Read the excerpt from "On Liberty and Slavery.”

How long have I in b0ndage lain,
And languished to be free!
Alas! and must I still complain—
Deprived of liberty.

Oh, Heaven! and is there no relief
This side the silent grave—
To soothe the pain—to quell the grief
And anguish of a slave?

Which universal theme is best shown in the excerpt?

A. the struggle for equality
B. the struggle for justice
C. the experience of oppression
D. the importance of hope