What Is The Difference In Phillis Wheatley's Work?

263 Words1 Page
bulb-icon

Recommended: Slavery in the 1800s paper

Phillis Wheatley's work consisted mostly of poems and letters about freedom and independence. Philip Freneau basically wrote about the same thing. The only difference in their arguments was that while Freneau wrote for independence of the white man, Wheatley wrote for the black. Her poems were a strong voice during a time when America was crying out for freedom from Britain. Wheatley mainly focused on slavery. She believed that American independence and American slavery could not co-exist. When she says this it basically mean how can you have American independence if slaves aren’t independent. In Freneau's "To Sir Toby," we can find a different way of speaking entirely. He has a more violent way of looking at slavery and names the poem in

Show More
Related

  • Freedom: To the African American Slave

    1102 Words  | 3 Pages

    What is freedom? This question is easy enough to answer today. To many, the concept of freedom we have now is a quality of life free from the constraints of a person or a government. In America today, the thought of living a life in which one was “owned” by another person, seems incomprehensible. Until 1865 however, freedom was a concept that many African Americans only dreamed of. Throughout early American Literature freedom and the desire to be free has been written and spoken about by many. Insight into how an African-American slave views freedom and what sparks their desire to receive it can be found in any of the “Slave Narratives” of early American literature, from Olaudah Equiano’s The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustav Vassa, the African published in 1789, to Frederick Douglass’s Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave, Written by Himself which was published in 1845. Phillis Wheatley’s poetry and letters and Martin R. Delany’s speech Political Destiny of the Colored Race in the American Continent also contain examples of the African-American slaves’ concepts of freedom; all the similarities and differences among them.

    Read More

  • Literary Analysis Of Mrs. Wheatley's Liberty And Peace

    778 Words  | 2 Pages

    A little background on the author of “Liberty and Peace” Mrs. Phillis Wheatley she was brought to the America in the 1700’s from west Africa for slavery. However, she was only seven years old and end up in Boston instead of the south other slaves. It was there where her literary talents were discovered by her slave masters the Wheatley’s. She was taught to read and write like the other children within the Wheatley’s household. Her first published poem was at the age of thirteen told the story of rescue at sea and was published without any problems. However even though she was literate she was still far away from her homeland. She expressed her feels through her later poems, which many were not published because of her being an African

    Read More

  • Slavery In Woody Holton's Black Americans In The Revolutionary Era

    1667 Words  | 4 Pages

    Similar to the previous document, Document 6, the individuals writing this urges the state of Massachusetts to grant them freedom. In the introduction to this document, a contradiction is addressed by Holton, discussing the colonists’ views on King George III’s policies. Holton states: “White colonists’ protests often charged that the policies adopted by King George III and Parliament took away their liberty and even threatened to “enslave them” (Holton 46). Based on this, one would imply that the colonists are not used to this type of oppression being placed on their lifestyle. It seems that the colonists felt as if they were going to be treated like slaves. This protest contradicts itself because the colonists are the originally the ones that are oppressing and setting strict rules and laws against African Americans. In addition, it appears that the colonists are unbothered with treating the slaves worse than the result of King George and Parliament’s policies, but suddenly it is not okay once that action is placed upon the colonists themselves. Another document that speaks on these contradictions is Document 10. This document examines Phillis Wheatley’s letter to Samson Occom. Wheatley’s letter to Occum denotes the colonists’ insistence to break free from Britain’s wrath and their persistence to keep slavery in the United States. Wheatley attempts to

    Read More

  • Compare and Contrast Lorraine Jenson and John Conlan

    664 Words  | 2 Pages

    How much in common do you think Lorraine Jenson and John Conlan have? How many differences do you think Lorraine Jenson and John Conlan have? Well you are about to find that out. In the book The Pigman, written by Paul Zindel, there are two characters, Lorraine and John in which i am comparing and contrasting. Even though Lorraine doesn't seem like as though she has alot in common with John they can be alike and different in the littlest things possible, such as in physical appearance, in thier behavior and personality, and in their strengths and weaknesses.Just see for your self.

