Sonnets on the Slave Trade Group Discussion Questions

1. Which aspect of the slave trade does the poem represent?

2. Describe the poem structurally. What type of sonnet is it? How does the poem change on either side of the volta and at the concluding couplet (if it has one)?

3. What is the poem’s most significant formal feature? How does this feature affect your interpretation of the poem?

4. What kind of argument does the poem present against slavery? What is your reaction to that argument as a reader?

To The Poppy

Anna Seward's sonnet regarding the poppy is one that is described as quite happy, but carries a sarcastic undertone. The sonnet has an interesting flow because it follows the Petrarchan format having an octave followed by a Sestet, but it doesn't follow that traditional rhyme scheme. The basis of the poem is Seward sarcastically criticizing the poppy for the weed it is. Seward seems to be intrigued by the ways of the poppy, and she mentions how it is unshielded and blows with the wind. Despite her sarcasm it seems she wants to be the poppy and have its freedom. Interesting enough while she seems to be admiring the poppy, she recognizes the problem that the poppy causes for others. She opens the poem by mentioning the summer rose and the glory in which it yields. Her introduction to the poppy is, "Misfortune's victim hails, with many a sigh, Thee, scarlet Poppy of the pathless field…" It seems that in the poem the poppy plagues the grasses and annoys all that come in contact with it. Upon reading this the only thing I could imagine a field of annoying little flowers and began to sympathize with Seward. After the volta, Seward says, "Kind dreams oblivious from thy juice proceed, Thou flimsy, showy, melancholy weed." The volta which is supposed to reconceptualize the poem let' us know that the poopy is actually a weed, although a flower, it isn't a species held to the standard of a rose. Seward does a great job at taking us on a metaphorical journey to discover that the poppy is a weed. Her sarcasm and wit throughout the sonnet create a storyline which is easy to follow and enjoyable.

Robert Southey's 170/VI (Analysis)

Robert Southey’s Poems on the Slave Trade is a sequence of poems that discuss his complete disregard to England’s part in the capture and selling of Africans into servitude. The poem VI or 170, discusses the horrendous hanging of a slave and balances the cruelty of the hanging of a slave with gracious and merciful nature of the slave.

In the very first line Southey introduces a slave that is being hung. He then begins to vividly paint an image, by stating that the slave is the birds “living food”. It is simple, but terrible, to visualize birds eating flesh off a body. From the poem we can tell that the slave is strong-willed, because of the repetitious statement that Southey uses “He groans not”. Southey describes the slave’s last moments as painful, disturbing and full of pain, though “He groans not”, even when faced with “the gorging vulture”, and “New torturers”. He then continues to discuss the cruelty occuring and is outraged about how this man was tore “from peace and liberty”. He then takes a very sarcastic tone in the line “Gaze hither ye who weigh with scrupulous care, The right and prudent”. In that line he is basically saying the English people that took him chose “carefully” those who are right and just regular people. Also he states how the hanging of the slave is like a message “to all mankind, [that] Murder is legalized”. From this statement it is easy to see his passion and yearning for slavery, and the cruel treatment of people to stop.

He then switches to discuss the afterlife and the kindness of the slave by saying “for beyond the grave, There is another world”. He does this because he is letting all know that there is a time that everyone will be judged for what they have done in the world. The last three lines are very powerful and show the merciful nature of the slave. Southey states “that there the slave, before the Eternal, ‘thunder-tongued shall plead, against the deep damnation of your deed”. These lines are simply saying that in the afterlife, the slave will boldly (thunder-tongued) plead against your harsh punishment even though he was tortured and treated cruelly.

In the poem you can tell how Southey is completely opposed to the idea of slavery and cruelty towards one another. Robert Southey’s balance of cruelty and forgiveness is a powerful message, and it is what makes this poem splendid!

Sonnet 169 V.

Robert Southey’s poems on the slave trade are a series of sonnets expressing his objection and anger about the slave trade. In sonnet 5 Southey speaks on the issues of vengeance against the slave traders. The poem begins by painting an image of a slave murdering his master with sword. He uses strong, descriptive language to create a very vivid image for the reader like “thirsty blade” and “cold bosom”. These descriptions definitely work to put the reader in agreement with the actions of the slave. Southey feels strongly that the act would be justified and goes on to ask “who shall blame him?” Furthermore, the poem speaks to the simply liberties and freedoms that are now denied to the slave because of slavery. Things like friendship and love will never be able to be carried out by the slave how they were before being enslaved and that their homeland will forever be separated from them. All of these things forcefully traded for a life of slavery for someone else’s benefit. Southey is troubled, disappointed, and even enraged by the acts of slave traders. This poem explains Southey’s thinking that slaves would have had to feel the need for revenge against their “tyrant lords” to the point that their religion would have waivered. The Line “No more on heaven he calls with fruitless breath” gives light to his thinking that after praying and praying and seeing no results to better the situation of slavery many slaves must have given up on it altogether. The series of sonnets encompass a range of thoughts, emotions, feelings, and situations slaves went through and put a bit of Southey’s logic behind them.

