Essay on Runaway Slave's Journey: Elizabeth Barrett Browning's Abolitionist Poem

The "Runaway Slave at Pilgrim's Point" by Elizabeth Barrett Browning is a monologue that is spoken through the voice of a woman slave escapee. Browning is slave abolitionist and therefore provides a narration on some of the experiences and encounter with slavery. In the poem, she also expresses her view about the oppressive system that many people including women undergo. In the poem, Browning embraces a tremendous deviation from the traditional values of motherhood to establish a broad narration where the narrator kills her child. The child in this case is a product of an oppressive system. Throughout the poem, the narrator recounts the details as well as the circumstances that forces the woman speaker in the poem to kill her child. A closer look at the poem would reveal how slavery had caused serious dehumanization and the narrator's maternal instincts, in addition to depriving her motherhood.

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In stanza XIX, the narrator's tone instills a huge feeling of unease and creepiness. A closer look at the stanza would reveal the presence of the flaws regarding the mother-child relationship that exist in this case. Firstly, the irregularity in the rhyme scheme carries a huge meaning. Undeniably, there is something unique regarding the narrator's relationship with her child. Ideally, it becomes difficult to explain the nature of this relationship. A focus on the baby's feet as well as the adjective little in line (128) is extremely generic and mostly used description of the mother to her child. However the next phase, "never grew, create a serious state of worry and hints that the child never got the opportunity to live. There is a semi-colon that is attached to the end of this phrase.

The Poetry Handbook views a semi-colon that is attached to the end of this phrase an immediate top and thus offers a way through which topics can be change from one to another. It is possible that the narrators is foreshadowing, but does not broaden on the brief premonition. In the stanza, the speakers mention that the baby beat with his head and feet, his little feet that never grew. He stuck them out and was meet. Undeniably, a big meaning is therefore revealed through this analysis, because it becomes apparent that the mother is the reason why her son was unable to see a new dawn. She literally murdered him (127-129). There are perforation of the consonance in these lines with the repetitions of sound "t". While it is evident that the phrase "never grew" is only contained in the two words, the speaker ensures that the phrase is not overemphasized over looked. Ideally, the meter enhances the production of a steady beat, which tremendously juxtaposes against the unevenness of the rhyme scheme. An ominous mood is achieved in this case trough the line, He struck them out (129). The speaker further utilizes the statement, like a mother-which is accompanied by a dash and a line break. In the same stanza, the reader is able to see about a huge combination of the punctuation mark. Thus, the specific lineation display her inability to complete her thought. The narrator is thus preoccupied at this point with the word "mother" and thus compelled to take some time to regain her speech.

There is another meaning that is presented in the stanza XX and thus able to change the perspective of the entire reader about the speakers' words. In this stanza, the audience are able to observe an occurrence that makes the speaker lose control. The moment the woman pulls the kerchief case, the moves the blanket covering the little child. They are able to gaze at one another (139) for the first time in the narration. The colon used after the word 'close' (134) provides a deep representation of the second heaviest stop because it serves to connect the line with importance. It is thus of great value it offers a warning signal to the reading audience. The woman is able to see the face of the baby upon moving the kerchief. The verb changes in the preceding line as well as the forward transition from the current to present further generates deeper meaning in relation to the relationship between the mother and the child, as well as the ultimate thing that happens to the child. She reminds herself of both the first and the present as she goes through a tangent and subjected to distraction. This is based on the fact that her mind is made to wander and revolve around the conditions that surrounds her baby. The readers are again warned about this tragic fate of the baby at this level. The curt question, 'where?' (137) constitutes to a delineation of her story. However, the story is poignant and comprehensively captures the attention of the reader. Interestingly, there is a dash before this questions and carries a huge meaning. Notably, it indicates a temporary distraction that occurs when the speaker proceeds to recount the details to unguardedly voicing her interests or concerns by asking questions.

In the same stanza, the narrator snaps back into the reality of whatever she is undergoing and this is shown by the use of the exclamation marks and thus returns to her monologue in the past tense. The line break that exists between the phrase, child and the mother provides an exposition of the reality that took place between the two. The fundamental connection between a child and mother constitutes t their mutual gaze. This implies that the compunction felt by the narrator when looking at her baby is disquieting. This is the pivotal point that reveals divergence of the relationship between a child and the mother from the Victorian familial relationship. It is thus critical to note that the line break, 'a child and mother' provides the magnification of the contrast that exists between the speaker and her son. The words black and fair are stressed in the meter of the last line. Ideally, this is a big statement that provides an exposition of the whole issue of conflicts that existed between the masters and their slaves. The lines also exposes the audience to some of the injustices and harsh treatment that the black people and their families were subjected to. This is further evident in the monologue where throughout the poem, the speaker occasionally shouts, 'I am black, I am black'. Ideally, this could be undeniably a huge expression for contempt for the reasons for her mistreatment. She even goes ahead to answer provide reasons why her counterparts had good life, yet the members of the African Americans could not enjoy their freedom as established by the constitution of the United States.

While it is evident that the blacks have been subjected to these kind of mistreatment, many have conquered the opposition and oppressive rules by the white majority. This is evident by the statement, "But once, I laughed in girlish glee, for one of my colour stood in the track". It shows that African Americas were extremely happy with their lives despite such encounters. This joyful state however comes to an end in stanza XXII. Here, the speaker recounts the death of her baby with fright. Here, she provides the description of the events that led to the death.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is evident that Runaway Slave at Pilgrim's Point offers a tremendous exposition of the some of the experiences and encounter with slavery. In reality, the narrative in this case is a huge exposition of the deviation from the traditional values of motherhood with an aim of establishing a broad narration where the narrator kills her child. The child in this case is a product of an oppressive system. The effective use of the writing element and styles helps the audience understand the reality of whatever the speaker is undergoing. For instance, it is demonstrated shown by the use of the exclamation marks and thus returns to her monologue in the past tense. The line break that exists between the phrase, child and the mother. Finally, the use of various words with deeper meaning further increases the understanding of the audience about the ultimate fate of the baby. This meaning is therefore revealed through this analysis, because it becomes apparent that the mother is the reason why her son was unable to see a new dawn.