Last Thoughts on Phillis Wheatley
I just rememberred to look up Helicon and found out that Helicon is a mountain in Boeotia, Greece, which was believed to be the residence of the nine muses, and later became an emblem for poetical inspiration. Wheatley says, "From Helicon's refulgent heights attend, Ye sacred choir, and my attempts befriend," which is her way of asking the muses to help her write this poem. Wheatley also says,"Ye blooming graces, triumph in my song," which is another mythological refernce as well as a way to ask for inspiration. Even if Wheatley wishes she could be a perfect writer and have a perfect mind that can change the seasons, she realizes that perfectibility is impossible. To prove this point, she purposely makes the last line of the poem not rhyme. Wheatley is showing that she can't perfectly control situations by using her mind, but she will still try and therefore ask for all the inspiration she can get. This theme of striving but realizing that perfectibility is impossible is both a Neoclassic theme as well as a myhtological theme, and mythology in itself is a Neoclassical theme.
In "On being brought from Africa to America," Wheatley argues that blacks can go to heaven too, saying that they can be spiritually equal to whites. She says,"Remember, Christians, Negroes, black as Cain, May be refin'd, and join th' angelic train. Besides, conveying a strong message in these two lines, Wheatley uses a pun. Perhaps I am reading into this poem too much, but by saying "Negroes, black as Cain, May be refin'd, she is using a metaphor by comparing blacks to sugar cane. Cain and cane both sound the same (pun), and "refin'd" automatically makes me think of sugar being refined. She ties together a materialistic example of purification to make suagr cane sweeter and whiter to a spiritualistic example of purification to make the soul sweeter and whiter. Also, the last line uses slang, in words such as "refin'd" and "th'". There is no slang in the poem except the last line, as a way to show that she has become academically educated as well as spiritually educated. Also, this slang line is when she most strongly speaks how blacks can go to heaven just like whites, so it demonstrates that blacks and their dialect and she are equal to whites and "proper" English.
Besides the Neoclassic theme of mythology, Wheatley brings in the Neoclassic emphasis on "Virtue" in "To His Excellency General Washington." She says that Washington is "fam'd for thy valor, for thy virtues more," and tells him to "proceed, great chief, with virtue on thy side." Wheatley puts Virtue on the side of Washington for the sake of the purpose of her poem, which is to wish Washington luck and give him confidence. She aslo helps give him confidence by putting God on the American side, calling America, "heaven's revolving light," and "the land of freedom's heaven-defended race!"
--Caroline
In "On being brought from Africa to America," Wheatley argues that blacks can go to heaven too, saying that they can be spiritually equal to whites. She says,"Remember, Christians, Negroes, black as Cain, May be refin'd, and join th' angelic train. Besides, conveying a strong message in these two lines, Wheatley uses a pun. Perhaps I am reading into this poem too much, but by saying "Negroes, black as Cain, May be refin'd, she is using a metaphor by comparing blacks to sugar cane. Cain and cane both sound the same (pun), and "refin'd" automatically makes me think of sugar being refined. She ties together a materialistic example of purification to make suagr cane sweeter and whiter to a spiritualistic example of purification to make the soul sweeter and whiter. Also, the last line uses slang, in words such as "refin'd" and "th'". There is no slang in the poem except the last line, as a way to show that she has become academically educated as well as spiritually educated. Also, this slang line is when she most strongly speaks how blacks can go to heaven just like whites, so it demonstrates that blacks and their dialect and she are equal to whites and "proper" English.
Besides the Neoclassic theme of mythology, Wheatley brings in the Neoclassic emphasis on "Virtue" in "To His Excellency General Washington." She says that Washington is "fam'd for thy valor, for thy virtues more," and tells him to "proceed, great chief, with virtue on thy side." Wheatley puts Virtue on the side of Washington for the sake of the purpose of her poem, which is to wish Washington luck and give him confidence. She aslo helps give him confidence by putting God on the American side, calling America, "heaven's revolving light," and "the land of freedom's heaven-defended race!"
--Caroline
posted by L Lazarow | 6:11 PM
3 Comments:
Caroline -
I agree with everything that you said about Wheatley. She reminds of Anne Bradstreet (? - I know that there is a "B" is in the last name) and you could ALMOST interchange some of the lines without anyone really noticing. They seem to be demeaning themselves, no matter how hidden the reference.
Question, (and I know a lot of it has to do with Wheatley being a slave, but think outside of the box people, it wasn't the ONLY reason!) do you all think that she felt that she had to make mistakes to be more human in the eyes of God (re: Christian background) or did it have to do with the fact that she was fearful of success (re: dying in a run-down home with her children)?
Rachel-
To answer your question, I don't think that Wheatley felt the need to make mistakes because she was afraid of success. Although she died in poverty, she still wrote poetry and tried to publish it, which she wouldn't have done if she feared success. However, I agree with the other possibility, that she may have felt the need to make mistakes to be more human, or at least to be a humble Christian (like Bradsteret). Even with a humble side to Wheatley, she still strove, wanting to have a less flawed, not more flawed, mental capability, as shown in "In Imagination."
--Caroline
Whoops! I meant Bradstreet, not Bradsteret!
Post a Comment
<< Home