Whittier, John Greenleaf. "The Yankee Girl".

Summary and Analysis

An anti-slavery narrative poem. It may serve as a stimulus to the black slaves' self-confidence and racial pride.

The poor, but lovely Yankee girl Ellen sings in front of her cottage. A proud Southern planter comes to her cottage. He tells the humble girl to let the Northerners toil and leave with him to the South. He tempts her and invites her to a beautiful sunny land and to his house where she would be served by his servants.

Ellen looks at him with scorn in her eyes and refuses the treasure tinted by the blood of the slaves. She prefers the harsh northern weather and she would be sooner a fellow of the slaves in fetters rather than a free woman with him.