Phillis Wheatley and the Christian Faith

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As many know, the Christian faith was forced on slaves when they entered America. Masters attempted to use it as a device of control over their slaves. In Phillis Wheatley's "On Being Brought to Africa," she mentions how adopting (involuntarily) the Christian faith has been life changing for her and encourages her readers to do the same.

In "On Being Brought from Africa to America," Wheatley exclaims that "mercy brought [her] from [her] pagan land [and] taught her benighted soul to understand" (1-2) and that "there's a God, that there's a savior too: Once I redemption neither sought nor knew" (4-5). Wheatley looks at her being taken from West Africa to Boston, despite the circumstances, as a blessing (Balkun 129). It is assumed that Wheatley is mentioning the mercy of God when discussing the mercy that took her from West Africa to Boston; however, Balkun suggests that it is ambiguous as to whether Wheatley is discussing "whose act of mercy it was that saved her, God's or man's" (Balkun 129). Davis suggests that theme of Christianity is rapid in Wheatley's poems because the "theme of escape through leveling [...] was Christian's primary appeal to slaves" (194). Though still a slave while writing poetry, Wheatley was a saved slave. She had adopted the Christian faith because of her masters and was considered to be a "Christian sister to her owners and a 'saint' in the Boston of her day" (Davis 129). Her discussion about the benefits of the Christian faith appeared to be credible to the audience reading her poetry because of her vastly different experience as a slave. Additionally, Wheatley ensures her audience to "remember, Christians, Negroes, black as Cain, may be refined, and join the angelic train" (7-8). Wheatley's last two lines in the poem suggest that she is letting her African American audience know that there is opportunity for them to be saved too; however, it possible that she is also suggesting that "before blacks can be equal to Christians, if ever, they must be refined" (Jamison 412). Because of Wheatley's position as a slave, it is possible that she intends for the audience to know that they must be developed and improved like her in order to become a Christian and serve God the way in which she does.  

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"On Being Brought from Africa to America"

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"'Twas mercy brought me from my  Pagan  land, Taught my benighted soul to understand That there's a God, that there's a  Saviour  too: Once I redemption neither sought nor knew. Some view our sable race with scornful eye, "Their colour is a diabolic die." Remember,  Christians ,  Negros , black as  Cain , May be refined, and join the angelic train.
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Although Wheatley was a woman of African descent and a slave, it is argued that she was sometimes out of touch with her African roots because of how she was treated as a slave. The treatment from her masters caused her to be uncomfortably submissive to white men and women, while also making her negligent of the fact that there were women and men like her in horrible, terrifying, life-threatening enslaving conditions. Often times, Wheatley was able to display her consideration for her race and other black men and women through her poetry; however, sometimes she missed the mark and her idolization of white men and women shined through. In "On Being Brought from Africa to America," Wheatley mentions race in the second half of the short poem. Some view our sable race with scornful eye, "Their color is a diabolic dye." Remember Christians, Negroes, black as Cain, May be refined, and join the angelic train (5-8). By using the word "our" when referring to...
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Introduction

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Phillis Wheatley was an African American poet, born in West Africa in 1753. She was kidnapped and brought to Boston on a slave ship at 8-years-old, and bought by John Wheatley. Wheatley's experience as a slave was vastly different from most experiences history recollects, and many scholars believe her experience as a slave had a large influence on her poetry. Unlike most slaves, Wheatley was educated by her masters. She learned Latin, Greek, and how to write poetry that was far beyond the expectation of African Americans during the time. Most of her poetry was written to and for white people, and rarely for an African American audience. Scholars argue that because of Wheatley's surroundings, her poetry reflects the interests, ideologies, and beliefs of the white men and women who surrounded her. In "On Being Brought from Africa to America" Wheatley explores ideas of the Christian faith, and racism.
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