Introduction
Frances Ellen Watkins was an influential African American writer and abolitionist. Harper, an African American poet and abolitionist, composed the poem The Slave Mother during the antebellum era. This 1857 publication portrays the inevitable hardships working mothers who are separated from their cherished children face.
Harper employs poetic elements such as vivid imagery, evocative symbolism, and a carefully crafted structure to immerse the reader in the poignant world of the poem. These elements depict maternal suffering and resilience. Harper skillfully employs literary devices to convey the harshness of slavery and celebrate the resilience of the slave mother. The imagery and the poem’s form allow the reader to experience how the situation in the poem escalates with each line, experiencing the sadness and grief along with the heroine.
Imagery and Symbolism
The poem utilizes evocative imagery and potent symbolism to effectively communicate the intense emotional distress experienced by the enslaved mother. Harper effectively uses imagery and symbolism in the poem to elicit a strong emotional response from the reader. The poem begins with a vivid image of the mother, “hands so sadly clasped,” describing the gravity of the character’s situation (Harper 5). This image juxtaposes the mother with nature, emphasizing the contrast between the peacefulness of the natural world and the inhumanity of slavery.
The author uses vivid visual imagery to convey the deep despair felt by the mother in the poem. The quote, “sad, imploring eye/Its every glance was pain,” symbolizing the suffering of the enslaved, serves as a vivid illustration of the inhumane effects of slavery (Harper 9-10). The river symbolizes separation and continuity. The resilience of the slave mother is shown in her ability to find comfort in the belief that her child’s spirit is preserved in the flowing waters despite the overwhelming grief she experiences.
Symbolism is present throughout the poem, and each stanza contains carefully chosen imagery that conveys multiple layers of meaning. The infant’s grave serves both as a physical symbol of loss and as a metaphor for the many lives tragically cut short by the brutality of slavery. The reference to ” her heart/ Is breaking in despair ” symbolizes the profound emotional and spiritual devastation experienced by these women. The images in the poem have a lasting impact on the reader, reminding us of the lasting influence of art in revealing the depths of human experience.
Structure and Form
The poem’s structure and style are significant in effectively highlighting the mother’s profound distress and unwavering strength. The structure and form of Frances Ellen Watkins Harper’s poem The Slave Mother play a significant role in its emotional impact. The author’s deliberate use of rhyme scheme, meter, and stanza arrangement reflects the mother’s experiences of turmoil and resilience. The poem consists of ten quatrains, alternating lines of iambic tetrameter and trimeter. The rhythmic pattern imitates the grieving mother’s heartbeat, expressing her profound sorrow and resolute determination.
Harper’s utilization of rhyme is also strategically significant. The ABCB rhyme scheme in each quatrain highlights the strong connection between mother and child. The structured rhyme scheme in the poem also highlights the strict limitations of the slave system, which caused families to be systematically torn apart.
Furthermore, the meticulously crafted stanzas contribute to a contemplative rhythm in the narrative. Each quatrain depicts a distinct aspect of the mother’s encounters, resulting in a cumulative emotional effect. The sequence represents the stages of grief and the evolving emotional state of the enslaved mother. The meter and rhyme scheme in the poem contrasts with the mother’s chaotic world, highlighting her resilience and unwavering love.
Tone and Diction
The poet’s deliberate selection of tone and diction effectively constructs a sad and vivid representation of the slave mother’s lived reality. The intonation and diction in the poem serve as a powerful conduit for conveying the depth of the poem’s soulfulness and her unwavering strength in the face of adversity.
The poem’s tone is imbued with a haunting combination of sadness, resilience, and quiet but resolute determination. Harper’s words resonate with palpable pain, painting a vivid portrait of maternal grief in the line, “They tear him from her circling arms.” (Harper 33). This tone of sadness resounds throughout the poem, emphasizing the profound loss and separation experienced by the slave mother.
Harper’s diction is similarly deliberate; she uses evocative and restrained language. Phrases such as “the bowed and feeble head,” “storm of agony,” and “heard you that shriek” carry a weight of emotion, eliciting an emotional response from the reader (Harper 1-6-11). These carefully chosen words serve as a poignant reminder of the human cost of slavery, forcing the reader to face the harsh reality faced by enslaved mothers. The poem partially conveys that the heroine’s suffering is caused by the enormity of her love for and deprivation of her child (Rich 22). In constructing tone and selecting diction, Harper employs a masterful technique, creating a resonant and indelible portrayal of the slave mother’s experiences.
Conclusion
In The Slave Mother, Harper skillfully employs various literary elements to shed light on the distressing ordeals of enslaved mothers. The author effectively uses visual imagery and symbolism to immerse the reader in a mother’s distress and strength, skillfully contrasting the beauty of nature with the harshness of slavery. The structured form of the poem reflects the mother’s resilience and resolve against external oppression.
Harper’s tone and diction, filled with sorrow and steadfast determination, leave a lasting impression, urging the reader to witness the enduring strength and love that characterize the slave mother’s character. Harper’s poetic skill immortalizes the narrative of character, serving as a testament to the enduring resilience of the human spirit in literary history.
Works Cited
Harper, Frances Ellen. The Slave Mother. The Library of America, 1854.
Rich, Adrienne. Of Woman Born : Motherhood as Experience and Institution. Norton, 1995.