Poetry · Chapter
Words for the Hour explained
A stirring call to Northern men to remain vigilant and active in the fight against oppression, urging them to secure the victories of the past, abolish the auction block, establish common schools, and empower the Freedman with the ballot, a
What happens
A stirring call to Northern men to remain vigilant and active in the fight against oppression, urging them to secure the victories of the past, abolish the auction block, establish common schools, and empower the Freedman with the ballot, all in the name of justice and truth.
Themes in this chapter
Freedom and Liberation
The poem calls for banishing oppression and securing the Freedman's right to vote, symbolizing liberation.
Social Injustice and Class
References to the 'ruin'd auction-block' and 'labor's branded brow' highlight the injustices of slavery and class oppression.
Characters to notice
- The People
Addressed as 'Men of the North' and 'Northern men', called to rise up and fight for justice.
Key passages
“Men of the North! it is no time To quit the battle-field;”
Northern men, now is not the moment to abandon the struggle.
The opening lines urge continued effort in the fight for justice.
“To wipe from labor's branded brow The curse that shamed the land; And teach the Freedman how to wield The ballot in his hand.”
To remove the stigma of slavery from workers and educate the freed slave in using his right to vote.
Highlights the goals of ending the shame of slavery and ensuring political empowerment.