Frederick Douglass Thesis

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Frederick Douglass by Robert Hayden is a poem meant to tribute Frederick Douglass. Frederick Douglass was a former slave that was granted freedom and used his experiences to stand up and help change the lives of others. The poems main them is freedom. As great as freedom might seem, it is said here to be both a good and bad thing. “When it is finally ours, this freedom, this liberty, this beautiful and terrible thing… (Hayden).” Freedom is beautiful because it is amazing to be free and able to live your life. On the other hand, it is terrible because the trip to freedom was a long and hard process that caused, and continues to cost, so much misery and pain. Freedom, true freedom, is elusive. “…when it belongs at last to all, when it is truly instinct, brain matter, diastole, systole, reflex action; when it is finally won; when it is more than the gaudy mumbo jumbo of politicians… (Hayden).” Many people, especially politicians, make empty promises that they have either no idea how to fulfill or don’t have any intention to fulfill. This quote suggests that freedom, when it is not just a dream some politician is selling, will be an amazing victory.
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