Essay on Phillis Wheatley - 1643 Words

Phillis Wheatley, one of America’s most profound writers, has contributed greatly to American literature, not only as a writer, but as an African American woman, who has influenced many African Americans by enriching their knowledge of and exposure to their Negro heritage and Negro literature. As one of America’s most renown writers, Wheatley, said to be the mother of African American Literature, is best known for her sympathetic portrayals of African American thought. Wheatley’s literary contributions are vast in nature and distinguish her apart from most writers of her era. Her writings have helped in the molding of the African American tradition and are favored by people of all ethnic backgrounds.Phillis Wheatley was born on the West†¦show more content†¦Within sixteen months of her arrival, she was reading astronomy, geography, history, and British literature. Wheatley was able to break a language barrier that had held so many others of her race back . Her desire for learning increased and the quest for knowledge became embedded in her spirit, mind, and soul. By her teenage years, Wheatley was a well known author, reciting poems for the New England elite in homes where blacks could not even sit at the table with whites.Phillis Wheatley made many contributions to American literature. Other than successfully representing and expressing the feelings of anger, frustration, and impatience of African American people abroad, she has paved the way for young aspiring African American writers. In 1771, Wheatley composed her first major work, quot;On an elegy to evangelist George Whitefield.quot; After realizing Wheatley’s potential for excellence, Susannah Wheatley arranged a London publication of Wheatley’s poems. As a result of this, prominent Bostonians verified the book’s author as being Black. Britons praised the book, but criticized Americans for keeping its author enslaved. At this time, Americans were only interested in benefiting White America, and were not prepared for the fact that Britons would criticize their slave policy. In 1774, she wrote a letter repudiating slavery, which was reprinted andShow MoreRelatedPhillis Wheatley Essay2442 Words   |  10 PagesIntroduction The illustration that Phillis Wheatley portrays in history is an African-American woman who wrote poetry. Her life goes more into depths that what is perceived, however. Phillis Wheatley uses her poetry as a unique way to get out the truth. Through poems such as On Being Brought From Africa to America and the poem about Lee, she made statements about was what going on at that time; a revolution. Phillis Wheatley was known as a revolutionary mother, for she gave hope to slaves, easeRead MoreCharacteristics Of Phillis Wheatley859 Words   |  4 Pages Phillis Wheatley. African American, poet, slave, woman. These were all the characteristics that describe Phillis Wheatley. She was a big part of what is our country today. Also a big part of women’s rights. Phillis was born on May 8, 1753 in Gambia, Africa. At the age of 8, she was captured. She was then put on a crowded boat that would come to America. These boat rides to America were very traumatic, and Phillis was only 8 at the time. The year 1761 was the year she was sold in Boston, MassachusettsRead MoreGratitude Of Ash By Phillis Wheatley1080 Words   |  5 PagesGratitude of Ash Phillis Wheatley drew attention in the 18thcentury for being a black slave, and a child prodigy who was able to write poems and songs. She was born in Gambia, Africa, and brought to Boston as a slave when she was a child, and became slave and companion to John Wheatley’s wife. As she grew older, John Wheatley’s wife viewed her as a feeble and brilliant girl who deserves to be educated and felt great affection toward her. Therefore, Susanna Wheatley’s daughters taught Phillis how to readRead MoreRed Jacket By Phillis Wheatley1062 Words   |  5 PagesRed Jackets’ â€Å"Reply to the Missionary Jacob Cram† and the poems written by Phillis Wheatley both have something in common. Belief in a God/god(s). Red Jacket provides that in his culture there is the belief in the Great Spirit which Jacob Cram wants to change to the almighty God and Phillis Wheatley shows how what she went through as a slave brought her to an un-denying devotion to God. Religion is something that has developed continually over the years, but one thing has remained the same†¦ everyRead More The Works of Phillis Wheatley Essay examples803 Words   |  4 PagesThe Works of Phillis Wheatley Biography: Phillis Wheatley was born in West Africa around 1753. Sometime after her birth, she was brought to America and purchased by John Wheatley in 1761. He turned Phillis over to his wife, Susanna, to work as a personal maid. After realizing Phillis’ intellect, the Wheatley family encouraged Phillis to study the Bible and read English and Latin literature, history and geography. Wheatley’s first poem was published in a Rhode Island newspaper in 1767.Read MorePoetry Analysis : America By Phillis Wheatley1079 Words   |  5 PagesPoetry Analysis: America by Phillis Wheatley Born in Senegal around 1753, Phillis Wheatley became an important American poetic figure. At the age of 8, she was kidnapped and brought to Boston on a slave ship and upon her arrival to Boston, she was quickly sold to John Wheatley (Bio). Under her new family, Phillis adopted the master’s last name, taken under the wife’s wing, and showed her deep intelligence. Even though suffering from poor health, Phillis’s intelligence did not go unnoticed; she receivedRead MorePhillis Wheatley : A Pioneer Of American Poetry1310 Words   |  6 PagesPhillis Wheatley: A Pioneer of American Poetry Phillis Wheatley was an American figure unlike any other at her time. In a time where slavery was the normal, Ms. Wheatley was a revolutionary figure. She was not revolutionary because she was one of the enslaved but because she was one of the enslaved that knew how to read and write, becoming a published author. Women at the time of Phillis Wheatley were oppressed into submission to social norms. It was almost unheard of for a woman to write poetryRead MoreJohn De Crevecoeur And Phillis Wheatley The Seduction Of Freedom1723 Words   |  7 PagesHector St. John De Crà ¨vecoeur and Phillis Wheatley the seduction of freedom was strong enough to have a hold over them throughout their lives. They express obtaining or wanting independence through writing about certain myths of American culture and identity. This idea of unfiltered, unbiased liberty saturates images of America. Even before it officially became a gaggle of nations, North America was known as a wide-open space full of pos sibilities. Crà ¨vecoeur and Wheatley want the opportunity of self-determinationRead MorePhillis Wheatley Tone814 Words   |  4 Pages In â€Å"On Being Brought from Africa to America,† the author, Phillis Wheatley uses diction and punctuation to develop a subtle ironic tone. The speaker, a slave brought from Africa to America by whites magnifies the discrepancy between the whites’ perception of blacks and the reality of the situation. The author, Phillis Wheatley is an African American women who was enslaved herself at the age of 7 from Africa and is the first African American to publish a book of poetry in the colonies. In this poemRead MoreNotes on Phillis Wheatley1840 Words   |  8 Pages Wheatley is arguably one of the most discussed authors of her time. Her success is an accumulation of the many rare circumstances that she was afforded in life. One could argue that it was pure luck that afforded her the opportunity to be educated and published in a society that still supported slavery. Whetleys poetry has been received in many ways over many generations. Some support and understand her point o f view while others criticize it and feel that she is a sell out and an Uncle Tom. Whatever