1. Introduction
The subject for this term paper is James Grainger’s approach to use the means of georgic poetry to justify the slave system in the 18th century. The primary object of my study is Grainger's poem The Sugar Cane, which was written in “West-Indian georgic” style. First of all I will give a short explanation of georgic poems and their history. Then I will turn to Charles Woodmason, who emigrated to South Carolina and was responsible for many georgic poems in the New World giving the farmers extensive agricultural advices. Exemplified by Woodmason`s Indico I will point out the typical characteristics of a georgic poem. Next I will focus on James Grainger and his poem The Sugar Cane. He lived and worked on the Caribbean islands as a doctor and provided medical care for the slaves. He wrote down his experiences in the poem and gave detailed information for his readers in Britain and Europe about the West Indies. Furthermore I will explore the significance of sugar for empire building and the poetics of empire. In addition I will thoroughly analyze The Sugar Cane since responses to Grainger's poem in the eighteenth century were quite contradictory. On the one hand he justified slavery and the plantation system and on the other hand he condemned the colonial project and slavery. I will show some passages from the poem as examples for the thesis of justification of slavery and the antithesis of criticism of slavery. Finally I will try to work out and present ways on how he overcomes the contradiction between empire and freedom. At at the end I will give a short summary and some concluding thoughts.
2. Georgic poems
According to The New Princeton Encyclopaedia of Poetry and Poetics (1993) a georgic poem is a “didactic poem primarily intended to give directions concerning some skill, art, or science, such as practical aspects of agriculture and rural affairs. It also celebrates the virtues of hard work and cultivation.” The model for such verse in postclassical literature was Virgil’s Georgica written between 37 and 29 BC. Virgil was born to a farming family, and his poem gives specific instructions to Italian farmers along with a passionate message to care for the land and for the animals and crops that it sustains (cf. http://classics.mit.edu/Virgil/ georgics.html). The word georgics stems from the Latin word georgicus and means agricultural (cf. http://aolsvc.merriam-webster.aol.com/dictionary /georgics).
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Georgic poems
- Charles Woodmason's poem Indico as an example of georgic poetry
- James Grainger's poem The Sugar Cane
- Information about the poem The Sugar Cane
- Reception after the publication of The Sugar Cane
- The poem as an approach to justify slavery
- The cultural politics of sugar
- The poetics of empire
- A Thesis: Justifying slavery to the British Nation
- Antithesis: The Sugar Cane incriminates slavery and the colonial project
- Synthesis: Ways to overcome the contradiction between empire and freedom
- Summary and concluding thoughts
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This term paper examines James Grainger's use of georgic poetry to address the 18th-century slave system. The primary focus is Grainger's poem, The Sugar Cane, analyzing its contradictory stances on slavery and the colonial project. The paper begins by defining georgic poetry and using Charles Woodmason's Indico as an example before delving into Grainger's work and its historical context.
- The characteristics and historical context of georgic poetry.
- An analysis of The Sugar Cane and its use of georgic conventions.
- The role of sugar in 18th-century empire building.
- Grainger's contradictory portrayal of slavery: justification and condemnation.
- The resolution of the apparent contradictions within Grainger's poem.
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
Introduction: This introductory chapter sets the stage for the paper by defining its subject: an examination of James Grainger's The Sugar Cane and its use of georgic poetry to address the complexities of the 18th-century slave system in the West Indies. It outlines the paper's structure, promising an exploration of georgic poetry, a detailed analysis of Grainger's poem, and an investigation into its contradictory perspectives on slavery and the colonial enterprise. The chapter briefly introduces Charles Woodmason's Indico as a comparative example of georgic poetry in the New World.
Georgic poems: This chapter provides a definition of georgic poetry, drawing upon established sources such as The New Princeton Encyclopaedia of Poetry and Poetics. It establishes Virgil's Georgics as the foundational text for the genre, highlighting its didactic purpose and celebration of agricultural labor. The chapter emphasizes the poem's instructional aspect alongside its broader themes of land stewardship and the virtues of hard work. The discussion lays the groundwork for understanding the genre's conventions and their application in Grainger's work.
