the act of creation.
- Assonance, the repetition of vowel sounds within words, contributes to the poem’s melodic quality. In “Let thy holy word be my distaff for me,” the repeated long ‘o’ sound in “holy” and “spool” (from “holy spool to be”) creates a sense of solemnity and connection. The short ‘e’ sound in “weave the web” also provides a subtle internal rhyme.
Structure and Form: Rhyme, Meter, and Stanza
“Huswifery” is composed of three sestets, or six-line stanzas. Each stanza follows a consistent ABABCC rhyme scheme, which provides a sense of order and harmony, mirroring the meticulous process of spinning and weaving. The regular meter, predominantly iambic pentameter, gives the poem a steady, prayer-like rhythm, reinforcing its devotional tone.
Enjambment
While the poem maintains a structured form, Taylor occasionally uses enjambment, where a sentence or thought continues from one line to the next without a grammatical pause. This technique creates a sense of continuous flow and urgency, drawing the reader forward. Observe the lines in the final stanza:
“My words, and actions, that their shine may fill
My ways with glory and thee glorify.”
The idea of actions filling ways with glory flows seamlessly across the line break, emphasizing the interconnectedness of the speaker’s being and purpose.
Themes of Spiritual Transformation and Divine Glory
The poem’s concluding stanza brings the metaphor to its ultimate spiritual fulfillment:
“Then clothed therewith my understanding, will,
Affections, judgment, conscience, memory
My words, and actions, that their shine may fill
My ways with glory and thee glorify.
Then my apparel shall display before thee
That I am clothed in holy robes for glory.”
Here, the spiritual garment woven by God’s grace clothes every faculty of the speaker’s being: intellect, will, emotions, judgment, conscience, memory, words, and actions. The ultimate purpose of this transformation is to “glorify” God and to be prepared for eternal glory. The poem thus culminates in a powerful statement of Puritan belief: that human existence finds its highest purpose in serving and reflecting the divine, leading to a state of sanctified beauty and readiness for heaven.
Conclusion: The Enduring Thread of “Huswifery”
“Huswifery” remains a compelling and insightful poem, showcasing Edward Taylor’s profound spiritual conviction and his remarkable poetic skill. Through its ingenious extended metaphor, intricate Huswifery analysis of spiritual transformation, and masterful deployment of literary devices in Huswifery and poetic devices in Huswifery, the poem continues to resonate with readers. It serves as a timeless testament to the human yearning for divine connection and the transformative power of faith, reminding us that even the most ordinary tasks can become pathways to extraordinary spiritual understanding.