To The University Of Cambridge By Phillis Wheatley Summary

In the eighteenth-century poem "To the University of Cambridge", Phillis Wheatley commands undergraduate students at Harvard to give attention to both their academics and to how their actions align with the lessons of moral conscientiousness and refinement that Jesus promotes. Wheatley's seemingly free meter contrasts with the position Wheatley sits in in the hierarchy of society. As an enslaved, penniless, formally-uneducated black woman, Wheatley resides at the bottom of the hierarchy of American society, while the free, wealthy, educated white men she is addressing lead lives of prestige and privilege. Although Wheatley is enslaved, her situation is unique in how she is able to write poetry and share this poetry with individuals in the United …show more content…
The first stanza has six lines, the second stanza has fourteen lines, and the third and final stanza has ten lines. The number of lines in each stanza assists in highlighting her shifts in authoritative status and in reinforcing Wheatley's message about reconciling one's university education with the lessons one can gain from Jesus' crucifixion. The first stanza, which emphasizes Wheatley's enslavement, has the shortest number of lines, as the speaker is assuming the position of authority that society has granted her as a result of her being a black, enslaved, poor …show more content…
At the beginning of the first stanza, Wheatley underlines how writing poetry is a central component of her being. "An intrinsic ardor" (Wheatley 1), or an internal fire, compels her to write, while mythological "muses" (Wheatley 2) guide her as she pours out her emotions onto the paper. Wheatley also proclaims that she left her native Africa not long ago (Wheatley 3). In effect, Wheatley assumes the position of a foreign woman in a new, mysterious land who relies on mythological creatures to guide her creativity. However, as the poem progresses, she takes on the position of an enslaved woman attempting to break free from her chains to address individuals residing at the top of society. In the first line of the second stanza, following a break, Wheatley recognizes the immense privileges granted to the undergraduates as a result of their time spent at Harvard College when stating "Students, to you 'tis giv'n to scan the heights" (Wheatley 7). However, through addressing the undergraduate students, Wheatley is adopting the power that the students are able to exhibit as a result of their skin color and educational background. The placement of this line at the beginning of the second stanza further highlights how Wheatley is depicting herself as an individual who is attempting to climb the ladder of society so that she can directly