Question

Why does the speaker of "The Fugitive Slave" commit infanticide?

a) To protect the child from slavery
b) To punish the child for a perceived wrongdoing
c) To assert power over the child
d) The poem does not provide a clear reason

Answer 1

The speaker of "The Fugitive Slave" commits infanticide to assert power and protect the child from slavery.

Step-by-step explanation:

The speaker of "The Fugitive Slave" commits infanticide to assert power over the child. In the poem, the speaker, who is a fugitive slave, kills the child to prevent them from experiencing slavery and its associated hardships.

This act can be seen as a desperate attempt to protect the child from a life of slavery, as enslavement was a brutal experience during that time. By committing infanticide, the speaker takes control over the child's fate and prevents them from being subjected to the cruelty and oppression of slavery.