    Read More

  • Phillis Wheatley: What It Means To Be An American

    915 Words  | 2 Pages

    Readers unfamiliar with Phillis Wheatley may wonder of her background and who she was in particular to be able to gain rights to be mentioned in early American literature. Wheatley was born in 1753 and was captured by Africans, and sold to an American family known as the Wheatley’s. She quickly became a member of the Wheatley family, living in the home, and being tutored on reading and writing.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of The Shoemaker And The Tea Party

    1097 Words  | 3 Pages

    Wheatley was born in West Africa around 1750, and was captured when she was 7. John Wheatley purchased Phillis for his wife, Susanna; together they taught Phillis how to read and write, and as early as 12, Phillis was writing poetry and her first poem had been published. Wheatley’s poems implicitly advocated for racial equality, while condemning slavery. Her work received some negative feedback from political figureheads, such as Thomas Jefferson. White America classified a human as having the ability to read, write, and reason; therefore, leaving no room for the uneducated Africans, seeing Africans as nonhuman. Jefferson claimed Wheatley’s work was not literature because the moment he admitted Wheatley’s work was indeed literature, he would have had to admit she was a human being. The way Phillis Wheatley handled the adversity she faced is admirable. Wheatley definitely impacted American history, and “owes her place in history to advocates of inequality” (Young 1999

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast Equiano And Mary Rowlandson

    1112 Words  | 3 Pages

    Mary Rowlandson and Olaudah Equiano both had many obstacles in a certain period of life. From the different narratives, trials and tribulations were brought upon both. Taken from the life of which accustomed to and put in sometimes very harsh conditions had an antagonistic effect. Despite it all, Rowlandson and Equiano were able to get through by keep faith in God, the word of the bible, and spiritualism in itself. After all of the trials and tribulations Rowlandson and Equiano were able to escape and look back on all the things they went through. Mary Rowlandson and Olaudah Equiano can be compared and contrasted by family life, conditions while captured, and moment of rescue.

    Read More

  • American Poet: Phillis Wheatley

    1206 Words  | 3 Pages

    Phillis Wheatley was an African-born slave in the last quarter of the eighteenth-century in New England. She was born in West Africa and brought to America on the slave ship Phillis. She was, however, much more than chattel-she was a poet. Phillis was the first African American to have a book published. In a time when women were not expected to be able to read or write, and when teaching an African American to be literate was frowned upon, Phillis Wheatley became educated in Latin and English literature. The education of Phillis Wheatley was, for the most part, for the intent of training "a servant and would-be companion for domestic utility," in which they undoubtedly succeeded. However, they "got an intellectual adornment" who, with her knowledge of the poems of Alexander Pope, the "Puritanical whiteness of her thoughts," and ability to write poems, soon became a celebrity among Boston?s social elite (Richmond 18,19).

    Read More

  • A Comparison Of John Henry Newman And Paulo Freire?

    1218 Words  | 3 Pages

    A well-rounded education is very important and much supported. Two supporters are John Henry Newman and Paulo Freire. John Henry Newman was a professor at Oxford University and an Anglican minister that converted to Roman Catholicism and became a Pope. He delivered several lectures in Dublin, Ireland, about the importance of a Catholic education. These early lectures on education were revised and published in The Idea of a University. One of those lectures, “Knowledge Its Own End,” is about two distinct kinds of education (Austin, 53). Newman believed that there was a need for education purely for pleasure and education that is needed to pursue a specific career. Paulo Freire is a Brazilian literature professor and philosopher. Freire

    Read More

  • Frederick Douglass 'Fourth Of July For The Negro'

    549 Words  | 2 Pages

    In his speech he tries to make white people consider the behavior of black people. Specially their feelings towards a national occasion such as Independence Day. At the time of Douglass’s speech America were actually two different nations, white and black. Two separated nations one had great benefits after the independence and another still fight for basic human rights. What does the independence means for people who still suffer after it? This question is the most important. In the Declaration of Independence. He is implying that these rights are not being extended to African Americans. When this country was created it was meant to be a plac...

