Phyllis Wheatley
Through out the course of American literature many authors have used poetry as their means of expressing feelings and emotions. Edgar Allan Poe and Phillis Wheatley wrote during two different centuries, Wheatley during the eighteenth century and Poe during the nineteenth century. They both used poetry as their form of expression. Both authors were considered neoclassical poets. Neoclassicism is considered a revival of classicism. The dictionary definition for classicism is, a set of aesthetic values developed through imitations of greek and roman art, emphasis on reason, sophisticated simplicity, self restraint, logical structure and imitation of standard models (Heritage, 162). I this essay I will analyze a variety of works from Phillis Wheatley and Edgar Allan Poe and discuss how their experiences were a like yet different in so many ways. Phillis Wheatley was a black slave born in Africa and brought to Boston in 1761 She wrote poetry that introduced two traditions at once; the Black American Literary tradition and the Black Women's Literary tradition. Both of these events were unique in the history of literature during her time period. In her poem "On Being Brought from Africa to America:
Phillis Wheatley began writing in 1765 and published her first works when she was about fourteen years old, in Newport, Rhode Island. Phillis Wheatley had trouble getting her works published in her own town of Boston. Her works were not published due to the fact that she was a Negroes. During the eighteenth century in Boston a Negro could have written the best piece of work in history, but if people found out that a Negro wrote it they did not even touch it. Only a few of Wheatley's works were published before her death in 1784 (Heath, 1095). Phillis Wheatley thought of herself as an artist as did Edgar Allan Poe. Once I redemption neither sought nor knew. Some view our sable race with scornful eye, May be refined and join th' angelic train. (Wheatley, 1104)
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Approximate Word count = 864
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)
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