Literary Analysis Essay on Runaway Slave at Pilgrim's Point

Introduction

The "Runaway Slave at Pilgrim's Point" by Elizabeth Barrett Browning is a monologue that is voiced through a female slave escapee. Browning is a slave abolitionist and therefore provides a narration on some of the experiences and encounters 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 substantial deviation from the traditional morals of being a mother to establish a broad recitation where the narrator takes away the life of her child. The child, in this case, is a result of an oppressive system. Throughout the poem, the narrator recounts the details as well as the circumstances that force 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 considerable feeling of anxiety and creepiness. A closer look at the stanza would reveal the presence of the flaws regarding the relationship that exists between the mother and the child, in this case. Firstly, the irregularity in the rhyme scheme carries a vast meaning (Lennard 121). Undeniably, something is distinctive regarding how the narrator relates to her child. Ideally, it becomes difficult to explain the description of this relationship.

In his article, Pearsall argues that "a major feature of a poetic genre is its assumption of the rhetorical efficacy" (Pearsall, 2000: 68). The speaker in the poem employs an excellent example of the rhetoric, which generates more meaning. A focus on the feet of the baby, as well as the description of their littleness inline (128), is an extremely generic and mostly used description of the mother to her child. Nevertheless, the phrase, "never grew, creates a severe 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 stop, and thus offers a way through which topics can be changed from one to another (p. 51). It is possible that the narrators are signaling, but do not broaden on the brief hunch. 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.

Pearsall recognizes the fact that Bowling is one of the women speakers who can create reactions and larger social transformation in the world outside the poem (p. 79). Undeniably, a significant 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 murdered him (127-129). There is 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 overlooked (Krista 45). Ideally, the meter enhances the production of a steady beat, which tremendously contrasts against the unevenness of the rhyme scheme.

Pearsall says that he has been arguing that the dramatic monologues seeks to dramatize, as well as cause, perfomative effects (p. 79). An ominous mood is achieved in this case, trough the line, He struck them out (129). The speaker further utilizes the statement, like a dash and a line break, accompany a mother-which. In the same stanza, the reader can see a massive blend of the punctuation mark. Thus, the specific lineation shows her incapacity to complete her thought. The narrator is thus preoccupied at this point with the word "mother" and therefore compelled to take some time to recover her speech. Another meaning 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 can observe a happening that makes the speaker lose control. The moment the woman pulls the kerchief case then moves the blanket to cover the little child.

They can gaze at one another (139) for the first time in the narration. The colon that follows the word 'close' (134) provides an in-depth representation of the second most massive stop because it serves to connect the line with importance. It is thus of great value it offers a sign of warning to the reading audience. The woman can 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 concerning the relationship between the mother and the child, as well as the last thing that happens to the child.

She reminds herself of both the first and the present as she goes through a digression and subjects to distraction. This is based on the fact that her mind is made to wander and revolve around the conditions that surround her baby. The readers are again warned about this tragic fate of the baby at this level. The question, 'where?' (137) constitutes a portrayal of her story. However, the story is touching, and comprehensively captures the attention of the reader. Interestingly, there is a dash before these questions and carries a vast meaning.

Notably, it indicates a temporary distraction that occurs when the speaker proceeds to recount the details to direct voicing her interests or concerns by asking questions. This is supported by Pearsall's statement that the majority of the dramatic monologists are not criminals or charlatans but only searchers of transformation, whether spiritual, personal, or professional (73). In the same stanza, the narrator gets back into the reality of whatever she is undergoing, and the use of the exclamation marks shows this and thus returns to her soliloquy 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 mother-child constitutes to their mutual stare.

This implies that the compunction felt by the narrator agitating when gazing at her baby. This is the pivotal point that reveals the divergence of the child-mother relationship 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. The wires also expose 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 tremendous expression for contempt for the reasons for her mistreatment. She even goes ahead to answer provide ideas on why her counterparts had a good life. Yet, the members of the African Americans could not enjoy their freedom as established by the constitution of the United States (Krista 47).

While it is evident that the blacks have been subjected to this 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 colors stood in the track." It shows that African Americas were pleased 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 describes the events that led to death.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Runaway Slave at Pilgrim's Point offers a tremendous exposition of some of the experiences and encounters with slavery. In reality, the narrative, in this case, is a massive exposition of the deviation from the traditional values of motherhood to establish a full 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 mother. Finally, the use of various words with more profound 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. By saying so, the speaker is vividly referring to the political dynasty of the time that would play a significant part in legalizing the idea of slavery in American society. However, she consequently ends with strong assertions that the success of all those who are struggling to end slavery in the United States are foreseeable. It acts as an assurance and hopes to his listeners, who believe in what he is saying.

Works Cited

Browning, Elizabeth Barrett. The Runaway Slave at Pilgrim's Point. Edward Moxon, Dover Street [ie Thomas J. Wise], 1888.

Johnson, Krista. "The Womanist Christology of Elizabeth Barrett Browning's "The Runaway Slave at Pilgrim's Point. " Wheaton Writing: A Journal of Academic Essays 2 (2017): 43-48.

Lennard, John. The poetry handbook. Oxford University Press, 2005.

Pearsall, Cornelia DJ. Dramatic Monologue. Oxford University Press, 2013.