How Does Wheatley Use Metaphor?

Her use of personification, symbolism, metonymy, metaphor, and charged words amplify her purpose to write the poem, which is to praise General George Washington and set forth A America as a strong, resilient nation. Whitley uses the personification of nature and biblical source sees to create an aura of heavenly guidance in favor of America. This helped emphasize the fact that America had God on their side and that Britain should retreat quickly due to America referent d sire for freedom.

Freedom’s cause” is the central theme of the poem, including the struggle of the colonists to be free from England, even if it meant going to war against the m re powerful British The author uses personification to convey her message throughout the poem, that message being that America should be feared and that Washington is a magna efficient general who will protect and emancipate the colonies from Britain. For example, in paragraph app one, Whitley states that “nations gaze at scenes before unknown! ” The phrase “nations Gaza e” is a form of personification which refers to the nations watching the war unfold before the me.

The world hopes to see America be the victor. This statement would also be a form of metonymy my, by replacing the served people with nations. In lines 14, Whitley introduces Columbia, the goddess of liberty a personification of America. In lines 2934, Whitley cites the F-ranch and India an War as proof of what Columbians fury can do as a warning to the British.

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Whitley also refer renders Britannic, which is Great Britain personified as a goddess. Another example of personifies action would be when Whitley states, “Astonished ocean feels, the wild uproar, the referent s urges beat the sounding shore. The personification of the ocean being able to feel and create Ins an uproar IS oppose to express the feelings of the impatient colonists waiting in anticipate on for their freedom. Wattle’s use of specific charged words amplifies the desire of free doom the colonists were pursuing. Also, to persuade Washington to fight, Whitley compares the strength Of the American army to “when Lulus heaven’s fair face deforms,” basically saying the at America’s army was as strong as God. Whitley also uses symbolism to help visually describe America as being a “heavenwards race. When she states, “The goddess comes, she moves diva inanely fair. Olive ND laurel binds her golden hair. Wherever shines this native of the skies, nun numbered charms and recent graces arise,” Whitley is symbolizing the goddess as America, “bi need” by peace and victory. Wherever and whatever happens with America, they are protect d by God. Whitley uses biblical and mythological references to connect America’s resilience to the e word of God. This is helpful towards her purpose behind the essay because it reinforces he r opinion that America is protected by God.

Phillis Wheatley Poem To George Washington Analysis

She says in line thirty of “To His Excellency Gene oral Washington” hat, ‘When Gaelic powers Columbians fury found,” which refers to the America n victory over the French in the French and Indian War as a threat to Britain that if they resist they’ll have the same fate. Whitley also writes this poem in heroic couplet, where rhyming is made within two lines, as in the last words Of the second Stanza lines: “fair” and “hair,” “skies” a ND “rise. ” As well as the rhyming couplets, Whitley uses a similar amount of syllables for ever y line-?most of the lines consisting of ten syllables.

Finally, near the end of ‘To His Excellency Gene oral Washington ” Whitley uses trope to indirectly threaten Great Britain for attempting to pop press the colonies. At a time of segregation, slavery, and the fight for social change a s well as equality, the black community was in need of someone who understood how to use poetry to their advantage . Phillips Whitley is roundly considered to follow the neoclassical style of Alexander Pope, an early strengthener’s poet highly regarded in Whitley ‘s era.

She borrowed images from the neoclassical style easily, such as “realms of light,” ” astonish ‘d ocean,” and “Autumn’s golden reign. ” Whitley also includes references to Greek myth holy in her verse-?the goddess of Freedom, muses and celestial choirs, Lulus, the god o f wind. Whitley used poetic devices in order to enhance her poetry just as any outstanding pop et would. Her work shows how hyperbole, symbolism, metaphor, simile, and other poetic devices are key in writing powerful, effective poetry. In conclusion, Whitley expresses the desire for freedom of the Aimer can people through different forms of literary devices.