A young girl that would be known as Phillis Wheatley happened to be one of the most influential black poets in the 18th century. As it came, Phillis Wheatley, being a black woman with an educational upbringing endure great triumphs for her writings. She sought out to emphasize her view of slavery to freedom and rescue when finding Christianity. In all of Wheatley’s writings, there is one particular poem called, “On being brought from Africa to America”, that views into her journey to salvation and her experience in slavery. This poem particularly emphasizes Wheatley’s background and highlights all of the key points in a sense to understand Phillis Wheatley.
Phillis Wheatley’s poem “On being brought from Africa to America”, underlying denotation …show more content…
Wheatley’s poems included reference to slavery and religious aspects as remembrance of her life and knowledge. In addition to Wheatley’s theme, she capitalizes on slavery and the influence she experienced being a slave in the slave trade. Gates would clarify that Wheatley’s poem protested about the “slave trade” and her poem was her outlet of expression (Gates, Jr. 70). “this, it can be safely said, has been the most reviled poem in African-American literature”, mentioned by Henry Louis Gates, Jr in reference to Wheatleys poem On Being Brought from Africa to America (Gates, Jr. 70). According to Vincent Carretta, in his book Phillis Wheatley: Biography of a Genius in Bondage, speaks of “the poems notoriety understandably but unfairly derives from Wheatley’s apparent acceptance of contemporaneous justifications for the transatlantic slave trade” (Carretta 60). However, Wheatley did not only target on the negative aspect as being a slave, she concerned herself with her new enlighten life when she was purchased by a wealthy family such as John Wheatley. Living in the Wheatleys home and being the “a companion for his wife Susannah”, Phillis had the capability to be refined and lived comfortably (Baym 763). Wheatley also had the advantage unlike other slaves in the …show more content…
Mason, Jr’s book, the poems of Phillis Wheatley, Mason inquiries into Wheatleys case mentioning the she “remembered little of her life before her arrival in this country” (Mason, Jr. XII). To make restitution, Wheatley describes her beginnings in her poem of coming “from a pagan land” (Ln. 1). Through the “mercy” that carried, her “benight soul to understand” conveys a preview into Wheatley’s faith (Ln. 1-2). With the obvious indication of coming from Africa and becoming a slave, Wheatleys asserts in line three of discovering “that there’s a God, that there’s a Savior too.” In revelation, Wheatley “neither sought nor knew” about the “redemption” in finding Christianity (Ln.4). The use of figurative speech is done well by Wheatley with phrases such as “sable race” and “diabolic dye” (Ln. 5-6), for a self-portrayal of herself and others of her race. “Some view our sable race with a scornful eye” (Ln. 5), illustrates there are few who have such hatred and are overlooked due to the color of her skin. Instead of just inputting the word black, Wheatley wanted to stress on the sight that is on her race. Her usage of figurative language portrays the prejudice that Wheatley endure along with other black people in her era. Wheatley carefully places her color of skin to present to the reader about the dynamic differences between white and black. It is recognized that Wheatley gave the reader a different perspective on slavery. Susan Lippert Martin notices and inputs
Phillis Wheatley’s poem “On being brought from Africa to America”, underlying denotation …show more content…
Wheatley’s poems included reference to slavery and religious aspects as remembrance of her life and knowledge. In addition to Wheatley’s theme, she capitalizes on slavery and the influence she experienced being a slave in the slave trade. Gates would clarify that Wheatley’s poem protested about the “slave trade” and her poem was her outlet of expression (Gates, Jr. 70). “this, it can be safely said, has been the most reviled poem in African-American literature”, mentioned by Henry Louis Gates, Jr in reference to Wheatleys poem On Being Brought from Africa to America (Gates, Jr. 70). According to Vincent Carretta, in his book Phillis Wheatley: Biography of a Genius in Bondage, speaks of “the poems notoriety understandably but unfairly derives from Wheatley’s apparent acceptance of contemporaneous justifications for the transatlantic slave trade” (Carretta 60). However, Wheatley did not only target on the negative aspect as being a slave, she concerned herself with her new enlighten life when she was purchased by a wealthy family such as John Wheatley. Living in the Wheatleys home and being the “a companion for his wife Susannah”, Phillis had the capability to be refined and lived comfortably (Baym 763). Wheatley also had the advantage unlike other slaves in the …show more content…
Mason, Jr’s book, the poems of Phillis Wheatley, Mason inquiries into Wheatleys case mentioning the she “remembered little of her life before her arrival in this country” (Mason, Jr. XII). To make restitution, Wheatley describes her beginnings in her poem of coming “from a pagan land” (Ln. 1). Through the “mercy” that carried, her “benight soul to understand” conveys a preview into Wheatley’s faith (Ln. 1-2). With the obvious indication of coming from Africa and becoming a slave, Wheatleys asserts in line three of discovering “that there’s a God, that there’s a Savior too.” In revelation, Wheatley “neither sought nor knew” about the “redemption” in finding Christianity (Ln.4). The use of figurative speech is done well by Wheatley with phrases such as “sable race” and “diabolic dye” (Ln. 5-6), for a self-portrayal of herself and others of her race. “Some view our sable race with a scornful eye” (Ln. 5), illustrates there are few who have such hatred and are overlooked due to the color of her skin. Instead of just inputting the word black, Wheatley wanted to stress on the sight that is on her race. Her usage of figurative language portrays the prejudice that Wheatley endure along with other black people in her era. Wheatley carefully places her color of skin to present to the reader about the dynamic differences between white and black. It is recognized that Wheatley gave the reader a different perspective on slavery. Susan Lippert Martin notices and inputs