Lee Ellen Haskins

10/20/2010
American Literature (Online)

Phillis Wheatly

Phillis Wheatley was the first African American writer to have a creative

book of poetry published in America. Her life can easily be portrayed as personal

declaration to the slave oppressors of her time. Wheatley’s work was not only

was a great contribution to American history and literature but to African-

American literature as well.

Wheatley was a young girl who was kidnapped from her African

homeland and brought to America to be sold in the slave trade of Boston. John

and Susanna Wheatley were a wealthy Boston family who purchased Phillis to

be a personal servant to Susanna. The Wheatley family treated young Phillis

much different than their other slaves. They gave her the luxury of having her

own bedroom, she ate meals with the family, was taught Bible and to read and

write — she was pretty much treated as if she were one of the Wheatley’s own

children. However, Phillis proved to be extremely intelligent and was able to

achieve great success through her hard work ethic and determination. Her

humbleness earned her great respect from people she came in contact with.

However, she had a deep found passion for writing, which eventually was what

help grant her freedom from slavery. She mainly wrote for leisure and

amusement. In her work, Wheatley glorified death, criticized slavery, celebrated

the rewards and freedom of life after death. Her poems can be seen as a

combination of religion and neo-classicism. In my opinion, her narratives illustrate

her personal history that is tied in to the reality of the early African American

experience. Her work was greatly influenced by her Christian beliefs. Religion

played a very important role in her life. Phillis always gave praise to God and

claimed none for her own.

Wheatley states in her poem, On Being Brought From Africa to America,

that faith and religion were the true answers to her freedom. The title of the poem

expresses her divided mindset she embodies as an African American being

taken from her homeland of Africa and brought to America. Wheatley writes

using a double voice. In lines 1-3, she is speaking as an American: (illustrating

slavery as advancement towards reaching salvation.)

'Twas mercy brought me from my Pagan land,

Taught my benighted soul to understand
That there's a God, that there's a Savior too:

In lines 4-8, she is speaking as an African: (using a reference to Scripture to

criticize hypocrisy of slave owners — meaning if they were really Christians then

they would view slaves as their equals since God created all people to be equal.)

Once I redemption neither sought nor knew.

Some view our sable race with scornful eye,
"Their color is a diabolic die."
Remember, Christians. Negroes, black as Cain,
May be refined and join the angelic train.

However, Wheatley’s criticism on the idea of slavery occurs in, To the Right

Honorable William, Earl of Dartmouth. Once again, Wheatley uses a “double”

voice to illustrate her point — portraying herself as an American patriot and an

African slave. She commemorates the idea of “fair freedom” as the intention of
the New England patriots and “the Goddess long desired” by oppressed African

Americans. However, she draws upon the dialectic of enslavement and tyranny

to show her support towards America. As the voice of an African American slave

her message exhibits a very important role in reference to the liberation of

slavery:

No more, America, in mournful strain

Of wrongs, and grievance unredressed complain,
No longer shalt thou dread the iron chain,
Which wanton Tyranny with lawless hand
Had made, and with it meant t'enslave the land.

Wheatley uses her words as a voice of reason and also draws attention to her

own position as an American slave pleaing:

Should you, my lord, while you peruse my song,

Wonder from whence my love of Freedom sprung,
Whence flow these wishes for the common good,
By feeling hearts alone best understood,
I, young in life, by seeming cruel fate
Was snatched from Afric's fancy's happy seat:
What pangs excruciating must molest,
What sorrows labor in my parent's breast?
Steeled was that soul and by no misery moved
That from a father seized his babe beloved:
Such, such my case. And can I then but pray
Others may never feel tyrannic sway?

It is evident that Phillis Wheatley played an important role to the history of African

American literature. She confronted her unfavorable circumstances and it is

clearly illustrated above in her personal testimonial. By translating in her own

words the concept of slavery; she can be portrayed as a voice of independence

in her experience as a slave. Her direct comment about her African past
illustrates her most straightforward backlash against existence of slavery in

America. However, Wheatley turns her own personal account as a slave into a

revolt and plea against slavery. It is her prayer that “Others may never feel

tyrannic sway” is directed towards her own African race. She openly writes about

the African American experience and quickly reminds Americans that they are

fighting a battle for freedom.

Phillis Wheatley was finally granted her freedom and married, John Peters

in 1778, who also a freed slave. However, freedom in the days for former slaves

did not actually mean true freedom. Many slaves were still subjected to injustice

and inequality. Despite her talent, Phillis was never able to support her family by

a writing career. If she had received the true recognition she fully deserved,

Wheatley and her children would not have died living in such poverty. Phillis

Wheatley was the first African American writer in America. In her work, she

confronted her unfavorable circumstances she encountered through life as a

slave. Her life can easily be portrayed as personal declaration to the slave

oppressors of her time.

Abolitionists in the 1830’s republished Phillis Wheatley’s poetry using it in

their campaign against the institution of slavery. Her powerful intellect contained

in her deeply motivating verse opposed the existence of slavery. It is evident that

Phillis Wheatley played an important role to the history of African American

literature. She was not only inspirational but an influential figure for the all African

American slaves in their conquest for freedom. Wheatley’s work not only was a

great contribution to American history and literature but to African-American

literature as well.