From Africa to America by Phyllis Wheatley

On Being Brought From Africa to America by Phillis Wheatley

 

'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, Negro's, black as Cain,
May be refin'd, and join th' angelic train.

The first two lines serve as the opening for the poem.  She is describing her transition of physically being brought from her native land to America. In saying that it was “Mercy” that allowed her to come to this place shows that she was grateful for her enslavement because it introduced her to Christianity. Her use of the term “benighted” is an indicator not only of her skin color but the ignorance associated with it. However, the ignorance she refers to is not the typical idea that many proponents of slavery liked to describe. She is not saying that Africans are less intelligent or weaker than Anglo- Saxons, but they are just unaware of amazing thing that is Christianity. In the latter lines, Wheatley just calls to all of her readers to remind them that all people are fully capable of being refined and moving on to glory. Phyllis Wheatley is clearly a delicate revolutionary. At first glance, she appears to just be just showing thanks for being enslaved because it has brought such joy to her life in finding Christianity. At second Passover, her true tone is revealed. This is most evident in the last two lines. By using the word “Remember”, the author is taking a position of power as if she already has grasp on the reader. In the way she positions the words “Christians” and “Negros” and saying that they ALL might be refined and join the train to heaven. Africans may not be perfect, but neither are the so-called Christians who enslave other human beings. She was Americans and slaves alike to know that the journey she had is possible for everyone, and those that follow Christian principles should be allowed to live freely.