James Grainger's poem The Sugar Cane: This chapter provides background information about Grainger's The Sugar Cane, detailing its structure (four books, approximately 2500 lines), and its extensive footnotes. It emphasizes the poem's combination of detailed descriptions of Caribbean flora, fauna, and colonial life with the classical structure of georgic verse. The chapter highlights Grainger’s use of his own medical experiences and research in the Caribbean to inform the poem's content, establishing him as a learned colonial figure who possesses unique insights into the region.
The poem as an approach to justify slavery: This chapter delves into the central argument of the paper, exploring the conflicting perspectives on slavery presented in The Sugar Cane. It presents Grainger’s poem as simultaneously justifying the existing slave system and critiquing the colonial project. This apparent contradiction is explored through detailed analysis of specific passages from the poem, highlighting examples where Grainger offers both arguments for and against slavery. The chapter sets the stage for examining how Grainger attempts to reconcile these conflicting perspectives.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
Georgic poetry, James Grainger, The Sugar Cane, slavery, colonialism, West Indies, 18th-century literature, empire, neoclassicism, didactic poetry, cultural politics, plantation system.
Frequently Asked Questions: Analysis of James Grainger's *The Sugar Cane*
What is the main topic of this academic paper?
This paper analyzes James Grainger's poem, The Sugar Cane, focusing on its use of georgic poetry to address the complexities of the 18th-century slave system in the West Indies. It examines the poem's contradictory stances on slavery and the colonial project, exploring how Grainger attempts to reconcile these conflicting perspectives.
What is georgic poetry, and how is it relevant to this analysis?
Georgic poetry is a genre characterized by its didactic purpose and celebration of agricultural labor, with Virgil's Georgics serving as the foundational text. The paper uses the conventions of georgic poetry as a framework to understand Grainger's approach to depicting slavery and the colonial enterprise in The Sugar Cane. Charles Woodmason's Indico is used as a comparative example of georgic poetry in the New World.
What is the historical context of *The Sugar Cane*?
The Sugar Cane was written in the 18th century, a period marked by significant expansion of the British Empire and the brutal realities of the transatlantic slave trade. The poem reflects the cultural and political climate of this era, engaging with the complexities of sugar production, colonial power, and the institution of slavery.
How does Grainger portray slavery in *The Sugar Cane*?
Grainger's portrayal of slavery in The Sugar Cane is complex and contradictory. The poem simultaneously attempts to justify the existing slave system and critiques the colonial project. The analysis delves into specific passages to highlight instances where Grainger offers both arguments for and against slavery.
What are the key themes explored in the paper?
Key themes include the characteristics and historical context of georgic poetry, an analysis of The Sugar Cane's use of georgic conventions, the role of sugar in 18th-century empire building, Grainger's contradictory portrayal of slavery, and the resolution of the apparent contradictions within Grainger's poem. The cultural politics of sugar and the poetics of empire are also central themes.
What is the structure of the paper?
The paper is structured into several chapters: an introduction, a chapter on georgic poetry (including an examination of Indico), a chapter on The Sugar Cane and its historical context, a chapter analyzing the poem's contradictory stances on slavery, and a concluding summary. The paper also includes a table of contents, objectives and key themes, chapter summaries, and keywords.
What are the key findings or arguments of the paper?
The paper argues that The Sugar Cane presents a complex and ultimately unresolved tension between the justification and condemnation of slavery. By analyzing Grainger's use of georgic conventions and his engagement with the cultural politics of sugar, the paper sheds light on the conflicting ideologies surrounding slavery in 18th-century British colonialism.
What are the keywords associated with this analysis?
Keywords include: Georgic poetry, James Grainger, The Sugar Cane, slavery, colonialism, West Indies, 18th-century literature, empire, neoclassicism, didactic poetry, cultural politics, plantation system.
- Quote paper
- Nicholas Haase (Author), 2008, Justifying the slave system, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/126646
