What Is The Difference In Phillis Wheatley's Work?

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

honor of a slave master. "If there exists a hell--the case is clear--/ Sir Toby's slaves enjoy that portion here:/ Here are no blazing brimstone lakes--'tis true;/ But kidnled rum too often burns as blue;/ In which some fiend, whom nature must detest,/ Steeps Toby's brand, and marks poor Cudjoe's breat." (Toby 593). His point is that freedom is something slaves want, but must pass through a lot of hardships to have. I liked Phillis Wheatley’s reaction to slavery a lot better than Philip Freneau’s. I like hers better because what she says about American independence being kind of hypocritical if we have slaves makes a lot of since. In her reaction she has a lot of better reasons for her accusations. Overall both were very meaningful and each had a very good point on each side of the issue.