Question

Which lines in this excerpt from the poem "A Political Reverie" by Mary Otis Warren imply that America was an oppressed and exploited nation?

No despot here shall rule with awful sway
Nor orphan's spoils become the minion's prey;
No more the widow'd bleeding bosom mourns,
Nor injur'd cities weep their slaughter'd sons;
For then each tyrant, by the hand of fate,
And standing troops, the bane of every state,
Forever spurn'd, shall be remov'd as far
As bright Hesperus from the polar star;
Freedom and virtue shall united reign,
And stretch their empire o'er the wide domain.
On a broad base the commonwealth shall stand,
When lawless power withdraws its impious hand;
When crowns and sceptres are grown useless things,
Nor petty pretors plunder here for kings

Answer 1

1) Nor orphan's spoils become the minion's prey;

2) Nor injur'd cities weep their slaughter'd sons;

3) And standing troops, the bane of every state,

Forever spurn'd, shall be remov'd as far

4) Nor petty pretors plunder here for kings

Answer 2

On a broad base the commonwealth shall stand,

When lawless power withdraws its impious hand;

When crowns and sceptres are grown useless things,

Nor petty pretors plunder here for kings.

The first part of the text promises a perfect political world, where there is very little suffering, tyrants cannot gain the power to rule and citizens are not killed during battles. However, the last stanza tells us that this is only a dream the author has, that can only happen once the abuse of power and the plunder stops. This section implies that the United States is an oppressed and exploited nation, but gives us hope for its improvement.