...Phillis Wheatley, a slave from Gambia, was the first black poet in America to publish numerous books and poems during the late 1700s. She was not treated as a slave as much as other slaves coming from Africa because her owners, the Wheatleys, took an immense interest in her being educated, (Andrew Spacey, Owlcation.com). Writings from the Latin, Greek and the Bible helped her learn to read and write. Her poems that would make her popular were influenced by famous poets- John Milton, Thomas Gray and Alexander Pope, (Jennifer Benka, Poets.Org). After releasing various poems, getting acknowledged by George Washington, and being nationally acclaimed all over the Colonies/ England, her poem, “On Being Brought From Africa to America,” brought mixed feelings on the attitude...
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...2016 Phillis Wheatley was an African slave that was brought to America in the mid to late 1700’s. Her new slave owners in Boston had an immensely unique relationship with her. They taught Wheatley how to read and write which eventually led her to become an influential poet. She has created many poems in her life regarding her outlook on slavery. In one particular poem, “On Being Brought from Africa to America”, Wheatley shows her positive and uplifting stance on slavery. CARRETTA, VINCENT. "Phillis Wheatley: Researching A Life." Historical Journal Of Massachusetts 43.2 (2015): 64-89. America: History and Life with Full Text. Web. 22 Mar. 2016. Vincent Carretta created an article to detail the life of Phillis Wheatley which ultimately assists readers in understanding why she was so uplifting in her poetry. He begins with a brief introduction on her early life and background. Shortly after discussing Wheatley’s early life, Carretta brings in a new perspective on her stating, “The literary quality and the political significance of her writings have been challenged since the eighteenth century” (Corretta 66). The statement he presents shows an interesting view when dealing with a poet who is so significant in literature. He later speaks of Wheatley’s husband and other trips she had taken away from Africa. The situations Carretta informs readers on brings insight on Wheatley’s life and how/why she became the type of woman she did. Frazier, Tom. "On Being Brought From Africa...
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...RESEARCH PAPER Phillis Wheatley's work presents an excellent example of the triumph of optimism over experience. Who is Phillis Wheatley? That is what I asked myself upon learning of a reading assignment. We were assigned to read Phillis Wheatley’s poem “On being brought from Africa to America”. Prior to reading the poem I decided to research the life of Phillis Wheatley. I did this so that I could have a better understanding of what I was about to read. This is why I imagine one of her poems was chosen for reading in our Stories of Immigration course. In the next few sentences I will share with you some of Wheatley’s experience in America. You will discover some of the hardships Wheatley faced. I ask that as you read and think of the experiences that are being described, place yourself in Wheatley’s shoes. What would you do? How would you feel? Would you choose to live a life of optimism or pessimism? Phillis Wheatley was kidnapped at a young age; stripped from the arms of her mother, taken away from the only land that she knew. We all have heard of the dreadful voyage from the west coast of Africa to the eastern American coastlines. Upon landing, Phillis took an immensely negative experience and was able to find something good out of the ordeal. I am not so sure that I would have been able to do or see the sun shine through the rain as Phillis was able to. I am close to my parents and Lord knows how much I love and need my mom. Imagine the thought of no longer...
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...9-11:45am 25 March 2011 Phillis Wheatley an Ex-African Phillis Wheatley born in Gambia, Africa in 1753 was the first early African American slave poet. “A kidnapped African slave child, aged about seven years old” (Lauter 1297), she was brought to Boston where she was sold to John and Susanna Wheatley. Phillis Wheatley’s first name was not given to her at birth she acquired her name by the ship that carried her to America in which it was name “The Phillis”. Susanna Wheatley chose the young African slave, because of her “humble and modest demeanor and the interesting features of the little stranger” (Odell 9). Phillis soon after being adopted into the Wheatley family “experienced special, much-indulged comfort” (Lauter 1297). Phillis was treated quite differently from the other slaves that she lived with; it was if they accepted her as one of their own children. Phillis Wheatley was a very intelligent child and Mrs. Wheatley noticed this about her when they brought her home, for she “was frequently seen endeavoring to make letters upon the wall with a piece of chalk or charcoal” (Odell 10). Due to Phillis’s inquisitive and precocious nature, Mrs. Wheatley decided to take it upon herself to educate the young child, in teaching her how to read and write. Being “tutored by family members, she quickly learned English, Latin and the Bible” (Lauter 1297). Mrs. Wheatley was very amazed by the rapid progress young Phillis was making in grasping the material being taught to her. She was...
