This is an excellent presentation. I have been a poet since I was in the 5th grade. In early 1995 I officially became a NJ poet and I'm an anthologized Afro-Caribbean woman poet.
This is amazing. There's a lot of shit out there when it comes to finding educational material for poetry on youtube, this is genuinely a great way to break down a poem properly. Feels like a Full day's class on the poem.
FYI. It’s unlikely Wheatley was referring to sugar cane in the final lines of the poem. Sugar cane plantations were not common in America at the time Wheatley wrote/published this poem. Sugar crop was brought to New England in the 1600s, but the colonialists couldn’t make it grow. However, Santo Domingo (Haiti) was quickly becoming the largest sugar crop producer (and slave holding region) in the world by end of the American Revolution. Shortly thereafter, the Haitian Rev occurred in the 1790s, which brought many French-Haitian farmers to Louisiana - where they then established the first sugar plantations American History book reference. It’s not impossible to read Wheatley‘s “cane” as a reference to sugar cane; but it is pushing boundaries of anachronism. Moreover, given the overt the religious tone of the poem, it’s best to read the line as a biblical allusion. What’s more is that by using this allusion Wheatley is also validating her argument that all races can be “converted & saved.” That is, Wheatley is saying: “hey white Christians, look, I’m African & I converted to Christianity. Want proof? Here‘s a biblical allusion.” Essentially, Wheatley is challenging the white Christian assumptions that Africans can’t be converted to Christianity because a.) Africans are “less than”; and b.) Africans are too dumb/beastly to understand /hold such deeply religious sentiments-because if white Christians believed otherwise, it would threaten their white Christian position of authority & power. Let me add, however, that your reading of the sugar cane is valuable-if not for Wheatley, then certainly for later African-African /anti-slavery writers who mention “cane” or sugar cane in their works (think: Fredrick Douglass, William & Ellen Craft, William Wells Brown, Harriet Jacobs, or Harriet Wilson.)
I do not think she was being ironic. You are saying that she is being ironic based on your own understanding of her situation, and of what she ought to feel. The situation is ironic, that a black slave in America can feel grateful for being brought to that situation, and that people reading her poem centuries later say "she is being ironic", but the poem itself is not ironic.
She was forced to rewrite poems in Britain because of perceived controversy. The irony she speaks of was common place in poetry written by Black poets well into the 20th century.
She came from a Muslim family. She said in her memoirs that she remember her mother saying Allah Akbar early in the mourning. sounds like her mother was Making salatul fajr. Non muslims always leave this part of her history. She was Seven years old when she came here. she did not convert to christianity from Islam because a six or seven year old is not going to know what Islam actually teaches. She died young and lived a depressing life being a slave to some white woman. May Allah have Mercy on her Ameen.
Very Well explained 👍 So helpful. Thank you so much ❤️
This is a fantastic analysis of this poem. Thank you!
Excellent, thank you.
This is an excellent presentation. I have been a poet since I was in the 5th grade. In early 1995 I officially became a NJ poet and I'm an anthologized Afro-Caribbean woman poet.
This now makes sense and well explained 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 thank you
Very helpful for my English final! The physical notes allow the viewer to always follow along, and you explain very well. Thank you!
This is amazing. There's a lot of shit out there when it comes to finding educational material for poetry on youtube, this is genuinely a great way to break down a poem properly. Feels like a Full day's class on the poem.
I need more of your videos..
Could you please drop this article on TH-cam .
SO GOOD!
FYI. It’s unlikely Wheatley was referring to sugar cane in the final lines of the poem. Sugar cane plantations were not common in America at the time Wheatley wrote/published this poem. Sugar crop was brought to New England in the 1600s, but the colonialists couldn’t make it grow. However, Santo Domingo (Haiti) was quickly becoming the largest sugar crop producer (and slave holding region) in the world by end of the American Revolution. Shortly thereafter, the Haitian Rev occurred in the 1790s, which brought many French-Haitian farmers to Louisiana - where they then established the first sugar plantations American History book reference. It’s not impossible to read Wheatley‘s “cane” as a reference to sugar cane; but it is pushing boundaries of anachronism. Moreover, given the overt the religious tone of the poem, it’s best to read the line as a biblical allusion. What’s more is that by using this allusion Wheatley is also validating her argument that all races can be “converted & saved.” That is, Wheatley is saying: “hey white Christians, look, I’m African & I converted to Christianity. Want proof? Here‘s a biblical allusion.” Essentially, Wheatley is challenging the white Christian assumptions that Africans can’t be converted to Christianity because a.) Africans are “less than”; and b.) Africans are too dumb/beastly to understand /hold such deeply religious sentiments-because if white Christians believed otherwise, it would threaten their white Christian position of authority & power.
Let me add, however, that your reading of the sugar cane is valuable-if not for Wheatley, then certainly for later African-African /anti-slavery writers who mention “cane” or sugar cane in their works (think: Fredrick Douglass, William & Ellen Craft, William Wells Brown, Harriet Jacobs, or Harriet Wilson.)
nice good nice
it was so helpful, very clear to understand.
I do not think she was being ironic. You are saying that she is being ironic based on your own understanding of her situation, and of what she ought to feel. The situation is ironic, that a black slave in America can feel grateful for being brought to that situation, and that people reading her poem centuries later say "she is being ironic", but the poem itself is not ironic.
She was forced to rewrite poems in Britain because of perceived controversy. The irony she speaks of was common place in poetry written by Black poets well into the 20th century.
Very helpful, thank you!!
She came from a Muslim family. She said in her memoirs that she remember her mother saying Allah Akbar early in the mourning. sounds like her mother was Making salatul fajr. Non muslims always leave this part of her history. She was Seven years old when she came here. she did not convert to christianity from Islam because a six or seven year old is not going to know what Islam actually teaches. She died young and lived a depressing life being a slave to some white woman. May Allah have Mercy on her Ameen.
thank you
Or she meant exactly what she said! no irony. Benighted is her soul not skin ;) before knowledge of Christ
Die=Dye
You saved my life from an awful professor who really belives and try to convence us that she Was actualy thankfull, no irony.
SAME! My professors and all my classmates were saying that they believe that she was being totally serious about being thankful!