Phillis Wheatley was one of the most renowned poets of the eighteenth century and her poetry's was as good as the best America poetry of her age. She was born in Gambia, Africa as a slave child and sold to John Wheatley in Boston on July 11, 1761. She was the first African-American to publish a book of imaginative writing and the first to start the African-American literary tradition. She combined religion and neo-classicism in her poems and most of her poems propose an escape from slavery. She rejoices death and the rewards and liberty of life after death.

Mary Wheatley, the daughter of the family, taught her Latin, religion, English and literature. Apparently brilliant and with an ability for learning, Phillis became fluent in English. She was able to read passages from the bible and also showed interest towards astronomy, geography, history, Latin and Greek classics and British literature...