Phillis Wheatley A Pioneer Of American Poetry - 1310 Words

Phillis 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 poetry, much less to be published. So, for Phillis Wheatley not only to be a slave, but also to be a woman that wrote poetry, she was an extremely influential figure. She was not influential in just one area, but in two areas because she led the way to women being accepted as writers and planted a seed of abolition, although not directly intentional. Ms. Wheatley was born in Senegal or Gambia in 1753 and brought to America when she was around 7 years old, on the slave ship â€Å"The Phillis†. She was bought by a tailor named John Wheatley to be a servant for his wife Susannah. John assigned her the name Phillis because of the ship that brought her to America and as was customary, Phillis took the last name of John and Susannah. Susannah soon realized that Phillis was a very gifted child and began to encourage Phillis to learn with her own children. Phillis learned to read and write English in a very short amount of time and the Wheatley’s 18-year-old daughter began to tutor her in numerousShow MoreRelated American Poet: Phillis Wheatley Essay1208 Words   |  5 PagesAmerican Poet: Phillis Wheatley Phillis Wheatley was an African-born slave in the last quarter of the eighteenth-century in New England. She was born in West Africa and brought to America on the slave ship Phillis. She was, however, much more than chattel-she was a poet. Phillis was the first African American to have a book published. In a time when women were not expected to be able to read or write, and when teaching an African American to be literate was frowned upon, Phillis Wheatley becameRead 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 MoreAmerican Literature : A Look At Anne Bradstreet And Phyllis Wheatley1680 Words   |  7 PagesTrailblazers of American Literature: A Look at Anne Bradstreet and Phyllis Wheatley Anne Bradstreet (1612-1672) and Phyllis Wheatley (1753–1784), although over a century apart, were pioneers of women’s American literature. There are interesting similarities as well as differences between these two women, but the obstacles they would each face, and ultimately overcome would help to pave the road for women all over the world. Bradstreet, a well educated woman from a wealthy, puritan family, and Wheatley, a slaveRead MoreThe Writings Of African American Women1634 Words   |  7 Pagescom). The writings of African-American women have showcased the triumph of the African-American community over adversity by exceeding their boundaries and limitations. Historically, African-Americans have used writing as a means of sharing their struggles and victories in a way that encourages survival and self-discovery. Countless African-American authors have influenced their culture with works, which highlight the struggle of what it means to be an African-American in bo th the past and presentRead MoreAnalysis Of Alice Walker s Search Of Our Mother s Gardens Essay1910 Words   |  8 Pagescounter-argument to Woolf, she states â€Å"What then are we to make of Phillis Wheatley, a slave, who owned not even herself?† Phillis Wheatley was a black poet born in 1753, who was sold into slavery at the age of seven - she wrote poetry and according to Walker â€Å"Had she been white, she would have been easily considered the intellectual superior of all the women and most of the men in society of her day.† Phillis Wheatley’s poetry would later be a subject of controversy, she would be critiqued forRead MorePatrick Henrys Impact On Slavery1708 Words   |  7 Pages The American Revolution brought many opportunities to light for African Americans. They used it ultimately as a mechanism of obtaining their freedom. The American Revolution brought changes to the relationships between enslaved and free Americas as they were forced to work together in some circumstances. The American Revolution gave African Americans a voice to express their longstanding grievances. They had many grievances, such as slavery and being treated as inferior due to their skin color.Read MoreBrief Survey of American Literature3339 Words   |  14 PagesBrief Survey of American Literature 1. Beginnings to 1700 Great mixing of peoples from the whole Atlantic basin Bloody conflicts between Native Americans (or American Indians) and European explorers and settlers who had both religious and territorial aspirations - Native American oral literature / oral tradition - European explorers’ letters, diaries, reports, etc., such as Christopher Columbus’s letters about his voyage to the â€Å"New world†. - Anglo (New England) settlers’ books, sermons