In the poem “On Imagination,” Phillis Wheatley (n.d.) expresses her deep admiration for the “imperial queen” of human minds or, in other words, for people’s ability to fantasize. The author personifies Imagination to describe best the state of mind that people experience when they are dreaming. For instance, Fancy is introduced to the reader as something very powerful yet beautiful. The former quality is evident due to the creative mind’s ability to hold people in “soft captivity” (Wheatley, n.d., line 44). As for the latter, it is mentioned that Fancy has “cheeks all glowing with celestial dies” (Wheatley, n.d., line 12). Moreover, the poetess notes that Imagination can transfer people to places not available to the common mind.
The other character that Wheatley introduces is Winter which obviously does not like Fancy. I believe that the author uses this metaphor to show how people led by pure logic may act against those who like to be captivated by Imagination. However, the poetess argues that a pragmatic mind is unable to create something beautiful; rather, it is associated with the coldness and emptiness of the winter season. Therefore, in my opinion, the author not only expresses her admiration for the power of Imagination but also seeks to invite people to run away with their fantasies from time to time.
Reference
Wheatley, P. (n.d.).On Imagination. Poetry Foundation. Web.