Cydney Fillback British Literature Dr. Clemons April 20th, 2017 Feminist critics of The Runaway Slave at Pilgrim’s Point "The Runaway Slave at Pilgrim's Point" was penned during the Victorian era by Elizabeth Barrett Browning. Similar to the works of Anna Letitia Barbauld, Browning also used literature to protest the institution of slavery among African Americans. How she felt about racism and injustice is colorfully portrayed in this poem. The chief character of the poetry is a female African slave, who is fleeing away from her master to escape the misery and agony of slavery. Pilgrim's Point refers to Plymouth Rock, Massachusetts, where the Pilgrims landed in November 1620. The slave also has a child along with her, in which she is ashamed …show more content…
of bearing a child [for her master]. This is clearly described starting at line 115: "And the babe who lay on my bosom so was far too white, too white to me..." During slavery, female slaves were constant subjects of sexual exploitation by their masters. This situation could have occurred to the main role; thus, delivering a baby from it. One of the rules of slavery was if a female slave bore a baby, the girl was automatically born into slavery; the child was not exempt from harsh labor and racial injustice. Later on, in the poem (line 120-154), the slave recounts how she hated staring at the child's face since it was so white. She comprehended if she kept the child, it would encounter the ills of slavery and would not enjoy freedom. Hence, she commits infanticide by suffocating the child with her kerchief. Throughout the poem, the main character occasionally shouts, "I am black, I am black!" It could be an expression of contempt for why she's mistreated. In other words, she's answering her question as to why her counterparts had a good life; yet, African Americans could not relish in freedom. She does, however, reminisce about happy life was in Africa before becoming enslaved; lines 58 & 59 states, "But once, I laughed in girlish glee, for one of my color stood on the track..." The statement could indicate that Africans were pleased and content with their lives. The main character could have had a relationship with another slave before it came to a grim end. Starting with line 64, she describes how happy she was with this unknown male slave. Whether or not he was a runaway slave, or if both he and the main character labored on the same estate is unknown. However, the description of their stable relationship moved her to sing "his name instead of a song, over and over I sang his name" (lines 78 & 79). This happy relationship came to a sudden end, as the slave recalls: "They wrung my cold hands out of his, they dragged him where? I crawled to feel his blood's mark in the dust...not much, ye pilgrim-souls, though plain as this !" (lines 95-98). Sordid on her account, her equivalents found the male slave and dragged him away from her. It's a possibility they could have harshly punished him. As a result, she felt pain and misery because she involuntarily lost her loved one. According to Bell Hook’s definition feminism is a movement to end sexism, sexist exploitation and oppression. This definition means that it would be naive, or let’s say wrong - minded for feminist brains to see this movement as simplistically being for women who are against men. (Hook, 2000) On the other hand, Feminist criticism is a literary form of criticism that gives the prospect of writing through a feminist viewpoint. It is a political form of writing that analyzes the questions of how male and females correlate to each other and the world, the repression of females and how females are depicted in literature. Through her writings that often envelope brutal female oppression, Victorian era dramatist Elizabeth Barrett Browning displays feminist views.
Though often done subtly and discursively, Barrett Browning uses her poetry as a mechanism to show her hatred towards Victorian era female oppression that manifested itself in areas such as societal expectations and lack of independence. Despite the fact that few pieces by Barrett Browning are said to be genuinely biographical, one could suggest that numerous other poems by Barrett Browning depict her life as a woman living the Victorian period, as well as the lives of women, in general, living in the Victorian period. Through the analysis of ''The Runaway Slave at Pilgrim's Point," one can clearly see areas of Barrett Browning's life being displayed in her writing. Aspects of Elizabeth Barrett Browning's life that are most visibly expressed in her book include her inner confusion amid wanting to be a poet, and yet also wanting to keep her femininity. Also evident is her condemning view of slavery, and how she compares the practice of slavery to the then treatment of women. And ultimately apparent is her belief in the importance of women gaining independence from men. Through a comprehensive analysis of Barrett Browning's work in "The Runaway Slave at Pilgrim's Point," one can see how the actions reflect Barrett Browning's lifetime experiences and ideas regarding female rights. The works of Elizabeth Barrett Browning represent her hatred towards the misogynistic Victorian era
community. Through the fact that "The Runaway Slave at Pilgrim's Point" centers on a female slave, there are many areas that display Barrett Browning's opinion towards the practice. However, in some cases, Barrett Browning venerates the choices made by the narrator which demonstrates her hatred for slavery and further proves that she desires to escape the "slavery" of her gender. In the last verses of the poetry, the reciter describes that the men are hunting her, knowing they will soon arrest her, she laughs at the thought of her demise: " In these lines, Barrett Browning communicates the total fearlessness and strength of the narrator. The tone of the passage, through its liberal use of punctuation and literal use of laughter, becomes excited and hysterical, and in a sense seems to extol the narrator and her resistance. Perhaps Barrett Browning created this consequence of glorification of the narrator because she, as a woman, would want to see the narrator courageously defy and overcome her oppressors. By laughing in the face of her oppressors hunting her, the narrator can take control of the circumstance and remove any satisfaction that her murderers may get from her death. After having killed her child, and now permitting herself die, she will be rejoined with her child in a place where racial or gender-based oppression does not exist. This implies