To His Excellency, General Washington

1
To His Excellency, General Washington

• By Phillis Wheatley

2
Introduction

• Wheatley prefaces the poem with a letter to
  Washington.
• Lavishes praises on Washington and his great
  cause
• Reader can predict the tone of the poem will be
  formal if it is anything like the letter.

3
Personification

• In lines 1-4, Wheatley introduces Columbia, the
  goddess of liberty a personification of
  America.
• In lines 29-34, Wheatley cites the French and
  Indian War as proof of what Columbias fury can
  do (a warning to the British).
• In the conclusion of the poem, Wheatley asks the
  goddess of liberty to guide Washington in his
  actions and decisions.

4
Personification (cont.)

• In lines 13-22, the sky and ocean are given human
  qualities.
• Eolus is the personification of the wind (Greek
  god of the winds).
• The Astonishd ocean beats the shore in wild
  uproar.
• Line 35 speaks of Britannia which is Great
  Britain personified as a goddess.

5
Other Literary Elements

• The poem is written in heroic couplets
• Couplet two consecutive lines of poetry that
  rhyme
• Heroic Couplet has a specific meter called
  iambic pentameter
• Rhetorical question is asked in line 23.
• What is the point made by this question?

6
Justification of cause

• In lines 32-34, Wheatley states that the
  colonists are defended by God and that the eyes
  of nations are fixd on the scales of justice.
  
• The world hopes to see America be the victor.