Phyllis Wheatley Poem

The National Period - Slave narrative

​A short introduction ...

• The Transatlantic slave trade and the plantation system stimulated ... ​

• ​Describe a survival history where lives were...

• ​A person who has been denied freedom

• ​Shared Christian ideas -

• Acceptance of white ideals?

• Focused on cruelty: sensationalism

• ​Who is the narrator? what is her/his story?

• ​Who do they represent? all the oppressed

• ​What themes are there? Ab / Whp / SxA / Sta / Hyp /

• ​Quest for freedom / Family?

​Phillis Wheatley

• She was encouraged ​by her "family" who saw her ...

• ​Her first poem was published in 1767.

• In 1770 she gained publicity when she wrote a poem for a reverend.

• ​in 1770, she was sent to London where she published her ...

• ​Washington invited her

• ​Were they American?

• ​Satire in her poems? resistance?

• ​lost of freedom - her capture -

• ​tragic ending?

Open Ended

1. In lines 29-38, who does Phillis address?

2. Why is this section different from the rest of the poem?

Open Ended

How do you think Wheatley's experiences as slave influenced her attitude toward the idea of freedom?

Open Ended

In her times, Wheatley and slaves, in general, were considered unable of doing actions white people usually did such as being an artist or a scholar.

Can you think of any other group in our times who have been oppressed similarly?

​Olaudah Equiano

• ​Born in Nigeria - had never seen the sea before ... 11 years old

• ​From 1758 to 1762 served in the British navy.

• ​His owner taught him seafaring skills and to read and write.

• ​He served on trading ships - 21 yrs bought his freedom -

• ​Freed slave DID NOT HAVE legal rights. "Free negroes"???

• ​in 1776, settled in England cooperated to create different antislavery organizations.

• ​Committee for Relief of the Black Poor and Sierra leone recolonization

​As a narrative in the first person ...

• ​We can find detailed descriptions of people, scenarios, feelings and actions.

​

"their complexions, too, differing so much from ours..."

"... but I still feared I should be put to death, the white ..."

"They, at last, took notice of my surprise ..."​

​

• ​​It also provides more insightful details than simple facts or statistics can provide.

"... on my refusing to eat, one of them held me fast by the ..."

Open Ended

What section of the passage was striking for you? Mention the first line and give a reason for your answer.

Open Ended

What example(s) from the Bible did Equiano use?