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Phillis Wheatley. Phillis Wheatley. Kidnapped in West Africa at 6 or 7 Brought to America, sold to wealthy Boston Wheatley family Educated by her mistress, Susannah Wheatley; a highly unusual practice Taught to read and write more than doing chores. Phillis Wheatley. Learned Latin
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Phillis Wheatley • Kidnapped in West Africa at 6 or 7 • Brought to America, sold to wealthy Boston Wheatley family • Educated by her mistress, Susannah Wheatley; a highly unusual practice • Taught to read and write more than doing chores
Phillis Wheatley • Learned Latin • Read English poets Milton and Pope • Was taught Bible and Christianity • Published first poem in The Mercury, a Rhode Island newspaper at age 13 or 14 • Published elegy to Rev. George Whitefield 3 years later in The Massachusetts Spy
Phillis Wheatley • Whitefield elegy also published in New York, Philadelphia, Rhode Island, and London • Became known internationally as “a Servant Girl Belonging to Mr. J. Wheatley of Boston” • By 1772 had collection of 28 poems to publish but did not find patronage through Boston newspaper ads
Phillis Wheatley • With support of Susannah and Countess of Huntingdon, travelled to England • Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral pub. In Britain in 1773 • Hosted in London by Ben Franklin, Earl of Dartmouth, and Lord Mayor of London • Cut trip short to return to Boston to dying Susannah
Phillis Wheatley • Granted freedom by Susannah before Susannah’s death • Married but had serious financial difficulties • Took work as scullery maid • Never found patronage to pub. a second volume of work • Died in poverty
Phillis Wheatley • Poetry characterized by neoclassical style: • Controlled iambic pentameter • Rhyming couplets • Impersonal themes • Lack of personal self-expression
Phillis Wheatley’s Achievements • first African-American poet • first African-American woman poet • started the African-American literary tradition • started the African-American women's literary tradition • makes political comments supporting American freedom from Britain
Thomas Jefferson on Phillis Wheatley’s Poetry • In Notes on the State of Virginia, Jefferson commented: “Religion has indeed produced a PhillisWhately [sic] but it could not produce a poet. The compositions published under her name are below the dignity of criticism.”