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...Phillis Wheatley was only 12 years old when she first published her poems. Phillis Wheatley became well-known poet, and was not only was she the second published African-American poet nonetheless as she was the first published African-American woman. So the question is how this 12 year old slave girl becomes so gifted in poetry and English writing when it was not okay for slaves to learn how to read and write. In 1971, when Phillis was about eight years old, when she was captured and taken away from her parents, soon after that she was bought as a slave. “The child was a victim of the largest involuntary human migration in history. She had been kidnapped from her family in Africa and forced to spend up to two months crossing the Atlantic. She now faced land again at last (Carretta, 2011)”. “Phillis reached Boston in 1761 at the peak of the annual season for selling imported slaves (Robert). There has been a great deal of confusion about when and by whom the future Phillis Wheatley was first sold in Boston. “The advertisement for the human cargo that included the future Phillis Wheatley first appeared in the Boston Gazette on 13 July 1761, repeating almost verbatim the advertisement from the year before...
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...Phillis Wheatley was an African-American born in 1753 in the country of Senegal. At a very young age around 8 years old, she was kidnapped then bought by John Wheatley as a gift to serve Susanna Wheatley. Phillis’ intellectual ability was something not to go unnoticed, soon she was amazingly given educational lessons in subjects such as English, Greek, and even History. She was not taught to serve and slave but rather taught to be a part of the Wheatley family. She put together her very first poem at only twelve years old and continued to create writing poems, soon getting to travel to promote her literature and treat her illnesses. Wheatley led a very different life that other African Americans at the time she was with the Wheatley’s. Her...
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...Phillis Wheatley: The Life of a Mastermind The African American intellectual prodigy, Phillis Wheatley once stood on the slave block awaiting sale. In 1761 at the age of seven or eight, Phillis was purchased by a Boston merchant, Mr. John Wheatley, for his wife. Mrs. Wheatley chose Phillis, young as she was, because of her" humble and modest demeanor” (Odell 9). Mrs. Wheatley initially hopes to train Phillis to replace the aging house slaves and to be her companion, since Mrs. Wheatley's daughter, Mary, would soon be old enough to leave home (Richmond 15). The turning point for Phillis Wheatley was that she was fortunate enough to be educated. This was an amazing blessing to her because it was uncommon for free women in this...
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...COMPARING PHILLIS WHEATLEY AND LANGSTON HUGHES February 25, 2012 ANALYZING AND COMPARING PHILLIS WHEATLEY AND LANGSTON HUGHES Abstract: The aim of this text is to analyze two completely different poets (Phillis Wheatley and Langston Hughes) who lived in several times, however who shared constant theme in the analyzed works. Our intention is to indicate how society has not developed when it concerns the position of negroes: either as voters or persons. Through two selected poems and their analyses, it's supposed to indicate how the tones may change, however the theme remains the same. 1. Introduction Many things may inspire somebody to write down – be it poetry or prose. it has been like this since communication established itself, through generations and throughout time the writings have had a very important role. for some folks writing is also solely how to establish communication, as newspapers and magazines. For some others, it's an inner pleasure to share feelings and concepts, like in journals and theories. However, for others it is an instrument for additional definite purposes, like awareness regarding movements or a personal catharsis – Sylvia Plath’s poetry, for example. Therefore, the power of words helped mankind to change the globe. Bearing in mind this concept that literature may renew and reinforce a belief or an idea, the theme of the analysis supposed in this work comparing Phillis Wheatley’s poem...
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...observations on is a poem written by Phillis Wheatley, called “To S.M., a Young African Painter, on Seeing his Works.” This poem was written during the enlightenment period. I particularly chose this poem because I always had an interest in reading about African literature and how over time equal rights for everyone became a success. Upon reading this poem, which was slightly difficult to understand, Wheatley communicates about how powerful imagination can be. She mentions how imagination can give an artist the ability to go beyond their limits to the point were there are no longer any more limitations. She points out a painter several times which I am not sure who she is referring to yet. I am assuming it is an African painter at that time. The one aspect of the work that really sparked my interest was when Wheatley said, “But when these shades of time are chas’d away, and darkness ends in everlasting day” (To S.M., A Young Painter, n.d., para. 2),which I think she implies that when this era of slavery and racism passes the darkness (harsh times) will end and there will be daylight or good times. Analysis of the Work Phillis Wheatley was a writer who greatly differed from other writers in American literature mostly because of her word choice she chose in her writing. She was originally born in Africa and brought to England where she was sold and raised into slavery during the enlightenment period. She was brought to America as a slave and the owners that bought...