Sonnet 165. I

This sonnet by Robert Southey is all about the gore and hardship of slavery. The author seems to be very outraged yet saddened by the topic of slavery. His word choice is very intense and angry but also heartfelt. He uses words such as “vulture”, “ravenous”, “slaughter”, “desolating”, “anguish”, “cold-hearted” and “hell-sprung”. These words are a mixture of pain, depression and rage. In line one and then again in line five the writer proclaims, “Hold your mad hands!” He could be speaking to the wicked slave owners who carelessly beat their slaves. The author could be offering a plea bargain in order to stop such acts in order to create abolition against slavery. The author is in disgust and appalled by such behavior and acts that are taken against other humans beings. In lines 3-6 he poses questions of disbelief, “For ever must your Niger’s tainted flood roll to the ravenous shark his banquet slain?...What demon prompts to rear the arm of slaughter?” He wants to know how long until it is over and also asks who would be so crazy to actually raise the one who kills all? Robert Southey poetically describes some of the horrors of slavery as he states, “And like desolating whirlwind’s sweep, plunge ye yon bark of anguish in the deep; for the pale fiend, cold-hearted Commerce there breathes his gold-gendered pestilence afar, and calls, to share the prey, his kindred demon War." He is speaking of how the slaves have been beaten and bruised all for a little gold. The owners have no mercy or shame they are demons.

Sonnet 165. I

This sonnet by Robert Southey is all about the gore and hardship of slavery. The author seems to be very outraged yet saddened by the topic of slavery. His word choice is very intense and angry but also heartfelt. He uses words such as “vulture”, “ravenous”, “slaughter”, “desolating”, “anguish”, “cold-hearted” and “hell-sprung”. These words are a mixture of pain, depression and rage. In line one and then again in line five the writer proclaims, “Hold your mad hands!” He could be speaking to the wicked slave owners who carelessly beat their slaves. The author could be offering a plea bargain in order to stop such acts in order to create abolition against slavery. The author is in disgust and appalled by such behavior and acts that are taken against other humans beings. In lines 3-6 he poses questions of disbelief, “For ever must your Niger’s tainted flood roll to the ravenous shark his banquet slain?...What demon prompts to rear the arm of slaughter?” He wants to know how long until it is over and also asks who would be so crazy to actually raise the one who kills all? Robert Southey poetically describes some of the horrors of slavery as he states, “And like desolating whirlwind’s sweep, plunge ye yon bark of anguish in the deep; for the pale fiend, cold-hearted Commerce there breathes his gold-gendered pestilence afar, and calls, to share the prey, his kindred demon War." He is speaking of how the slaves have been beaten and bruised all for a little gold. The owners have no mercy or shame they are demons.

Robert Southey's poems on slavery

British Poet Laureate Robert Southey passionately implores the inhumane slave trader to awaken to the harsh reality of their actions. In Southey's sonnet 3 from his poets on the slave trade we are made aware of the perspective he gained a citizen of Bristol a slave port in Great Britain. By way of radical literary analysis speaking to the cruelties and inhumanity of the slave trade, Southey explicates his awe over the actions of the slave trader. Clearly moved by the egalitarian principles of the French Revolution, which we glean from his relationship with Samuel Taylor Coleridge and their writings on revolutionary social change, and plans to set up a ‘Pantisocracy’ in New England, Southey does not hold back in describing his sense of empathy with the pain of his "sable brother." Not only does he empathize but he is indignant over the mistreatment he has witnessed. He relays his strong feeling through expressing disapproval of the trader's actions and empathy with the slave's condition.

He begins by narrating the present condition of the slave and speaks of his weariness and battered condition. Southey states, “Oh he is worn with toil,” and goes on to say "the big drops run down his dark cheek." It seems as though Southey intends to be very explicit in his effort to empathize with the slave. He uses the words dark and sable to make it clear he is not talking about a brother of his own race. He also speaks clearly and directly to the slave owner making reference to a "pale tyrant," "inhumane trader," "mangling scourge," and "rod." He presents us with a situation, a slave suffering at the hand of injustice under a literal and figurative scorching sun. He speaks of the sun as being "as pityless as proud Prosperity." His metaphors and personification aim to invoke images that call a revolution to action while simultaneously shaming the actions of those in power. He states, "Oh ye who at your ease Sip the blood-sweeten’d beverage!" He belittles any prosperity gained by the inhumane traders by insinuating the blood of their slaves taints their gain.