Henry Louis Gates Jr, an African American literature scholar, asserts, “No poet in the tradition was more crucial in the shaping of a distinct African- American poetic diction or voice than he, [Paul Laurence Dunbar]” (68). Dunbar’s ability to communicate the struggles of America through the black experience, with the assistance of Negro dialect, elevated him to become one of the most influential African American poets of his time. His success with written language allows today’s readers to experience and obtain knowledge about the life of an African American before and after the Civil War. The life and literature of Dunbar continue to galvanize students, educators, and critics today. Dunbar’s ancestral connection with slavery and interactions
…show more content…
As the title conveys, the poem focuses on a sermon given before the Civil War. The preacher, a slave in “An Ante-Bellum Sermon,” is tasked with communicating a sermon that will be both riveting to the attending slaves and cautioning to the present slave masters. He does this by preaching the story of Moses and how Moses kept the hope for God to rescue him and the chosen people. Speaking in a strong southern slave accent, the preacher becomes enveloped in the word, causing him to quickly reaffirm the distant time to which he is referencing (Okeke): “Dat I’m still a-preachin’ ancient, / I ain’t talkin’ ‘bout to-day” (39-40). This reference not only depicts the preacher’s consciousness to the slave reality, but shows his nature to survive slavery by manipulating masters into believing he enjoys enslavement. The ability to manipulate the master during slavery often kept slaves alive and away from beatings. This manipulative nature continued on after the Civil War into the period in which Dunbar was writing “An Ante-Bellum Sermon.” African Americans at the time had to remain aware and cunning in order to endure and survive the unpredictability of the emerging Jim Crow laws …show more content…
Although the speaker has successfully stolen a chicken, he wants his wife to view him as useless before showing her the fowl. By prolonging the conversation through the implementation of several metaphors, he affects his wife appropriately, but he has to often indirectly allude to his method of obtaining the chicken. At the end of the poem, the speaker exclaims, “Viney, go put on de kittle, I got one o ' mastah 's chickens” (16). The historical context surrounding this period implies the “mastah” is not a slave owner, but his employer. There is a sense of humor throughout the poem; however, the metaphors and the use of “mastah” provide insight on the changing times of the African American community (Huff, “Accountability”). Although the fear of the white population was prevalent, African-Americans ability to joke and humor blatant ignorance towards them illustrates a societal progression. The former slave speaking is aware of his life and the role he is required to play in society, but the slow advancement of society affords him the ability to enjoy the awareness. His humorous tone is ironic because the black community was heavily oppressed by the white population, yet African-Americans were able to prevail and find comic relief from their oppressors. Ironically, Dunbar’s presentation of this humorous
As the title conveys, the poem focuses on a sermon given before the Civil War. The preacher, a slave in “An Ante-Bellum Sermon,” is tasked with communicating a sermon that will be both riveting to the attending slaves and cautioning to the present slave masters. He does this by preaching the story of Moses and how Moses kept the hope for God to rescue him and the chosen people. Speaking in a strong southern slave accent, the preacher becomes enveloped in the word, causing him to quickly reaffirm the distant time to which he is referencing (Okeke): “Dat I’m still a-preachin’ ancient, / I ain’t talkin’ ‘bout to-day” (39-40). This reference not only depicts the preacher’s consciousness to the slave reality, but shows his nature to survive slavery by manipulating masters into believing he enjoys enslavement. The ability to manipulate the master during slavery often kept slaves alive and away from beatings. This manipulative nature continued on after the Civil War into the period in which Dunbar was writing “An Ante-Bellum Sermon.” African Americans at the time had to remain aware and cunning in order to endure and survive the unpredictability of the emerging Jim Crow laws …show more content…
Although the speaker has successfully stolen a chicken, he wants his wife to view him as useless before showing her the fowl. By prolonging the conversation through the implementation of several metaphors, he affects his wife appropriately, but he has to often indirectly allude to his method of obtaining the chicken. At the end of the poem, the speaker exclaims, “Viney, go put on de kittle, I got one o ' mastah 's chickens” (16). The historical context surrounding this period implies the “mastah” is not a slave owner, but his employer. There is a sense of humor throughout the poem; however, the metaphors and the use of “mastah” provide insight on the changing times of the African American community (Huff, “Accountability”). Although the fear of the white population was prevalent, African-Americans ability to joke and humor blatant ignorance towards them illustrates a societal progression. The former slave speaking is aware of his life and the role he is required to play in society, but the slow advancement of society affords him the ability to enjoy the awareness. His humorous tone is ironic because the black community was heavily oppressed by the white population, yet African-Americans were able to prevail and find comic relief from their oppressors. Ironically, Dunbar’s presentation of this humorous