Answer:
1. the whole world wept, she spoke to consciences that long had slept
2. Around two peoples swelled a fiery wave,
Here, Dunbar reveals that although Stowe’s novel initially caused chaos and uprising, eventually, the result was freedom and enlightenment. This is why he claims that both groups of people were eventually “transfigured from the flame”.
Both the use of the word “transfigure” as well as the idea of refining fire, are biblical concepts that tie into Dunbar’s later comparison of Stowe to a priestess or prophetess. In many biblical stories, priests and especially prophets proclaimed what the Israelite did not want to hear. Eventually, the truth of their proclamations was seen, but initially, they caused uprisings and chaos. This is a fair comparison. Stowe spoke the truth and immediately, people panicked because it threatened their way of life. Eventually, though they came out of the chaos and were better for it.
