Phillis Wheatley: Review of Slavery

On Being Brought from Africa to America
'˜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:
Once I redemption neither sought nor knew.
Some view our sable race with scornful eye.
"Their color is a diabolic dye."
Remember Christians, Negros, black as Cain,
May be refined, and join the angelic train. (Wheatley)

Wheatley was an African-American slave that traveled with Boston Christians that ended up opposing slavery. Her owners were very kind in their treatment of Phillis and provided her safe-keeping and an education. As Phillis grew, she was able to travel in circles in London that included founders of the United States: Benjamin Franklin as well as John Hancock. She received acclaim for her poetry and writings. (Franklin, et all., P. 751)

It is my assumption that Phillis, even though spending time with Christians and those in society that were considered elite, she still came across individuals that pronounced her to not fit in due to her color and nature of being a woman. I would imagine her works in "On Being Brought from Africa to America," that she was anguished over her color and her desire to put into words what she was truly feeling. This assumption is based on her desire and need to share with others that a Savior has the same power to any individual, regardless of color. Her rich adjectives describing color, "diabolic dye," have obviously come from harsh personal experiences, despite those in her circle of influence.

The negative connotations stated by Wheatley in this poem are obvious. Benighted, sable, dye, Negros, black are all forms of words used to describe people of color, or slaves. Benighted is the least kind of the words listed, as this word challenges just color of an individual and goes to express the attitudes and behavior of someone that is black, meaning intellectually or morally ignorant, unenlightened.. A second definition of the word means overcome by darkness or night. (Dictionary.com) Darkness can be implied as a change in behavior and attitudes. This is specifically ironic in Phillis' case, since she has surrounded herself with Christian people, and in her poem, claims to have found God as her savior.

While people should not have prejudices towards people that are different, they do still exist today, and were ever-present in the days of slavery. Phillis probably saw highs and lows of racism during her time, which she expresses wholeheartedly in her poetry.

Works Cited

Franklin, Wayne et all. The Norton Anthology of American Literature. New York, 2007. Print.
Dictionary.com. Acquired July 12, 2010.