Analysis of On Virtue

Phillis Wheatley 1753 (West Africa) – 1784 (Boston)



O Thou bright jewel in my aim I strive
To comprehend thee.  Thine own words declare
Wisdom is higher than a fool can reach.
I cease to wonder, and no more attempt
Thine height t' explore, or fathom thy profound.
But, O my soul, sink not into despair,
Virtue is near thee, and with gentle hand
Would now embrace thee, hovers o'er thine head.
Fain would the heav'n-born soul with her converse,
Then seek, then court her for her promis'd bliss.
     Auspicious queen, thine heav'nly pinions spread,
And lead celestial Chastity along;
Lo! now her sacred retinue descends,
Array'd in glory from the orbs above.
Attend me, Virtue, thro' my youthful years!
O leave me not to the false joys of time!
But guide my steps to endless life and bliss.
Greatness, or Goodness, say what I shall call thee,
To give me an higher appellation still,
Teach me a better strain, a nobler lay,
O thou, enthron'd with Cherubs in the realms of day.


Scheme ABCDEBFGHIGJKLMNIOPQQ
Poetic Form
Metre 1111001111 101111101 1011010111 1111001101 11101110101 1111110101 1011101101 11011101011 1101111010 1111010101 01011111 0101010001 110101001 0101010101 0111011101 1111101111 1111110101 10110111111 1111100101 1101010101 11111000111
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 910
Words 167
Sentences 12
Stanzas 1
Stanza Lengths 21
Lines Amount 21
Letters per line (avg) 34
Words per line (avg) 8
Letters per stanza (avg) 710
Words per stanza (avg) 166
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on May 03, 2023

51 sec read
507

Phillis Wheatley

Phillis Wheatley was both the second published African-American poet and first published African-American woman. Born in Senegambia, she was sold into slavery at the age of 7 and transported to North America. She was purchased by the Wheatley family of Boston, who taught her to read and write, and encouraged her poetry when they saw her talent. The publication of her Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral brought her fame both in England and the American colonies; figures such as George Washington praised her work. During Wheatley's visit to England with her master's son, the African-American poet Jupiter Hammon praised her work in his own poem. Wheatley was emancipated after the death of her master John Wheatley. She married soon after. Two of her children died as infants. After her husband was imprisoned for debt in 1784, Wheatley fell into poverty and died of illness, quickly followed by the death of her surviving infant son. more…

All Phillis Wheatley poems | Phillis Wheatley Books

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