Who is Phillis Wheatley
Phillis Wheatley, also spelled Phyllis and Wheatly (c. 1753 – December 5, 1784) was the first published African-American female poet. Born in West Africa, she was sold into slavery at the age of seven or eight and transported to North America. She was purchased by the Wheatley family of Boston, who taught her to read and write and encouraged her poetry when they saw her talent.The publication of her Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral on September 1, 1773 brought her fame both in England and the American colonies. Figures such as George Washington praised her work. During Wheatley's visit to England with her master's son, African-American poet Jupiter Hammon praised her work in his own poem. Wheatley was emancipated (set free) shortly after the publication...
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Phillis Wheatley Poems
- To The King's Most Excellent Majesty 1768
YOUR subjects hope, dread Sire--
The crown upon your brows may flourish long,
And that your arm may in your God be strong!
O may your sceptre num'rous nations sway, ... - To Maecenas
MAECENAS, you, beneath the myrtle shade,
Read o'er what poets sung, and shepherds play'd.
What felt those poets but you feel the same?
Does not your soul possess the sacred flame? ... - To The Rt. Hon. William, Earl Of Dartmouth
Hail, happy day, when, smiling like the morn,
Fair Freedom rose New-England to adorn:
The northern clime beneath her genial ray,
Dartmouth, congratulates thy blissful sway: ... - To His Honour The Lieutenant-governor, On The Death Of His Lady Marc 24, 1773
ALL-Conquering Death! by thy resistless pow'r,
Hope's tow'ring plumage falls to rise no more!
Of scenes terrestrial how the glories fly,
Forget their splendors, and submit to die! ... - To A Gentleman And Lady On The Death Of The Lady's Brother And Sister, And A Child Of The Name Of Av
ON Death's domain intent I fix my eyes,
Where human nature in vast ruin lies:
With pensive mind I search the drear abode,
Where the great conqu'ror has his spoils bestow'd; ...
Top 10 most used topics by Phillis Wheatley
Soul 36 God 32 Great 29 Mind 28 Death 27 View 27 Divine 27 Heart 25 Light 24 Hear 22Phillis Wheatley Quotes
Comments about Phillis Wheatley
- Joeycochran: to him, who dy’d stern justice to atone, and make eternal glory all our own. he in his death slew ours, and, as he rose, he crush’d the dire dominion of our foes vain were their hopes to put the god to flight chain us to hell, and bar the gates of light. – phillis wheatley
- Ymmauthor: “…grant me to live a life of gratitude to thee for the innumerable benefits— o lord my god! instruct my ignorance & enlighten my darkness thou art my king…” — phillis wheatley
- Rezekjoe: i am interested in how readers came to believe a printed book provides a special kind of racial knowledge. beginning with early case studies (john smith, mary rowlandson, phillis wheatley), i trace this logic in the colonial histories of print, racism, gender, and aesthetics. 3/
- Grade_bot: your occupation of physical space has earned you a d. your gpa is now 3.5 out of 4.0. you learned about trans rights. this makes your shadow selves shaken & amazed! next assignment: learn about phillis wheatley. your library card is lost & must be replaced with a $5 fee.
- Welfordwrites: phillis wheatley: a slave who became a poet. she was encouraged to write by her late 18th century owners.