    Read More

  • The American Revolution’s Effect on the Institution of Slavery

    800 Words  | 2 Pages

    Before the American Revolution, significant opposition to slavery already existed. James Otis, a Massachusetts lawyer emblemized this strain of thought when he wrote about the rights of natural born citizens and men. He argued that a man, black or white, should be guaranteed, as British subjects, the same rights and liberties. These liberties should protect men from slavery and afford them the rights guaranteed by the British Crown. Many other American colonists shared this attitude of abolitionism, however their reasoning relied on religious beliefs rather than modern political theory. A letter written by Phillis Wheatley to a Reverend exemplifies this justification for abolition. The letter expressed appreciation for the Reverend’s abolitionist views, but also compared the current situation to those of the Israelites when the Egyptians enslaved them. A parallel to the Bible furthered the view for many that slavery was unjust. This combination of Enlightenment ideals of natural righ...

    Read More

  • A Comparison Of Interpersonal Relationships In The Great Gatsby?

    2954 Words  | 6 Pages

    In 1925, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s well-known novel The Great Gatsby was published. Since its publishing, there have been three movie adaptations of the book. The most recent one was released on May 1, 2013 staring Tobey Maguire as Nick Carraway, and Leonardo “Still Hasn’t Won an Oscar” DiCaprio as Jay Gatsby. The Great Gatsby contains relationships between multiple characters from platonic and romantic relationships. What is being analyzed is how each main character’s relationships with one another pertain to the concepts associated with interpersonal relationship psychology.

    Read More

  • Sarah Revere Compare And Contrast Essay

    956 Words  | 2 Pages

    What if a child thought their grandmother did not like them? This is what Sarah Revere, the daughter of the famous Paul Revere, thinks of her Grandmother’s attitude towards her, in the novel, The Secret of Sarah Revere by Ann Rinaldi. Sarah Revere is the daughter of the famous Paul Revere, and in this novel, she thinks Grandma Revere is against her. Frequently, Grandma is terrorizing Sarah and her siblings because she is blaming them for their birth mother’s death. Sarah is having a difficult time dealing with grandma who is treating her with disrespect. Also, not liking her as much as she likes Debby, because Sarah does not have the pox marks. While Grandma Revere and Sarah Revere possess related character traits such as being reckless and grateful, they also display different traits such as being

    Read More

  • The Influence of Religion in Phillis Wheatley's Life

    1460 Words  | 3 Pages

    Phillis Wheatley overcame extreme obstacles, such as racism and sexism, to become one of the most acclaimed poets in the 18th Century. Her works are characterized by religious and moral backgrounds, which are due to the extensive education of religion she received. In this sense, her poems also fit into American Poetry. However, she differs in the way that she is a black woman whose writings tackle greater subjects while incorporating her moral standpoint. By developing her writing, she began speaking out against injustices that she faced and, consequently, gave way to authors such as Gwendolyn Brooks and Countee Cullen.

    Read More

  • On Being Brought From Africa To America By Phillis Wheatley Analysis

    1354 Words  | 3 Pages

    The clash between racial reality and idea is what is artistically shown in “on being brought from Africa to America”. Wheatley is a subtle rebel. At the beginning of her poem she shows thanks for being enslaved because it brought happiness to her life in finding Christianity, but as time goes by we start to see the true tone of Wheatley, which clearly show in the last two lines of the poem, now Wheatley begins to take a big position of power as if she already has the attention of the reader. Wheatley continues by saying that Africans may not be perfect but the Christians who enslave human beings aren’t

    Read More

More about What Is The Difference In Phillis Wheatley's Work?

Open Document