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Comparing Phillis Wheatley And Maria W. Stewart

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Beginning in the pre-Revolutionary War period, African American writers have engaged in a visionary, yet petulant, dialogue with American letters. The result became African American literature that is prosperous; thereby developing a social insight to their personal experiences and history. Although men are predominantly recognized in history for being well educated and powerful, women have played a great part in shaping America to what it is today. Phillis Wheatley, and Maria W. Stewart, were true Christian African American women that have portrayed historical events though literature. Wheatley and Stewart hold similar ideals for African Americans, however, their personalities are profoundly different. To illustrate, if there was a color …show more content…

In her poem, she capitalizes the words Savior, Christians, and Cain, because her objective is to reach out to true Christians. By using bible text she displays an intelligent and well cultured voice, which she earns respect from her audience – in this case everyone. This short, but powerful poem about slavery amazed people, because it was considered unbelievable that a slave girl could write. Phillis Wheatley is all about change. She changed her country, her name, her religion, and her whole life. That’s a lot of change that most people would never fully execute. Wheatley’s powerful, and relevant poem is able to be understood not only by experience, which made it suitable for all, black, white, men, women, to comprehend. Although assumptions are part of human nature, once people have truly learned something new, it expands our understanding of the world. Thus, being close minded was truly a dishonor to oneself and to God. With this in mind, both writers who were true Christian didn’t appreciate when people would consider themselves Christians, however, they supported slavery. They couldn’t grasp the ideology of slavery, if those slave owners were real Christians. Being a real Christian meant that he or she respected the Bible and followed God’s moral guidance. By having this moral guidance, it gave blacks empowerment to have their voices heard without criticism, for they “may be refin’d and join th’ angelic train” (On Being | Wheatley). Wheatley appeared to be docile towards her audience, while Stewart was

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