While reading this poem I had to look up several words. I had to look up the words pagan, benighted, redemption, sable, & refin'd. This poem was a little challenging for me because I had to keep looking up what these words meant and trying to fit them in with the poem so I could actually understand it. Once I gathered all of this information together I could then understand what the poem meant.
I knew this poem was about African American struggles by the title and from the word "sable" as well as "Negros" being mentioned and also from the overall author, Phillis Wheatley who was an enslaved African American herself.
All together I got from the poem that Wheatley is trying to tell readers that religion saved her. She talks about her Pagan land which has to do with religion and also about Christianity in the second to last line in the poem. She explains that mercy brought her from Africa to American, hence the title. Then that being in American she learned about God and religion. She then goes to say that even though her race is not viewed in a good way she can still be saved with religion.
Christianity has basically brought something good within her life and out of her long journey she found something she can hold on to. She is able to have something of her own, which has made her feel a lot better about her life and gives her life purpose.
No comments:
Post a Comment