2.2: The Question of Poetry's Social Role
- Read this profile of John Greeleaf Whittier, the Poet Laureate of Reform. Think about it as you explore his poem next.
Read this poem, which describes a slave auction in New Orleans during which the auctioneer describes the woman on the stands as "a good Christian", alongside the other works in this subunit.
Read this poem alongside the other works in this subunit.
Read this poem alongside the other works in this subunit.
Read Poe's review of Longfellow's ballads and poems. One of Poe's key contributions to poetic criticism was the idea that poetry should have no ulterior motive. As a self-identified Southerner, he took particular exception to anti-slavery poetry, such as that written by the popular Longfellow.
Read this review of Longfellow's poems alongside the other works in this subunit.