How Does Hayden Change The Point Of View Of A Letter From Phillis Wheatley
An anonymous poet expresses "painting is poetry, and poetry is painting that speaks", this relates to the poem A Letter from Phillis Wheatley by Robert Hayden through his abstract approach of using the character Wheatley as the speaker. The role of Wheatley is vital to the poems point of view, by using Wheatley he demonstrates the view of an enslaved African American who is also is the first African American poet to be published (O’Neale). In Hayden’s technique, he uses the character Wheatley as a spokesman, this point of view places emphasis on the literature cultural and freeplay.
Now, if Hayden changed the point of view of the poem it would take away from the cultural vitality of the first African American published poet. Changing the
character would also take out the irony of a poet writing about a primitive African American poet’s story. The symbolism or message of a profound African American perspective, in a world where they began to progress, would be lost if Hayden were to change the spokesman character.
The poem A Letter from Phillis Wheatley illustrates the travels of the character Wheatley however, excludes in depth details to the characters previous experiences in Africa and Boston as Hayden mentions “reflecting on that first—my Destined—voyage long ago (I yet have some remembrance of its Horrors) ...of Africa, though much of Boston” (Hayden 18-19). Thus, the writer demonstrates freeplay in the sense the reader perceives her horrors as her slavery in the “New World” as Fred Fetrow mentions “who senses the irony in her assumption that her enslavement ("my Destined/ Voyage") was God-willed” (Fetrow). Therefore, omitting more in-depth details of the main character creates a more mysterious vibe of the character, in order to keep the reader interested to know more, as well as leaving room for thought.
Hayden uses this historical icon of African American literature “Phillis Wheatley”, to give the poem a powerful meaning. Using Phillis Wheatley in the poem A Letter from Phillis Wheatley is a form of irony because of her literate importance and by telling her story through his poetry (Hayden 18-20). Therefore, he shows the significance through the spokesman (woman) by using cultural literature and freeplay
Now, if Hayden changed the point of view of the poem it would take away from the cultural vitality of the first African American published poet. Changing the
character would also take out the irony of a poet writing about a primitive African American poet’s story. The symbolism or message of a profound African American perspective, in a world where they began to progress, would be lost if Hayden were to change the spokesman character.
The poem A Letter from Phillis Wheatley illustrates the travels of the character Wheatley however, excludes in depth details to the characters previous experiences in Africa and Boston as Hayden mentions “reflecting on that first—my Destined—voyage long ago (I yet have some remembrance of its Horrors) ...of Africa, though much of Boston” (Hayden 18-19). Thus, the writer demonstrates freeplay in the sense the reader perceives her horrors as her slavery in the “New World” as Fred Fetrow mentions “who senses the irony in her assumption that her enslavement ("my Destined/ Voyage") was God-willed” (Fetrow). Therefore, omitting more in-depth details of the main character creates a more mysterious vibe of the character, in order to keep the reader interested to know more, as well as leaving room for thought.
Hayden uses this historical icon of African American literature “Phillis Wheatley”, to give the poem a powerful meaning. Using Phillis Wheatley in the poem A Letter from Phillis Wheatley is a form of irony because of her literate importance and by telling her story through his poetry (Hayden 18-20). Therefore, he shows the significance through the spokesman (woman) by using cultural literature and freeplay