# Poetry — Themes

> Major themes in Poetry by Frances Ellen Watkins Harper.

## Slavery and Oppression

The book extensively depicts the horrors of slavery, including family separation, physical brutality, and the dehumanization of enslaved people, as seen in poems like 'The Slave Auction' and 'Eliza Harris'.

### Where it surfaces

- [The Slave Mother](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_7_se/chapters/the-slave-mother): The poem depicts the violent separation of a mother and child as a direct consequence of slavery.
- [The Slave Auction](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_7_se/chapters/the-slave-auction): The auction epitomizes the systemic oppression of slavery, where human beings are bartered for gold and families are torn apart.
- [The Fugitive's Wife](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_7_se/chapters/the-fugitive-s-wife): The poem depicts the crushing weight of slavery on family bonds, as the husband's despair and the wife's plea for his escape highlight the dehumanizing oppression they endure.
- [Bury Me in a Free Land](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_7_se/chapters/bury-me-in-a-free-land): The poem graphically depicts the oppression of enslaved people, including family separation, physical abuse, and dehumanization.
- [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_7_se/chapters/v): Pharaoh's decree to increase the Israelites' burdens exemplifies systemic oppression, as the people are forced to gather their own straw while maintaining the same brick quota.
- [Free Labor](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_7_se/chapters/free-labor): The poem directly addresses the suffering of enslaved people, describing tears, blood, and anguish woven into garments produced by their labor.

## Motherhood and Family

Maternal love and the anguish of mothers losing or fighting for their children is a central motif, exemplified by Eliza's desperate flight and the mother in 'The Slave Mother' whose child is torn away.

### Where it surfaces

- [Eliza Harris](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_7_se/chapters/eliza-harris): A mother's love drives her to risk everything for her child's freedom.
- [The Slave Mother](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_7_se/chapters/the-slave-mother): The mother's love and her desperate attempt to protect her child highlight the centrality of family bonds.
- [The Drunkard’s Child](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_7_se/chapters/the-drunkard-s-child): The poem centers on the bond between father and child, showing a family torn apart by vice and reunited in a moment of death.
- [The Slave Auction](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_7_se/chapters/the-slave-auction): Mothers watch helplessly as their children are sold, and wives are separated from their husbands, highlighting the destruction of family bonds.
- [Report](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_7_se/chapters/report): The advice centers on selecting a wife who will be a faithful, industrious partner, reflecting the importance of family stability.
- [Advice to the Girls](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_7_se/chapters/advice-to-the-girls): The advice implicitly concerns building a stable family through wise marital choice.

## Freedom and Liberation

The pursuit of freedom, both physical and spiritual, is a recurring theme, with poems celebrating emancipation, the Underground Railroad, and the dignity of being free, as in 'The Freedom Bell' and 'The Change'.

### Where it surfaces

- [Eliza Harris](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_7_se/chapters/eliza-harris): The mother's flight and successful escape symbolize the pursuit of liberty.
- [Ethiopia](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_7_se/chapters/ethiopia): The central theme: Ethiopia's chains are broken by God, her sons redeemed from dust and freed from tyranny.
- [A Mother's Heroism](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_7_se/chapters/a-mother-s-heroism): Lovejoy's fight for liberty and the mother's pride in his dedication to freedom highlight the theme of liberation.
- [Be Active](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_7_se/chapters/be-active): The chapter is a rallying cry for the liberation of the oppressed, urging active struggle against slavery.
- [Bury Me in a Free Land](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_7_se/chapters/bury-me-in-a-free-land): The poem's central plea is for burial in a land free from slavery, equating physical location with spiritual rest and liberation.
- [Moses](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_7_se/chapters/moses): Moses' entire mission is to lead his captive race to freedom, renouncing the splendor of Pharaoh's court for the cause of liberation.

## Social Injustice and Class

The book critiques economic inequality and societal neglect, highlighting the suffering of the poor, the hungry, and the outcast, as in 'Died of Starvation' and 'Lessons of the Street'.

### Where it surfaces

- [Bible Defence of Slavery](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_7_se/chapters/bible-defence-of-slavery): The poem condemns the institutional and religious defense of slavery as a profound social injustice.
- [Died of Starvation](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_7_se/chapters/died-of-starvation): The man is imprisoned for begging bread while the rich feast, highlighting class-based oppression.
- [The Contrast](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_7_se/chapters/the-contrast): The poem highlights how wealth and social status protect the man from condemnation, while the woman is abandoned and shamed, illustrating class-based hypocrisy.
- [Be Active](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_7_se/chapters/be-active): Highlights the brutal oppression of enslaved people, including a mother in chains and a trembling maiden, as systemic social injustice.
- [Lessons of the Street](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_7_se/chapters/lessons-of-the-street): The poem highlights the beggar, the gold-seeker, the pale student, and the child of shame, illustrating class divisions and societal neglect.
- [To the Union Savers of Cleveland](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_7_se/chapters/to-the-union-savers-of-cleveland): The poem condemns the Union savers for prioritizing political unity over the life and freedom of a vulnerable woman.

## Faith and Divine Justice

Religious faith and the belief in God's ultimate justice are woven throughout, with poems like 'The Syrophenician Woman' and 'Retribution' emphasizing divine retribution for oppression and sin.