the notion that by glorifying the narrator and her final actions in the closing of the poem, Barrett Browning implies that the narrator, wronged as she may have been by the men, was not only able to overcome but furthermore triumph over her life's obstacles. This advances the idea that Barrett Browning yearns to see the oppressed overcome their oppressors. Again, in the last stanza of the poem, Barrett Browning portrays the narrator as fearlessly awaiting her death, "I am floated along as if I should die of liberty's exquisite pain. In the name of the white child waiting for me in the death-dark where we may kiss and agree" (36, 3-6). In composing these lines in such a way, Barrett Browning produces a seeming sense of duty in the narrator, suggesting that to defend one's stance or gender should be honorable. By including the narrator's jovial mood towards her demise, Barrett Browning makes the statement that the oppressed woman was able to take actions into her hands, and by her dissatisfying reaction, steal her oppressors of any content. In this way, Barrett Browning exalts the clear action of the narrator so as to glorify the act of opposing her oppressors. Through this poem, Barrett Browning not only confirms her opposition to slavery, but she also shows its relation to the treatment of women, recommending that fighting against either is an honorable act. In conclusion, “The Runaway Slave at Pilgrim's Point", it becomes lucid that Barrett Browning uses her writing to express her experiences and opinions towards the unfair Victorian treatment of women. Finally, she achieves this purpose through the value of personal independence that is portrayed in her poems. Work cited Brophy, Sarah. "Elizabeth Barrett Browning's" The Runaway Slave at Pilgrim's Point" and the Politics of Interpretation." Victorian Poetry 36.3 (1998): 273-288.
From before the country’s conception to the war that divided it and the fallout that abolished it, slavery has been heavily engrained in the American society. From poor white yeoman farmers, to Northern abolitionist, to Southern gentry, and apathetic northerners slavery transformed the way people viewed both their life and liberty. To truly understand the impact that slavery has had on American society one has to look no further than those who have experienced them firsthand. Frederick Douglass, an escaped slave and advocate for the abolitionist, is on such person. Douglass was a living contradiction to American society during his time. He was an African-American man, self-taught, knowledgeable, well-spoken, and a robust writer. Douglass displayed a level of skill that few of his people at the time could acquire. With his autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: An American Slave Written by Himself, Douglass captivated the people of his time with his firsthand accounts into the horror and brutality that is the institution of slavery.
Neglect and the lack of care from society is affecting the life of Theresa Flores. As young girls they are being forgotten by their community and society as human beings who need to be cared for as they grow and heal from the traumatic events in their life. The stories of Theresa and Rachel prove events of human trafficking have taken place in the United States during the 1980’s-2000’s and are currently occurring. In The Slave Across the Street by Theresa Flores, Theresa informs the reader of her experiences with neglect and the effects these experiences have on her. As Theresa begins to show signs of physical abuse, the adults in her schools and community are taking no notice in fear the results would affect themselves. Theresa says, “By doing nothings, turning a blind eye, they
Amid a period of war prompting recreation of the United States of America there were few that had such energy to take a stand in opposition to subjection to set forward laws of fairness. A got away slave, Frederick Douglass, conflicted with current times with the likelihood of being caught and executed turned into an abolitionist. Ladies in the public eye were seen as valuable items, you shouldn 't publically beat ladies. Douglass ' account demonstrates numerous slave ladies being beaten by other men and ladies. The majority of the rough scenes in included ladies. He relates ladies with anguish. Frederick makes a unique purpose of depicting the traumatic sight of female slaves being beaten and mishandled. The assault of female slaves by their lords was another regular event. He begins off the story in part one with the beating of his close relative Hester.
The issue of Slavery in the South was an unresolved issue in the United States during the seventeenth and eighteenth century. During these years, the south kept having slavery, even though most states had slavery abolished. Due to the fact that slaves were treated as inferior, they did not have the same rights and their chances of becoming an educated person were almost impossible. However, some information about slavery, from the slaves’ point of view, has been saved. In this essay, we are comparing two different books that show us what being a slave actually was. This will be seen with the help of two different characters: Linda Brent in Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl and Frederick Douglass in The Narrative of the life of Frederick
Deviating from his typically autobiographical and abolitionist literatures, Frederick Douglass pens his first work of fiction, “The Heroic Slave,” the imagined backstory of famed ex-slave Madison Washington, best known for his leadership in a slave rebellion aboard about the slave ship Creole. An interesting plot and Douglass’ word choice provide a powerful portrait of slavery and the people affected by it.
In “Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl” by Harriet Jacobs, Jacob’s writing demonstrates to challenge the acceptance of slavery during the 1800’s. Jacobs, who is writing inside a “contact zone” tries to connect both societies in this story.
In 1861, Harriet Jacobs published her book “Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl.” The story is based in Southern United States of America during the time before Jacob escaped from slavery in 1835 (Reilly 649). Jacobs uses the name Linda Brent as a pseudonym (Reilly 649) and describes her experience as a female slave through a first person narration. The purpose of the selections featured in Kevin Reilly's, “Worlds of History,” is to show the victimization and emotional suffering female slaves feel against their white masters vs. the physical pain a male slave endures.
