African American Literature

February 13, 2014

Agenda

•Finish viewing of Episode 1 – Discuss Notes

•Notes: Phillis Wheatley

•Poems and Letters – Read and analyze

Phillis Wheatley

•First African American to publish a book and establish an international reputation as a writer

Phillis Wheatley

•Born in West Africa in 1753 (?), enslaved in America

•Purchased in 1761 by John Wheatley, of Boston, from the slave ship “Phillis”

Phillis Wheatley

•Early indications of intellectual precociousness prompted Wheatley family to encourage Phillis to study the Bible and read English and Latin literature

•She began to write poetry in English after only 4 years of exposure to the English language

Phillis Wheatley

•Anxious about her delicate health, Wheatley family lightened her work load to light household duties

•First poem published in newspaper in 1767, with more to follow

•Travelled to England in 1773 to oversee publishing of her book

Phillis Wheatley

•Emancipated at the age of 20

• In 1776, wrote a letter and poem to George Washington to encourage his pursuit of liberty

•Remained in the Wheatley household until both died, then married a free black man

Phillis Wheatley

•Wrote nothing during first 5 years of marriage

•Family not financially stable…lived in poverty

•Published several poems in 1784 prior to her death on December 5, 1784

“On the Death of the Rev. Mr. George Whitefield” (1770)

•Read and mark the poem’s rhyme scheme

•Left margin: what is the poem saying? (summary phrases ok)

“On the Death of the Rev. Mr. George Whitefield” (1770)

•What did you notice about the poem’s language and structure?

Homework

•Read and annotate “To His Excellency General Washington”

• (Do the same thing we did in class today…rhyme scheme, summary phrases, etc.)

Closing conversation…

• In what ways could this poem/poet have been considered controversial?