### Where it surfaces

- [The Soul](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_7_se/chapters/the-soul): The poem emphasizes the eternal, divine worth of the soul, suggesting a moral and spiritual balance that transcends earthly measures.
- [The Syrophenician Woman](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_7_se/chapters/the-syrophenician-woman): The woman's faith is tested and ultimately rewarded, demonstrating that divine mercy extends beyond traditional boundaries.
- [Bible Defence of Slavery](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_7_se/chapters/bible-defence-of-slavery): It accuses clergy of blasphemy by using sacred texts to justify oppression, invoking divine judgment.
- [Ethiopia](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_7_se/chapters/ethiopia): The poem asserts that God hears the cry of the oppressed and will act to end their sorrows and punish the tyrant.
- [That Blessed Hope](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_7_se/chapters/that-blessed-hope): The narrator draws on the faith of the patriarchs and trusts in Christ's coming reign as an anchor for the soul.
- [The Dying Christian](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_7_se/chapters/the-dying-christian): The dying woman's trust in her Redeemer and her peaceful passing reflect a deep faith in divine justice and eternal life.

## Resilience and Sacrifice

Themes of personal courage, martyrdom, and heroic sacrifice appear in poems about figures like John Brown, the dying fugitive, and the hermit in 'The Hermit's Sacrifice' who ends gladiatorial games.

### Where it surfaces

- [The Syrophenician Woman](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_7_se/chapters/the-syrophenician-woman): The woman's relentless plea and humble acceptance of crumbs reflect her sacrificial love and resilience for her child's sake.
- [Died of Starvation](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_7_se/chapters/died-of-starvation): The mother's dying embrace of her children and the husband's desperate struggle embody resilience and sacrifice.
- [A Mother's Heroism](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_7_se/chapters/a-mother-s-heroism): The mother's acceptance of her son's death as a martyr for liberty exemplifies resilience and the willingness to sacrifice for a greater cause.
- [The Fugitive's Wife](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_7_se/chapters/the-fugitive-s-wife): The wife's urging for her husband to escape, despite the personal cost of separation, exemplifies the resilience and sacrifice required in the fight for freedom.
- [The Contrast](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_7_se/chapters/the-contrast): The woman's silent suffering and eventual death reflect a tragic form of resilience, as she bears the weight of her ruin without support.
- [Lessons of the Street](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_7_se/chapters/lessons-of-the-street): The calm face 'aiming for a higher life' suggests resilience amid the strife, while the mournful glance and deathly pale face hint at sacrifice and loss.

## Racial Equality and Humanity

The book asserts the shared humanity of all people regardless of race, condemning racism and calling for justice, as seen in 'An Appeal to My Countrywomen' and 'The Present Age'.

### Where it surfaces

- [Lines to Hon. Thaddeus Stevens](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_7_se/chapters/lines-to-hon-thaddeus-stevens): The poem centers on the injured negro and the nation's scorn and hate, calling for justice and the rising of the negro's brain.
- [Lines to Miles O’Reiley](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_7_se/chapters/lines-to-miles-o-reiley): The speaker defends the honor and bravery of Black soldiers, challenging the racist assumption that they should have fought against the Confederacy in a way that would have led to murder of innocents.
- [Aunt Chloe's Politics](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_7_se/chapters/aunt-chloe-s-politics): She insists that the loss of school funds affects all children regardless of race, and calls for clean, honest voting.
- [The Present Age](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_7_se/chapters/the-present-age): Diverse peoples—Parsee, Christian, Brahmin, Buddhist, Chinese, Indian, Negro—are shown clasping hands and sharing in divine light.
- [Our Hero](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_7_se/chapters/our-hero): The narrative challenges racial prejudice by portraying a man of a despised race as the ultimate hero.
- [The Burdens of All](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_7_se/chapters/the-burdens-of-all): The poem explicitly calls for unity among black, brown, and white people, emphasizing shared humanity and mutual support.

## Hope and Redemption

Despite pervasive suffering, the poems often end with hope, redemption, or the promise of a better future, such as in 'The Prodigal's Return' and 'Ethiopia' which foretells liberation.

### Where it surfaces

- [The Soul](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_7_se/chapters/the-soul): The focus on the soul's deathless nature and its ultimate value offers a hopeful perspective on human worth beyond material circumstances.
- [The Drunkard’s Child](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_7_se/chapters/the-drunkard-s-child): The father's promise to meet his child in the holy city suggests a possibility of redemption even for a drunkard.
- [That Blessed Hope](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_7_se/chapters/that-blessed-hope): The entire poem centers on the blessed hope of eternal rest and the crown of life, offering redemption from worldly sorrow.
- [The Dying Christian](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_7_se/chapters/the-dying-christian): The chapter conveys hope through the belief that the woman's spirit lives on, pure and bright, after death.
- [Saved by Faith](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_7_se/chapters/saved-by-faith): From despair and prolonged illness, the woman finds hope in the possibility of healing, and her redemption is realized through her courageous act of faith.
- [The Prodigal's Return](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_7_se/chapters/the-prodigal-s-return): The prodigal's return and the father's joyful welcome embody the theme of redemption and the hope of being found after being lost.

HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_7_se/themes