The central theme of this poem is “
freedom's cause
,” the colonies' struggle for freedom from England, which General Washington was assigned to lead. …
What is the purpose of to His Excellency General Washington?
The major theme of the poem “To His Excellency General Washington” is
the fight for freedom from tyranny led by General Washington
. The theme expresses how great a leader Gen. Washington was and praises his efforts.
Why did Phillis Wheatley write to His Excellency General Washington?
The message of this poem was intended to
motivate General George Washington and the Patriots to win the war
, Phillis believed they would and wrote so. The message is also for General Washington to be strong and lead the Patriots to victory so that Americans can be free from Britain's rule at last.
What is the tone of To His Excellency George Washington?
The tone is
highly imaginative
, also similar to the Romantic movement, as it idealizes a hard struggle that was forming all around her in the New England colonies, proclaiming the success of Washington and his troops long before it became a reality.
Is to His Excellency General Washington a couplet?
Her poem is written in
heroic couplet
, where rhyming is made within two lines, as in the last words of the second stanza's lines: “fair” and “hair,” “skies” and “rise.” As well as the rhyming couplets, Wheatley employed a similar number of syllables for every line—most of the lines consist of ten syllables.
Who is the goddess in to His Excellency General Washington?
In that vein, Wheatley invented a classically styled goddess of the American Revolution named “
Columbia
,” an embodiment of freedom. Columbia first appeared in “To His Excellency General Washington” and quickly entered into American popular culture and lore.
How does the poet personify the United States in to His Excellency George Washington?
In Phillis Wheatley's homage to George Washington, commander of the Continental Army,
the poet creates a goddess she calls Columbia
to personify the American colonies. The goddess wears olive and laurel to symbolize peace and victory and inspires admiration—and fear—in those who would oppose her.
Who is called Columbia in His Excellency General Washington?
1. “Columbia” was a historical and poetic name used for America, as well as the
female
personification of America (i.e. Lady of Liberty). 2. Here, Wheatley is referring to the conflict between Great Britain and its thirteen American colonies.
What does Wheatley mean?
Wheatley is an English surname which translates into Old
English as “from the wheat meadow”
. Alternative spellings include Wheatly, Whatley, Whitley, Wheetley, and Wheatleigh. Whether this is an association of work, or of origin, is debatable.
Who wrote to His Excellency General Washington?
His Excellency General Washington by
Phillis Wheatley
– Poems | poets.org.
How pour her armies through a thousand gates?
How pour her armies through a thousand gates, As when Eolus heaven's fair face deforms, Enwrapp'd in tempest and a night of storms; Astonish'd ocean feels the wild uproar. … The American armies under George Washington are compared to Eolus's winds, and their strength makes the oceans feel their power.
What natural phenomena does the speaker use to characterize the Continental Army in to His Excellency General Washington?
What natural phenomena does the speaker use to characterize the Continental Army in the poem to His Excellency General Washington?
Tempests and rushing ocean waves
are used as images to describe the Continental Army. The waves of the rushing ocean create an image of unrestrained power and rage.
What does the speaker compare imagination to in the poem?
What does the speaker compare imagination to in the poem on imagination? The poet, Phillips Wheatley, compares
imagination to a soaring bird
. It is shown in the words “soaring through the air” and “measure the skies”. The reason is that both, imagination and birds, have no limits or boundaries.
What makes a couplet or a quatrain heroic?
A heroic couplet is a rhyming couplet,
or pair of lines with end rhymes in iambic pentameter
, meaning there are five iambic ‘feet' on each line. The heroic couplet traditionally appears in long, narrative poems called epics, but it can also be used in mock epics that parody the ‘heroic' tone of epic poetry.
Do couplets always rhyme?
While couplets traditionally rhyme, not all do
. Poems may use white space to mark out couplets if they do not rhyme. Couplets in iambic pentameter are called heroic couplets. … The Poetic epigram is also in the couplet form.
What is liberty and peace about?
Her pamphlet “Liberty and Peace” celebrates
the end of the Revolutionary War
: “For now kind Heaven, indulgent to our Prayer, In smiling Peace resolves the Din of War.” … Wheatley also prefigures the concerns of the civil war in her anti-slavery sentiments.
