What does the poem say?

“The Slave Auction by Frances Ellen Watkins Harper” is a vivid representation of the suffering of slaves in early America. The poem as shown in the title centers on slavery in America, the auctions where humans were traded for profit. One race created a pretext to claim superiority over other humans. Hence the auctions, the enslavement, and submission of many. 

The author introduces the poem with the second line, “despair, and young girls suffering, an anticipated reaction occurred. The poem discusses the injustices caused by the enslavement of African people in America. People were treated like pets and domestic animals, as children were sold and separated from their parents.

As a result, slave owners over time became unsympathetic, and focused on profits, rather than giving in to the obvious feeling of wrongness that comes from seeing another person suffer, often in a very cruel way. However, social constructs and generational influences created a society where enslaving people for profit was okay.

For example, the poem transmits the sorrow with real emotional reactions when a slave woman says “…gazed on the husband of her youth with anguish none may paint or tell” The mood is well established by the author in the last stanza. The people organize well with a very clear and concise introduction. Catching the attention of the audience with “The cell began young girls were there, the fastest Center wretchedness, whose Stepford sobs of deep despair revealed their anguish and distress (W. W. Harper, Francis).” Its Introduction compels anyone to continue reading the poem.

At the same time, it is a very powerful introduction day that shakes anyone’s heart. the author views the suffering of the people during those times. Describing the sadness and spare suffering of mothers seeing their children dragged away sold gold and auctions treated like pets and atoms. The darkest time in American history.

The author

The author uses short lines to convey a clear message that shall not be lost in long lines or wording. The stanzas are delivered in a rhythmic, but impactful manner. The use of short sentences provides a clear message and keeps the audience engaged throughout. The heart-shattering poem is engaging and consistent with the mood from beginning to end.

As a reader, I feel just the poem is trying to illustrate the clear Injustice that African Americans face in the United States. Slaves, we’re not only limited to adults no females children anyone who’s black let’s consider a property has been bought and sold on auctions. The content of the poem resonates in America even in 2022. It is a very deep poem that captures the attention of anyone.

The illustrated suffering of children demands empathy on all levels. Therefore, this poem has accomplished its goal of affecting the audience emotionally. 

Illustration of the past

Toward the end of this poem, the author touches upon auditory imagery. The author relies on visuals and expressions that require visualization from the reader. For example, the author describes the anguish and pain of the parents as their children are sold away to slave owners. “And Men, whose sole crime was hue, The impression of their Market’s hand…” is an impacting line. The author uses words such as hue to describe the skin color, and the spectrum of colors at the same time.

Auditory Imagery serves the purpose of explaining ideas, and many other things using words. However, when done poorly this can be confusing, and pretentious. In the case of “The Slave Auction,” the author painted a clear vision of what it was to be in the auction for African Americans. The proper way to conclude this analysis is with the line “… Whose loves are rudely torn away”. This line illustrates the deep feeling of hopelessness of the slaves in auction. 

Any poem, or story based on slave times is very sad, and impacting. Nevertheless, this poem was effectively developed, and conveyed to the reader. A clear emotional tone, and cohesive clues. A recommended poem to those interested in this type of informational, and heavy poems.

Journal Review

Poems and stories use literary devices to convey their ideas. Such as Imagery, metaphor, irony, tone, as well as symbolism. However, writers rely on blunt, and straightforward lines such as “Today in America people were bought and sold:” a statement that may not be considered accurate in today’s society. Nevertheless, both Marilyn Nelson and Robert Southey rely on constant literal devices to convey a piece of work that may be analyzed and examined by others up to a scholarly level. Of which is the care represented here.

Sonnet is not a familiar word, or clearly understood by most. However, it is not understood to be a fourteen-line poem. Using roman numerals. Roman numerals are traditionally used to show either a classical connection, or just a stylish, and symbolic one. Additionally, now with familiarity with the sonnet. It is important to add different sonnets such as Sonnet V.