From the beginning of the chapter one Douglass mentioned his separation from his origin, from his parents, therefore he did not ‘know’ himself. He was kept from the knowledge of his position in society. In first paragraph of chapter one, I noticed more than eight rhetorical expressions of negative views- “I have no,” “I could not,” “seldom,” “never” etc. These statements shows his big gap of his deprivation of knowledge. The young Douglass lived in the society neither a human nor an animal. Thus whites prevented him to build his own “self” and dehumanized him. W.E.B. DuBois introduces the idea of “Double-consciousnes”, he admits, “this sense of always looking at one’s self through the eyes of others, of measuring one’s soul by the tape of a world that’s looks on in amused contempt and pity.”(…) Douglass always fought with his inner feelings, and struggled to combine his inner self with his outer self. He always wanted to change his position. In the second half of the book he tried to grab the power of knowledge, and his position changed. He focused on literacy and language and became a teacher. He started to write and read and started to connect his intellectual mind with his speech and action. It was his first turning point, and this attempt awakening his mind. Slowly he was breaking the invisible wall around him, and tried to find the path to build his identity. Thus the second half of the book, in his journey his searching knowledge made him to say, “ I used to speak,”(77) “I told him,”(56) “I would tell them,” (57). “I said” etc. His masters started to hear Douglass’ voice who used to play a role of silent audience.
The film “Slavery by another name" is a one and a half hour documentary produced by Catherine Allan and directed by Sam Pollard, and it was first showcased by Sundance Film Festival in 2012. The film is based on Douglas Blackmonbook Slavery by Another Name, and the plot of the film revolves around the history and life of African Americans after Emancipation Proclamation; which was effected by President Abraham Lincoln in 1865, for the purpose of ending slavery of African Americans in the U.S. The film reveals very brutal stories of how slavery of African Americans persisted in through forced labor and cruelty; especially in the American south which continued until the beginning of World War II. The film brings to light one of my upbringing
“12 Years a Slave,” an autobiography by Solomon Northrup written in 1853 after he spent twelve years in slavery down in the deep south. Solomon was born a free man to his father Mintus Northrup. Mintus was the property of a man named Henry B. Northrup, whom later became emancipated through Northrup’s dying will. Solomon lived thirty years free, until, the early part of 1841. Solomon went seeking extra money playing his fiddle, this was the turning point of his life for the next twelve years. His description about slavery, slaveholders, and the events throughout his captivity is nothing short of horrific and gives an alternate view through the eyes of a man that was once free.
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.
“The traveller was thinking: it is always questionable to intervene decisively in strange circumstances. He was neither a citizen of the penal colony nor of the citizen of the state to which it belonged. If he wanted to condemn the execution or even hinder it, people could say to him: You are a foreigner-keep quiet. He would have nothing in response to that…” (Kafka 9). In In the Penal Colony the traveller was invited to witness an execution and provide his opinion. However, he is not aware of the influence that is opinion has. Travellers are used to observe societies, without directly altering them. He arrives at the penal colony unaware of it’s political state.. The passing of a leader, and the induction of a New Commandant has caused tension.
Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stow is a novel that addresses the controversial issues of slavery, having an awe-inspiring impact on American culture. Not only does it provide the reader with a feminist view on the role of women, but still raises concern of racism in today’s society. It has also has been the subject of constant criticism being banned from many schools, though portraying the smaller more personal tragedies caused by the slavery industry. By showing the harm that had been done to individuals the author emphasizes the belief that slaves are not property but human beings.
The word “slavery” brings back horrific memories of human beings. Bought and sold as property, and dehumanized with the risk and implementation of violence, at times nearly inhumane. The majority of people in the United States assumes and assures that slavery was eliminated during the nineteenth century with the Emancipation Proclamation. Unfortunately, this is far from the truth; rather, slavery and the global slave trade continue to thrive till this day. In fact, it is likely that more individuals are becoming victims of human trafficking across borders against their will compared to the vast number of slaves that we know in earlier times. Slavery is no longer about legal ownership asserted, but instead legal ownership avoided, the thought provoking idea that with old slavery, slaves were maintained, compared to modern day slavery in which slaves are nearly disposable, under the same institutionalized systems in which violence and economic control over the disadvantaged is the common way of life. Modern day slavery is insidious to the public but still detrimental if not more than old American slavery.
"I am left in the hottest hell of unending slavery. O God, save me! God, deliver me! Let me be free! Is there any God? Why am I a slave?” (Douglass 265). This miserable plea for freedom is from the powerful Narrative entitled, The Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave. In this descriptive story, he shares with the reader the viewpoint of a mixed-race American born man, raised parentless as a slave worker. Douglass’s mother was separated from him at a young age and his father was rumored to be their master, which is not out of the question, as many masters impregnated their female slaves. Douglass grew up not knowing his real age, with very little clothing and no bed to sleep in. In addition, the food was always rationed