Perspective Of Slavery In Philip Freneau's Perspective Of Slavery

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Recommended: Slavery from the slaves perspective

Hang Tran Nguyen, Daniela Vega
Ms. Volkolva
Pre-AP English II
15 February 2014
Philip Freneau’s Perspective of Slavery
Throughout the poem, Freneau utilizes vivid imagery, precise personification, and skillful metaphors to demonstrate not only the brutal practices of slave holders, but also his disgust for the practice as a whole. Freneau’s usage of personification, imagery, and metaphor expresses his opinions of slavery. He bases his poem, “To Sir Toby,” on the Caribbean islands’ slavery where slave owners treat their slaves like animals. Freneau strongly opposes slavery to every degree; from purchasing slaves as property, to torturing them like animals. “To Sir Toby” emphasizes the injustice and cruelty pertaining to slavery.
The personification of the brutal objects conveys the brutality and hardships in which the slaves need to endure. The use of personification revolves around a negative tone: “No art, no care escapes the busy lash” (11). The author emphasizes that care does not escape from lash, but rather there to cause pain and harm. Being “busy” refers to the never ending pain the lash emits. “The lengthy cart-whip” (17) guards its master’s reign by abusing the slaves to show who have power over them. Freneau’s usage of “Scorched by a sun that has no mercy” (33) describes that even the sun in nature shows no mercy. The sun is beating down on the slaves, showing no mercy like the whips of the overseer. “Here nature’s plagues abound, to fret and tease,” (9) expresses how nature contributes to the torture of the slaves. The “snakes, scorpions, despots, lizards, [and] [centipedes]” (10) are parts of nature’s mockery. By giving harmful objects human actions or emotions, Freneau reflects the thoughts of the overseers.
Freneau...

... middle of paper ...

... his devilish treatment to the slaves. Hell is a place that inflicts pain upon unfortunate souls by filling them with never-ending misery. Similarly, the plantations are like hell to the slaves because they carry with them everlasting pain and unfulfilled hopes for freedom.
Philip Freneau’s tone is hellish, setting the mood of the poem as brutal and appalling. Freneau continues to describe the slave owner as a “fiend” who brands his slaves like property upon appearance. He provides a fierce demonstration of slavery, comparing it to hell, and names the poem in honor of a slave owner, Sir Toby. Personification, imagery, and metaphor help convey the messages of the brutal slavery and its effects on the lives of the slaves. Throughout the unforgettable reading experience, it is certain that slavery is one of the disheartening evils humanity will have to keep enduring.

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