In the article, The World of Phillis Wheatley, James Rawley’s main thesis is to show that Phillis Wheatley's work was mainly influenced by the religion. Rawley shows evidence for this claim by bringing up the person Wheatley held the tightest bond with was Suzanne Whitley, with Rawley describing her as "This remarkable woman was active in religious, humanitarian enterprises, and conducted a wide correspondence with philanthropic persons in England” (668). The relationship between the two women provided the main reason why Wheatley’s work became known to the public. “It was Susanna who planned for the publication of the Poems, and in England enabled the poet to meet distinguished personages, and ultimately secured the slave's freedom.” Because of Suzanne, Wheatley became acquainted with John Thornton, another prominent evangelist. Thornton was especially notable because he promoted
“She understood the subtle and overt relationships between religion and politics in new and old England and participated in them. She intervened as a writer to free yourself and to advance the antislavery movement. . . She challenged the American Revolutionaries, as well as their English counterparts, to respond to her political as poetic genius.” (98) The political commotion going on outside her home is the reason why Wheatley chose poetry specifically as her medium. As Rawley explained during the time period, “No one could deny poetry’s religious and political significance (although Thomas Jefferson, in response to Wheatley, would try). Nor could those attuned to cultural traditions deny the poet the right to reflect on the glory, and significance, of her own efforts, however much in service of patrons, kings, or Gods.”
A little background on the author of “Liberty and Peace” Mrs. Phillis Wheatley she was brought to the America in the 1700’s from west Africa for slavery. However, she was only seven years old and end up in Boston instead of the south other slaves. It was there where her literary talents were discovered by her slave masters the Wheatley’s. She was taught to read and write like the other children within the Wheatley’s household. Her first published poem was at the age of thirteen told the story of rescue at sea and was published without any problems. However even though she was literate she was still far away from her homeland. She expressed her feels through her later poems, which many were not published because of her being an African
When picking an author that is the “epitome of what it means to be an American,” one author in particular stands out to me every time, and it is an author who is probably not considered by many to be an “American” author. Her name is Phillis Wheatley. Through her writings, Wheatley expresses her patriotism and overall respect for life in America, gaining her recognition by critics and fans alike, and a major spot in the topic of American Literature. Within my essay, I aim to prove how Wheatley deserves the title of being labeled an American, and how she embodies the topic of what it means to be an American.
Wheatley was born in West Africa around 1750, and was captured when she was 7. John Wheatley purchased Phillis for his wife, Susanna; together they taught Phillis how to read and write, and as early as 12, Phillis was writing poetry and her first poem had been published. Wheatley’s poems implicitly advocated for racial equality, while condemning slavery. Her work received some negative feedback from political figureheads, such as Thomas Jefferson. White America classified a human as having the ability to read, write, and reason; therefore, leaving no room for the uneducated Africans, seeing Africans as nonhuman. Jefferson claimed Wheatley’s work was not literature because the moment he admitted Wheatley’s work was indeed literature, he would have had to admit she was a human being. The way Phillis Wheatley handled the adversity she faced is admirable. Wheatley definitely impacted American history, and “owes her place in history to advocates of inequality” (Young 1999
Phillis Wheatley marks the beginning of the African-American literary tradition. Although she is the first African-American to become a published author, it is Wheatley’s work that proves her originality as it reflects a specific time in American history, her status as a slave, and a young woman of Christian faith (Harris). Each of these inherently contribute to her fresh African-American perspective. Wheatley is ingenious in the way she subtly ties in the roots of slavery and racism in a way that whites did not feel guarded. Not only does her work allow those with a conscious to at least somewhat consider the African-American point of view, but it invites criticism by those who care not to see African-Americans as intelligent equal beings that deserve respect. Some of the African-American community also criticizes that Wheatley did not speak enough about the injustices of slavery and prejudices of her time (Scheick). These critics are simply unable to see the Wheatley’s intent as her writing breeds originality and attention to a young and well-educated African-American woman whose words could stifle her freedoms if put any other way. In evaluating Wheatley’s On Being Brought from Africa to America, An Hymn to the Evening, and To the University of Cambridge, in New-England it is clear to see that she could only be imitative in style perhaps, but nuances of her heritage is what places her “writing at the heart of any definition of an African-American canon” (Harris).
Phillis Wheatley was an African-born slave in the last quarter of the eighteenth-century in New England. She was born in West Africa and brought to America on the slave ship Phillis. She was, however, much more than chattel-she was a poet. Phillis was the first African American to have a book published. In a time when women were not expected to be able to read or write, and when teaching an African American to be literate was frowned upon, Phillis Wheatley became educated in Latin and English literature. The education of Phillis Wheatley was, for the most part, for the intent of training "a servant and would-be companion for domestic utility," in which they undoubtedly succeeded. However, they "got an intellectual adornment" who, with her knowledge of the poems of Alexander Pope, the "Puritanical whiteness of her thoughts," and ability to write poems, soon became a celebrity among Boston?s social elite (Richmond 18,19).