“Sonnet V” is emotional, and impacting to the reader. The author debates whether self-defense may be an argument for a slave against his slave master. Consider how slaves were harshly punished often with death by wip. Therefore, many retaliated, and broke their chains taking violent steps against their owners. The movie Django Unchained with Jamie Joxx portrays how slaves were able to potentially revolt and inflicted great pain on the slave owners. Owners that transcended time according to Marilyn Nelson. When she argues that “Today in America people were bought and sold:”, the author is addressing the injustices against African Americans in America today. Is supported by Robert Southey when he says, “…sweetens with revenge, the draught of death.” a symbol as the slave gets revenge with the passage of death for us all.

Many slaves revolted but were later massacred and cut down by guards hired by slave owners. According to Mr. Southey “no more on Heaven he calls with the fruitless breath, But sweetened with revenge the draught of death”. Notice that the author uses the words vengeance, death, heaven, and breath to symbolize racism and other factors that ultimately may lead to death gasping for air from shackles on the neck, psychological chokehold from hundreds of years of oppression, and indoctrination.

The study of slavery from the Romans, Egyptians, Middle Eastern, and Eastern European represent factors for slavery. Minimal resources, ethnic, or cultural exceptionalism, and of course the most dominant reason; wealth from free labor. But every culture, and race holds some sort of natural pride, that if held in which does not have to be or become racism. For instance, Ms. Nelson illustrates, “How much do I hear, for his majesty in my blood? I auction myself. And I make the highest bid.” The highest bidder in a slave market owned the slaves, which are people. In this case, when someone places a bid on themselves they are in essence buying their freedom. Yet, man families when through slavery in Africa, and generations after their ancestors were freed in this land. African American Slavery affects people in the present. It happened not so long ago. There are current generations of descendants of slaves. Considering thousands, if not millions of children of mixed race were abandoned by their white parents, and destined to create generations of dysfunction. Even if the white parent wanted to keep the child, it would be very difficult, and impossible for society to accept during that period in America.

The slave auction by Frances Ellen Watkins Harper is a very enlightening, and comparable poem in terms of Imagery, metaphor, irony, tone, and symbolism in expression. The poem highlights the injustices that resulted from the enslavement of African people in America. People were brought to America in chains to work the land and reproduced in slavery, and later separated on the markets. Children were sold, separated from their parents, and people were treated like field animals and domestic animals.

Humans became heartless towards their darker counterparts, and focused on profits rather than giving in to the obvious piercing feeling that comes from seeing your fellow human suffering. However, the social construct and generational influences on the human mind created a society where it was ok to own other human beings. An analysis that can be gathered from all three Ms. Nelson, Mr. Southey, and Ms. Watkins Harper, the impact of slavery on American society is long-lasting, and embarrassing, with a history written in blood. The authors organize well with very clear and concise introductions. Catching the attention of the audience. For example, “The cell began when young girls were there, the fastest Center wretchedness, whose Stepford sobs of deep despair revealed their anguish and distress (W. W. Harper, Francis).”

Its Introduction compels anyone to continue reading the poem. At the same time, it is a very powerful introduction day that shakes anyone’s heart. the author views the suffering of the people during those times. Describing the sadness and spare suffering of mothers seeing their children dragged away sold gold and auctions treated like pets and atoms. The darkest time in American history. Compared to “Today in America people were bought and sold:”, the introduction to Worth By Marilyn Nelson catches the attention of the reader with a tone that is very impacting, and symbolic.

As a reader, I feel just the poem is trying to illustrate the clear Injustice that African Americans face in the United States. Slavery was not only limited to adults, children, and anyone considered dark who was bought and sold in the auction. The content of the poems may resonate with many people in America even in 2022. It is a very deep poem that captures the attention of anyone. The illustrated suffering of children demands empathy on all levels. Therefore, this poem has accomplished its goal of affecting the audience emotionally. Auditory Imagery Is alighted upon by the author at the end of this poem. The author relies on visuals and expressions that require visualization from the reader. For example, the author describes the anguish and pain of the parents as their children are sold away to slave owners. “And Men, whose sole crime was hue, The impression of their Market’s hand…” is an impacting line. The author uses words such as hue to describe the skin color, and the spectrum of colors at the same time. Ultimately, the poems focused on the injustices that are born from greed, and ambition. However, in the case of American slavery, race was brought into the mix, as opposed to other cases of slavery. Skin color, which results in no human differences whatsoever generically, was used as a tool to create a pretext for oppression, and greed.