WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'general_settings' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('general_settings', 'General Settings', '', 'heading', '')

WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'ptthemes_alt_stylesheet' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('ptthemes_alt_stylesheet', 'Theme Skin', 'Select the CSS skin of your blog from here', 'select', '1-default,2-blue,3-green,4-red,5-bottlegreen')

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INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('ptthemes_favicon', 'Favicon', 'Paste the full URL for your favicon image from here if you wish to show it in browsers. <a href="http://www.favicon.cc/">Create one here</a>', 'upload', '')

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INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('ptthemes_logo_url', 'Custom Logo', 'Paste the full URL to your logo image here or choose the one from Browse', 'upload', '')

WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'ptthemes_show_blog_title' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('ptthemes_show_blog_title', 'Choose Blog Title over Logo', 'This option will overwrite your logo selection above - You can <a href="options-general.php">change your settings here</a>', 'radio', 'Yes,No')

WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'ptthemes_feedburner_url' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('ptthemes_feedburner_url', 'Syndication / Feed URL', 'Enter RSS URL (if you are using Feedburner, else leave this blank)', 'input', '')

WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'ptthemes_tweet_button' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('ptthemes_tweet_button', '"Tweet" button', 'Show "Tweet" button on post detail page', 'radio', 'Yes,No')

WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'ptthemes_facebook_button' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('ptthemes_facebook_button', '"Facebook Like" button', 'Show "Facebook Like" button on post detail page', 'radio', 'Yes,No')

WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'ptthemes_date_format' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('ptthemes_date_format', 'Date Format', 'Enter date format Ex. d/m/Y OR M j, Y', 'input', '')

WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'pttheme_contact_email' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('pttheme_contact_email', 'Contact Form Email', 'Enter your Email address for Contact Form', 'input', '')

WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'ptthemes_breadcrumbs' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('ptthemes_breadcrumbs', 'Breadcrumbs Navigation', 'Display Breadcrumbs navigation. i.e. Home > Blog > Title - <a href=options-general.php?page=yoast-breadcrumbs.php">Change options here</a>', 'radio', 'Yes,No')

WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'ptthemes_auto_install' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('ptthemes_auto_install', 'Disable Auto Install', 'Want to disable Auto Install ?', 'radio', 'Yes,No')

WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'ptthemes_postcontent_full' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('ptthemes_postcontent_full', 'Content Display', 'Instead of default Post excerpts display Full Post Content in Category Listing', 'radio', 'Full Content,Excerpt')

WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'ptthemes_content_excerpt_count' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('ptthemes_content_excerpt_count', 'Content Excerpt Word Count', 'Enter Content Excerpt Word Count.', 'input', '')

WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'ptthemes_content_excerpt_readmore' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('ptthemes_content_excerpt_readmore', 'Content Excerpt \"Read More\" Link Text', 'Enter Content Excerpt \"Read More\" Link Text', 'input', '')

WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'navigation_settings' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('navigation_settings', 'Navigation Settings', '', 'heading', '')

WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'ptthemes_top_pages_nav_enable' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('ptthemes_top_pages_nav_enable', 'Top Header Navigation Settings', 'Wish to activate Top Header Navigation?', 'radio', 'Activate,Deactivate')

WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'ptthemes_top_pages_nav' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('ptthemes_top_pages_nav', 'Top Header Navigation Pages', 'Select Pages which you wish to show in Top Navigation', 'pages', '')

WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'ptthemes_category_top_nav' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('ptthemes_category_top_nav', 'Top Header Navigation Article Category', 'Select Categories which you wish to show in Top Navigation', 'categories', '')

WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'ptthemes_main_pages_nav_enable' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('ptthemes_main_pages_nav_enable', 'Main Header Navigation Settings', 'Wish to activate Main Header Navigation?', 'radio', 'Activate,Deactivate')

WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'ptthemes_include_main_nav' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('ptthemes_include_main_nav', 'Main Navigation Pages', 'Select Pages which you wish to show in Main Navigation', 'pages', '')

WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'ptthemes_category_main_nav' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('ptthemes_category_main_nav', 'Main Navigation Article Category', 'Select Categories which you wish to show in Main Navigation', 'categories', '')

WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'ptthemes_top_home_links' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('ptthemes_top_home_links', 'Top Navigation Home Links', 'Display home link in top navigation', 'radio', 'Yes,No')

WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'ptthemes_main_nav_home_links' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('ptthemes_main_nav_home_links', 'Main Navigation Home Links', 'Display home link in main navigation', 'radio', 'Yes,No')

WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'header_footer_scripts' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('header_footer_scripts', 'Add Scripts', '', 'heading', '')

WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'ptthemes_scripts_header' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('ptthemes_scripts_header', 'Header Scripts', 'If you need to add scripts to your header (like <a href="http://haveamint.com/">Mint</a> tracking code), do so here.', 'textarea', '10')

WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'ptthemes_scripts_footer' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('ptthemes_scripts_footer', 'Footer Scripts', 'If you need to add scripts to your footer (like <a href="http://www.google.com/analytics/">Google Analytics</a> tracking code), do so here.', 'textarea', '10')

WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'seo_options' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('seo_options', 'SEO Options', '', 'heading', '')

WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'ptthemes_home_title_seo' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('ptthemes_home_title_seo', 'Home Title', 'Home Title for SEO', 'textarea', '3')

WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'ptthemes_home_desc_seo' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('ptthemes_home_desc_seo', 'Home Description', 'Home description for SEO', 'textarea', '10')

WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'ptthemes_home_keyword_seo' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('ptthemes_home_keyword_seo', 'Home Keywords', 'Home keywords for SEO (comma separated)', 'textarea', '10')

WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'ptthemes_category_noindex' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('ptthemes_category_noindex', 'Use noindex for Categories', 'Check this box for excluding category pages from being crawled', 'radio', 'Yes,No')

WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'ptthemes_archives_noindex' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('ptthemes_archives_noindex', 'Use noindex for Archives', 'Do you want to index Archives ? This helps in removing duplicate content from being indexed', 'radio', 'Yes,No')

WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'ptthemes_tag_archives_noindex' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('ptthemes_tag_archives_noindex', 'Use noindex for Tag Archives', 'Do you want to index Tags ? This helps in removing duplicate content from being indexed', 'radio', 'Yes,No')

WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'pttheme_seo_hide_fields' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('pttheme_seo_hide_fields', 'Hide SEO Custom Fields', 'Check this to hide the custom SEO fields created in post and page screens', 'radio', 'Yes,No')

WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'ptthemes_use_third_party_data' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('ptthemes_use_third_party_data', 'Use Third Party SEO Plugin', 'Data added to custom fields in post & pages will be used where applicable', 'radio', 'Yes,No')

WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'ptthemes_notification_type' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('ptthemes_notification_type', 'Email Notifications Type', 'select Email Notifications options', 'radio', 'PHP Mail, WP SMTP Mail')

WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'post_settings' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('post_settings', 'Posts', '', 'heading', '')

WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'ptthemes_home_page' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('ptthemes_home_page', 'Home Page', 'Enter Number of post in home page', 'input', '')

WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'ptthemes_cat_page' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('ptthemes_cat_page', 'Archive Page', 'Enter Number of post in Archive Page', 'input', '')

WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'ptthemes_search_page' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('ptthemes_search_page', 'Search Page', 'Enter Number of post in search page', 'input', '')

WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'ptthemes_listing_date' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('ptthemes_listing_date', 'Listing Post Date', 'Display post date in listing pages', 'select', 'Yes,No')

WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'ptthemes_listing_tags' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('ptthemes_listing_tags', 'Listing Post Tags', 'Display post tags in listing pages', 'select', 'Yes,No')

WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'ptthemes_listing_category' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('ptthemes_listing_category', 'Listing Post Category', 'Display post category in listing pages', 'select', 'Yes,No')

WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'ptthemes_listing_comment' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('ptthemes_listing_comment', 'Listing Post Comment', 'Display post comment in listing pages', 'select', 'Yes,No')

WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'ptthemes_listing_author' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('ptthemes_listing_author', 'Listing Post Author', 'Display post author in listing pages', 'select', 'Yes,No')

WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'ptthemes_details_date' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('ptthemes_details_date', 'Detail Post Date', 'Display post date in detail page', 'select', 'Yes,No')

WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'ptthemes_details_tags' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('ptthemes_details_tags', 'Detail Post Tags', 'Display post tags in detail pages', 'select', 'Yes,No')

WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'ptthemes_details_category' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('ptthemes_details_category', 'Detail Post Category', 'Display post category in detail pages', 'select', 'Yes,No')

WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'ptthemes_details_comment' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('ptthemes_details_comment', 'Detail Post Comment', 'Display post comment in detail pages', 'select', 'Yes,No')

WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'ptthemes_details_author' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('ptthemes_details_author', 'Detail Post Author', 'Display post author in detail pages', 'select', 'Yes,No')

WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'ptthemes_pagination' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('ptthemes_pagination', 'Pagination', '', 'radio', 'Default + WP Page-Navi support, AJAX-fetching posts')

WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'ptthemes_common_settings' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('ptthemes_common_settings', 'Style & Color Settings', '', 'heading', '')

WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'ptthemes_fonts' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('ptthemes_fonts', 'Fonts', 'Choose your site fonts', 'select', 'Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif, Arial, Arial Black, Trebuchet MS, Helvetica, sans-serif, Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif,')

WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'ptthemes_body_background_color' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('ptthemes_body_background_color', 'Body Background Color', 'Choose your site background color', 'colorpicker', '')

WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'ptthemes_body_background_image' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('ptthemes_body_background_image', 'Body Background Image', 'Upload background image from here', 'upload', '')

WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'ptthemes_body_bg_postions' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('ptthemes_body_bg_postions', 'Body Background Image Postions', 'Select body background image postion', 'select', 'no-repeat,repeat,repeat-x,repeat-y,repeat-y center top,repeat-y left top')

WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'ptthemes_link_color_normal' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('ptthemes_link_color_normal', 'Link Color Normal', 'Select link color normal', 'colorpicker', '')

WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'ptthemes_link_color_hover' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('ptthemes_link_color_hover', 'Link Color Hover', 'Select Hover link color', 'colorpicker', '')

WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'ptthemes_main_title_color' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('ptthemes_main_title_color', 'Main Title Color', 'Select main title color', 'colorpicker', '')

WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'ptthemes_customcss' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('ptthemes_customcss', 'Use Custom Stylesheet', 'If you want to make custom design changes using CSS enable this and <a href="theme-editor.php">edit custom.css file here</a>', 'radio', 'Activate, Deactivate')

WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'ptthemes_page_layouts' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('ptthemes_page_layouts', 'Page Layout', '', 'heading', '')

WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'ptthemes_page_layout' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('ptthemes_page_layout', 'Page Layout', 'Select page layout', 'select', 'Full Page, Page 2 column - Right Sidebar, Page 2 column - Left Sidebar, Page 3 column - Fixed, Page 3 column - Right Sidebar, Page 3 column - Left Sidebar')

WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'ptthemes_bottom_options' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('ptthemes_bottom_options', 'Select footer top', 'select bottom section options', 'select', 'Two Column - Right(one third), Two Column - Left(one third), Equal Column, Three Column, Fourth Column, Full Width')

WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'ptthemes_article_setting' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('ptthemes_article_setting', 'Article Settings', '', 'heading', '')

WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'ptthemes_articlelisting_expiry_disable' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('ptthemes_articlelisting_expiry_disable', 'Disable Article Expiry ', 'Wish to disable article expiry process? If you disable the option, none of article will expire in future.', 'radio', 'Yes, No')

WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'ptthemes_articlelisting_preexpiry_notice_disable' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('ptthemes_articlelisting_preexpiry_notice_disable', 'Disable Article Expiry Email Notification', 'Wish to disable article pre expiry notification to author? If you disable the option, pre expiry email notification will stop.', 'radio', 'Yes, No')

WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'ptthemes_articlelisting_preexpiry_notice_days' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('ptthemes_articlelisting_preexpiry_notice_days', 'Number of days Before Pre Expiry', 'Enter number of days before pre expiry notification Email will be sent.', 'select', '1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10')

WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'ptthemes_articlelisting_ex_status' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('ptthemes_articlelisting_ex_status', 'Article Expiry Status', 'Select the article status after the article expires..', 'select', 'draft, publish, trash')

WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'ptthemes_article_status' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('ptthemes_article_status', 'Article Status', 'Select the article status for the article submit..', 'select', 'draft, publish, trash')

WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'ptthemes_articlecategory_dislay' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('ptthemes_articlecategory_dislay', 'Add Article page Settings', 'Category display settings', 'select', 'checkbox, radio, select')

WordPress database error: [Duplicate entry 'ptthemes_addarticle_captcha' for key 'item_id']
INSERT INTO `wp_option_tree` (`item_id`, `item_title`, `item_desc`, `item_type`, `item_options`) VALUES ('ptthemes_addarticle_captcha', 'Captcha', 'Captcha Validation on Add Article Page', 'radio', 'Yes, No')

American Poetry – Article Myriad //www.articlemyriad.com Insightful commentary on literature, history, the arts and more Thu, 10 May 2018 20:14:59 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.13 The Quest for Identity in American Poetry //www.articlemyriad.com/quest-identity-american-poetry/ Tue, 17 Jan 2012 10:24:17 +0000 //www.articlemyriad.com/?p=5186 The issue of identity in American culture has, since the first pieces composed in the New World, been a consistent trope of fiction, non-fiction, and poetry alike. America’s position throughout history as a burgeoning and constantly-developing country is naturally reflected by the artistic endeavors of its citizens and by examining works of different authors who represent disparate periods, a unified understanding of the quest for American identity can be understood.