Phillis Wheatley, who is now known as one of America’s most scholarly writers, has made a major impact on American Literature today. Her role in Literature had influenced many African Americans during this time period because it was very uncommon for them to become educated. Her poems made some people realize that they shouldn’t have slaves. Many people say that Phillis Wheately should go down in history as a hero while others say that she should not. Phillis is a historical hero because of the extraordinary courage that she showed by writing her poems while facing the adversities that she encountered. People disagree with this statement because they say that she did not make a difference in history.
Phyllis Wheatley's poem On Being Brought to America is an intimate and personal experience on being brought to America from her homeland of West Africa. The theory in which this paper focuses on is the pros and cons of Phillis Wheatley actually being brought to America, her pagan land, and in addition, the hardships that she faced being a female author in her time and age. From a feminist
She writes, “Famed for thy valor, for thy virtues and more,/Hear every tongue thy guardian aid implore!” (Lines 27-28) She fames George Washington as a great ruler, virtuous and brave. She publishes this poem in popular newspapers and magazines to make known Washington’s virtuous qualities to “every tongue.” By taking this opportunity to publicize her work, she perceived the current political environment and seized the opportunity to show her support for revolutionary America. (Lamore,
Johnson, Samuel. The Life of Cowley. The Penn State Archive of Samuel Johnson’s Lives of the Poets. Ed. Kathleen Nulton Kemmerer. 3 March 2003.
The poetry of Phillis Wheatley is crafted in such a manner that she is able to create a specific aim for each poem, and achieve that aim by manipulating her position as the speaker. As a slave, she was cautious to cross any lines with her proclamations, but was able to get her point across by humbling her own position. In religious or elegiac matters, however, she seemed to consider herself to be an authority. Two of her poems, the panegyric “To MAECENAS” and the elegy “On the Death of a young Lady of Five Years of Age,” display Wheatley’s general consistency in form, but also her intelligence, versatility, and ability to adapt her position in order to achieve her goals.
This is evidenced by Wheatley using a positive connotation when creating an image of war in the line “in bright array they seek the work of war” (Wheatley 21). The word bright is not seen as a negative word. Wheatley is making war seem like a positive issue, which was true because the Revolutionary War was fought for freedom from oppression. This leads one to the theme of the poem, which is freedom. Wheatley urges General Washington to continue to fight for America’s freedom, and also uses symbolism to portray her theme. Peace and victory are both a part of freedom. These are symbolized upon the unnamed Goddess in the second stanza, who wears olive, which symbolizes peace, and laurel, which symbolizes victory, in her hair. After close observation, one can see that the Goddess mentioned is the Goddess Liberty. There are many portrayals of the Goddess Liberty, but the poet mentions Britannia, which is Great Britain’s portrayal of the Goddess, originating from Roman Britain in the second century BCE. This shows even Great Britain’s own Goddess was not on its side and was on the side of America according to the poet. Wheatley essentially says that it is God’s grace that America will become free, which is evidenced by her stating that the Goddess will guide America to
Mason, Jr., Julian D. The Poems of Phillis Wheatley. Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina Press, 1989.
In “On Being Brought From Africa To America” Phillis Wheatley speaks directly from her experience of coming to America, and how she became very religious on her arrival, so she uses her religious beliefs to explain how lucky she was to be in America and how she made a lot of achievements. Phillis Wheatley was a young black female poet, who started discovering her love for writing when she came to America, although it was illegal to educate black people she found a way to teach herself to read and write, even though a lot of people of her race were told that they weren’t good enough to deserve to be Christians and also to enjoy the advantage of being a citizen in America, Wheatley overcame these immense obstacles and she was so grateful for the chance to be a part of the Christian word and also to hear the word of Christianity, she was also very happy that she was brought to America where she has the opportunity to read and write. “Phillis” wasn’t her real name but her master named her that because the slave ship she boarded to come to America was named Phillis.
In “A Defence of Poetry,” Percy Bysshe Shelley puts forth the claim that poets are the “unacknowledged legislators of the world” (810). Although Mrs. Bush might disagree, Shelley argues convincingly in favor of such a position. To deny poets their right to speak to that which is political would be in essence denying them their existence as poets. Poets must fulfill this role, according to Shelley, because out of all people, they are most capable of doing so. In his own poetry, specifically the poem “Sonnet: England in 1819,” Shelley strives for a goal no different than that of the poets who participated in “A National Day Against War.” The preamble to Shelley’s remarks, written by the editor, best categorizes what good poets can and must do: “awaken readers’ minds to higher values” and get them to take action (801).
Therefore, most of the writings during the revolution were clamoring for independence, and mostly written at the battlefront making most of the important writings get lost. Patriotism and loyalty was a major factor and theme discussed in these writings, as authors sought to drive opinion towards support for independence and the war against the loyalties. The calls for patriotism are very touching to the soul as well as stirring and moving especially those written when the revolution was beginning (Blanchard, 40). Some of them were calls for arms and for cooperation for everyone to do whatever they could to support the revolution. Encouraging the patriotic people to keep fighting was of great essence, as well as shunning and speaking against the loyalists. Puritans also produced great literature at the moment. The Puritans saw life as a constant moral struggle and attempted to portray this in their writings and represent true life. During the revolution, as well as after it, there were just a few literary works to emerge as most books were reviewed in Britain, revealing just how dependent America was on the British literary model. Finding a true American literary identity was not easy in spite of the great patriotism they portrayed and many writings flopped (Phillips et al,