Phyllis Wheatley's poetry fits within the XVIII period. Her poetry included ideas and concepts from Christianity, classicism, and hierophantic solar worship. She was influenced by Homer , Virgil and the XVIII's poets: Alexander Pope and Milton. Besides, she wrote ellegies through her poetry; she reflected upon the dead, mainly. She also wrote about the sun because solar worship - hierophantic practice - was common in Africa and her parents were sun worshipers themselves. In fact ,autobiographical spiritual narratives were common in poets such as Wheatley.