By examining the poetry of Phillis Wheatley, Emily Dickinson, and Langston Hughes, three revered authors from three very different periods of American history, the consistent search for and interpretation of the very meaning of identity in America becomes evident, along with the deviating factors in the ever elusive struggle for the sense of self. All three of these American poets suffered from a degree of displacement in American society as it existed during the time they were writing and this struggle for identity functions not only a personal, but a national scale.

Phyllis Wheatley straddled the border between two cultures and two drastically different sources of identity; one that was indigenous and another that was forced and sought to eradicate any trace of personal identity. Born in 1753 in Africa, Wheatley was sold into slavery and brought to Boston at age eight to serve a white family. Although still a slave, Phyllis Wheatley’s intellect and inquisitive manner, coupled with the fact that she did not suffer quite the same drastic fate in terms of her slaveholding family, she was given a privilege that few white free females of her age were given—an education. She began writing poetry, and was published at age twenty in London. This was certainly a unique circumstance for a young black girl in America at the time and this tension between her two identities is a main issue in her poems. From the depths of slavery into the world of published authors, it is quite simple to see how Phyllis Wheatley would have been at odds with her identity, struggling to make sense of her place in the world.

In “On Being Brought from Africa to America”, Wheatley attributes her submission into slavery as an act of mercy by God. It is clear to her that without becoming a slave and making the awful journey across the Atlantic, she would never have been exposed to Christianity, and instead would have spent her days whiling away in her “pagan land” (line 1). However, despite her gratitude for her introduction to Christianity, she warns her detractors that although she is of the race of Cain, even her people can be saved and purified through Christ. It seems that although Wheatley is very glad to have lived through the circumstances that brought her to America, there are clearly certain citizens who believe that she should have remained in her place, both as a slave and a pagan. This clear tension between feeling grateful for being exposed to Christianity, especially when juxtaposed with her horrifying experience of being taken from her native land on a dangerous journey presents the modern reader with several disparate notions of identity, not to mention larger and more complex questions about the nature of slavery itself. While Wheatley finds an identity through Christianity, it should not be forgotten that her original identity, even while it may seem to come from a “pagan” land still exists and creates layers of subtle meaning for readers, not to mention a great deal of speculation.

Much of the speculation about the mixed nature of Wheatley’s identity is made more complex in another of her works in which race is an issue but not one that is direct. In “To S.M., A Young African Painter, on Seeing His Works”, she never mentions his race, or the fact that he is a young servant, much like herself. Instead, she focuses fully on his ability as a painter, pointing out the fact that he had the ability to conjure such incredibly lifelike figures from thin air. Wheatley tells him to “Conduct thy footsteps to immortal fame!” (line 12), and one cannot help but think that Wheatley is so encouraging because she wishes to disprove everyone who considers those lesser than themselves to be worthless. Through this piece, Wheatley is covertly making identity an issue of personal talents and skills rather than one that is based on one’s native land or social status in America. This hopeful ideal as expressed by a servant speaks volumes about the nature of American identity at this time because it conveys the spirit that through dedication, one can achieve anything. With this in mind, it is equally important to understand that this is a new concept of identity and interestingly, it is coming from a writer who was surrounded by the suppression of all forms of identity.

Even with her relative success, due to her status as a former slave and black woman, Phyllis Wheatley was still living on the margins of American society and it is this displacement that forms the backbone of her poetry. Interestingly, another female poet, Emily Dickinson also lived outside of mainstream American society, although by choice rather than force. Like Phyllis Wheatley, education and creative expression were the sources of identity but in Dickinson’s case, f it were not for her neighbor, Mabel Todd, whom she corresponded with via mail for quite some time, Dickinson would probably have died completely friendless, her poetry lost forever. Unlike Wheatley, Dickinson wrote for herself, and did not want her works to be published. This is important because her poems are marked by an intense honesty, especially for her time period, and her quest for identity in a world that she did not feel a part of it is mercilessly painted for the reader.

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