Yesenia Leon 

May 18th, 2020

Professor Rumore 

ENG 302

Religion was something that was reflected upon a lot by the writers and poets focused on. They made sure each captured African gained from the transatlanic slave trade was made to convert to Chrisianity. Many poets framed their poems around this idea of enslavement and revolution, many things were going on at this time when it came down to the literary works of the 18th Century. This is an odd time in English literature but it is also one of the more fascinating periods to study, each work contained many different themes and literary devices. The theme religion played in many works was used as a tool to teach slaves the power god bestowed upon them, it was used as a way to signify unrest and anger. It was also used to prove that slavery is wrong.  Here we will analyze three works from this period and connect them to the theme of religion  that was prominent in the 18th Century.

The first work we will discuss is Phyllis Wheatley’s On being Brought from Africa to America which holds a lot of imagery and satirical writing styles. The opening line “‘Twas mercy that brought me from my pagan land” tells us that this person is a slave who was told that it was the mercy of God that led them to these english men. Mercy, redemption and forgiveness are common concepts that anyone would find in Christianity.  Another quote from the poem that supports this thinking is “Once I redemption neither fought nor knew, Some view our sable race with scornful eye,”, which is further going into more detail on how the slave is looked down upon for not having this belief in god, they never got a chance to fight or even knew that they should have fought. Redemption is something that was forced upon them, they must repent and redeem themselves in the eyes of the lord for their sinful practices. Lastly the slave provided some thought provoking imagery with the second to last line of this poem “Remember, Christians, Negroes, black as Cain,”, here is where the slave denounces their forced upon religion. What should be paid attention to is how he linked the idea that Christians which are the English men that stole them away from their homeland are all the negative things they call the slave. They are the evil Cain from the Cain and Abel story that is within the bible. This poem showed us how negatively religion was viewed amongst the slave population seeing as their captors didn’t practice what they preached. 

The next work we will focus on is William Wordworth’s  Lyrical ballads and selected poems within this poem the woman that is depectied is shown to be looked down upon. She too was enslaved because according to the poem “Meek, destitute, as seemed, of hope or aim” which was the common attitude slaves had. They were stolen and forced into this messy insane world of god, and masters. She was infear but she did not lose all of her fire because she then the poem discusses “Yet still her eyes retained their tropic fire,”which shows us how she still carries her homeland in her heart. The more chilling ending two lines can be told from the point of view that she fused both her religion and the religion of the slave master. Her prayers “To mock the Outcast.–O ye Heavens, be kind! And feel, thou Earth, for this afflicted Race!” tells the readers that she wishes them to be kind to  her enslavers because she knows that they should be punished for their deeds. She also asks them to feel the earth for them to understand how they treat this race that she now belongs to. 

Lastly we have Oroonoko, which tells the imaginged tale of what it was like to be a slave. The writer detailed being taken, how they found ways to be more useful and how they were used as the English man’s puppet. We see Oronoko change and evolve throughout his enslavement to these people, he truly becomes a different person almost. But he learned from the experience and got to travel around the world and see things no other person had seen. Though  he was no longer a king he was still learning great many things like one. He too was converted but he didn’t understand the religion too well to retain it. 

As you see the 18th Century went through many changes, and its poets had very meaningful ideas to spread. We see women writers and we see slaves being allowed to have a voice, even though it is through white people. The 18th Century connects a lot with the modern world as long as you look close enough.