Phillis Wheatley Identity

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Phillis Wheatley in forming early American Identity

Phyllis Wheatley was captured and brought into slavery during the early stages of America’s fight for independence from Colonial British. Just like her fellow African writers of the time, Wheatley had to overcome oppression and prejudices and prove herself to the whites that Africans are very well capable of learning and becoming part of the civilized society. Although some might think Wheatley was confused about by her place in the America, I think otherwise. Not only Wheatley disproved the Europeans opinion on blacks by writing on the ideas that Africans were thought incapable of learning, she also used Christianity as a way to call Americans into harmony free from oppression.

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The level of her intelligence is evident through out her poems as she makes reference to various subjects such as religion and politics. She was one of the pioneers to disprove the majority consensus that Africans are incapable of learning such kinds of knowledge. Although the exact understanding of her identity is ambiguous to many, It is quite clear to see that in her poems she envisioned better times ahead where all regardless of race and color can live in peace and harmony. Through her poems, Wheatley subtly expressed her visions, imaginations of the new world “Columbia” where America will be unified, free from oppression and tyranny. Most of the white slave owners at the time followed some form of Christianity. Taking advantage of it and also as a fellow Christian Wheatley consistently uses her voice to reach out to the greater Christian community and express her hopes for better times to come in the future. In her poem “On Being Brought from Africa to America” Wheatley express her luck of being brought to the new land, learning about Christianity and in this new religion she was able to find peace of mind, and

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