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...The Middle Passage was a dark stage of history in which Africans were sent on vessels to America as part of the slave trade. Two particular slaves used these dreadful times to their advantage. Putting their experiences into writing, Phillis Wheatley and Olaudah Equiano wrote tremendously successful literary pieces that shaped the abolition movement. In both Equiano’s narrative and Wheatley’s book of poems, they reflect the similar experience of slavery, which greatly shapes the purpose and style of the author’s pieces. Much like Equiano, Phillis Wheatley was born in an African village. The only good memory recalled of her life in Africa was of her mother performing daily rituals to the rising sun in the mornings. She had the advantage of being purchased by Christian missionaries who were very kind to her. Her owners taught her to read and write, which led her to be the first African American woman to be published as a poet. It also caused her writing to be much more classical with a discreet sense of emotion. She used many allusions and...
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...March 14, 2014 Intro to Poetry 116w The Role of Race in Determining the Canonicity of Phillis Wheatley’s Works Over the years, the types of literary works considered to be part of the cannon have varied greatly but the criterion for selecting a canonical work seems to have stayed the same. According to American literary critic Northrop Frye, the canonicity of a work represents the admission of the work unto a “unified scheme” that is also “in accord with a permanent structure of ideas” (Hilton, 140). While poet Phillis Wheatley certainly focused upon the “permanent structure of ideas” that is most significant in our society- religion, freedom, integrity- she was fairly unsuccessful at achieving a canonical status for most if not all of her works. Wheatley’s achievements were undoubtedly impressive, yet much attention was paid to her race rather than her talent. While a canonical work by definition creates a powerful literary legacy, after her initial fame Phillis Wheatley was “no longer a revelation, unable to successfully commodify herself again, she died penniless and forgotten” (Flanzbaum, 79). Much of the controversy surrounding Wheatley’s work was brought on by accusations made by critics that she held a misguided racial identity, in which she identifies more with her white, privileged readers than her black peers. Even decades later, many critics of Wheatley’s work are still unable to see past skin color to see her work for what it truly is. It cannot be said for certain...
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...Phillis Wheatly “On being Brought from Africa to America” In the work “On Being Brought from Africa to America” Wheatley tells of how her being brought to America from Africa brought her salvation. Wheatley uses literary devices to unify all Christians and encourage other of African descent to convert, as well as unify all Christians. While normally the speaker and the poet are considered different than one another in “ On being Brought from Africa to America” it can be assumed that the poet and the speaker are the same people. Firstly, the speaker doesn’t seem to be simplistic like most slaves of that time and historically Wheatley was a very educated slave. Also, the topic of Christianity was not common for slaves in America because slaves were...
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...She Is Charlie The orange sun that kisses my caramel skin….. That cooool summer breeze that leaves my thick cocoa milky Oh yes cocoa butter sent lingering under your nose as I walk pass… Can you imagine the thought of these rich chocolate lips so soft and smooth as you indulge yourself in my mango sweet kisses… so sweet yet tangy with a hint of sour green apple? Can you imagine? Sirens jingle Alarm clock screams & you come to see that it was nothing but a fantasy Can you imagine me? ... Charlie B Nikki Giovanni Nikki Giovanni is a Poet, Writer, Activist, and Professor who Crowned by critics as the “Princess of Black Poetry” during the early 70s. She started her writing career in the in the 1960s when began her studies at Fisk University in Nashville Tennessee, The civil rights and black power movements inspired her early poetry that was collected in Black Feeling, Black Talk (1967), Black Judgment (1968), and Re: Creation (1970). Giovanni's writing has been heavily inspired by both African American activists and artists. “All eyez on U” Is a poem dedicated to the late great Tupac Amaru Shakur that illustrates the generational repetition of eliminating a race that is trying to empower and educate a nation. Giovanni believed that the 'superior race' created ways to eliminate education and reassured ignorance remained in the black community to increase chaos, self-destruction, and to silence those capable of great intellect. The speaker states...
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...Throughout American literature, slavery has been written about time after time. Two well known works about this topic are The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano by Olaudah Equiano and “On Being Brought from Africa to America” by Phillis Wheatley. While these works deal with the same topic of slavery, they differ in genre and time period. Equiano wrote a narrative in the Early American Fiction time period while Wheatley wrote a poem during the Revolutionary period. They both tell the tale of slave in first person perspective, but they tell two different stories. Equiano’s narrative was written in the 1750s at the end of the Early American Fiction period of American Literature. The religious theme that was common during this...
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...them mentally programmed. Wheatley was in this circumstance, and she attempted to persuade individuals this wasn't valid. The poem "On Being Brought from Africa to America" represents this point. Wheatley wrote in the first line, "Twas mercy brought me from my Pagan land.1" Could she truly have implied that Africa was characteristically a Pagan area? She had when she composed these words received the Christian religion. Christians who truly accept what the Bible says normally trust that individuals...
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