On Friendship

Fiction | Poem | Adult | Published in 1769

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Summary

Background

Poem Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Literary Devices

Form and Meter

“On Friendship” is a one-stanza lyric with eight lines that follow the form of iambic pentameter with rhyming couplets, known as the heroic couplet. This appears immediately in the first two lines: “Let amicitia in her ample reign / Extend her notes to a Celestial strain” (Lines 1-2, emphasis added). While the words “reign” and “strain” are spelled differently, they have the same vowel sound, “ay,” allowing them to fit into a precise rhyme scheme.

When looking at the pattern of paired syllables, five exist in each line, usually totaling 10 syllables per line for the pentameter form. Regarding the unstressed/stressed pairings that make up an iamb, these lines generally follow the form. Many of the rhyming couples are closed in this poem, but enjambment does appear, as at the end between “steer” and “The Footsteps” (Lines 7-8), with the speaker’s thought continuing from Line 7 to Line 8.

In using the heroic couplet, Phillis Wheatley employs one of the most prized literary forms of her time (See: Background). Adopting this form in her own verse reflects both her literary ambitions and reflects the grandeur of her lyrics’ subject matter, as she wishes to stress the divine and powerful nature of friendship throughout.

Personification

“On Friendship” immediately sets up the personification of “amicitia,” or friendship, as a figure of royalty, notably a queen. The first line uses the words “her” and “reign” to suggest this interpretation (Line 1). Friendship is also personified as divine, with far-reaching capabilities, as the words “ample” and “celestial” appear (Lines 1-2). The idea of a queen also ties in with the idea of divinity, given royalty’s historical association with godly attributes as rulers of a kingdom. These all-encompassing qualities embody the power that friendship has, with the attribute “benevolent” (Line 3) suggesting that it is a powerful force for good. The speaker is therefore not just enchanted with one particular friend, but with the very nature of friendship itself.

Alliteration & Assonance

Alliteration and assonance connect to the tone of Wheatley’s poem. The use of assonance, or repeating vowel sounds, appears in Line 1 of “On Friendship.” The words “amicitia” and “ample” have the short “a” sound that, in mirroring one another, create a sense of harmony (Line 1). The openness of the sound suggests the openness of the reign of friendship. Alliteration, the repetition of initial consonant or vowel sounds, appears in Line 3 with “benevolent” and “bright.” The use of alliteration, like assonance, suggests harmony, with the carefully measured and tidy pairings of words reflecting the sense of order and harmony of friendship itself.