Analyzing the Title and Symbolism of Maya Angelou's 'Still I Rise', Study notes of History

Download Analyzing the Title and Symbolism of Maya Angelou's 'Still I Rise' and more Study notes History in PDF only on Docsity! Introduction: The poem ‘Still I Rise’ written by Maya Angelou fixates upon the oppression and the persecution of the society directed towards the African American – especially woman – in her time. This poem strongly elucidates – while obliterating the social inferiority of the African American – that no matter what the constitution or the level of injustice, there will always be those who will ‘rise’ up from these tyrannies and evolve and change the nature and course of the society for the better; something which Maya Angelou achieved in her lifetime. Maya Angelou was a historian, a songwriter, a novelist, a playwright, etc. She has written extensively and all her works are critically acclaimed and widely renowned and acknowledged. In this article I will try to conduct a thorough and concised analysis of her poem: ‘Still I Rise’. This article will first enumerate the literary devices corresponded with the poem and then expound upon the analysis and its format conducted by the author. Still I Rise BY MAYA ANGELOU You may write me down in history With your bitter, twisted lies, You may trod me in the very dirt But still, like dust, I'll rise. Does my sassiness upset you? Why are you beset with gloom? ’Cause I walk like I've got oil wells Pumping in my living room. Just like moons and like suns, With the certainty of tides, Just like hopes springing high, Still I'll rise. Did you want to see me broken? Bowed head and lowered eyes? Shoulders falling down like teardrops, Weakened by my soulful cries? Does my haughtiness offend you? Don't you take it awful hard ’Cause I laugh like I've got gold mines Diggin’ in my own backyard. You may shoot me with your words, You may cut me with your eyes, You may kill me with your hatefulness, But still, like air, I’ll rise. Does my sexiness upset you? Does it come as a surprise That I dance like I've got diamonds At the meeting of my thighs? Commented [Up1]: First person pronoun. Choice of words: ‘bitter’, ‘twisted’ shows the poet’s timidity and uncaring attitude of what people think of her. Commented [Up2]: Use of similie. Commented [Up3]: Use of rhetorical question. Intended to mock the society and its people. Commented [Up4]: Use of metaphor. Intended to boast about the poet’s success and rub it into the faces of those who disapprove. Commented [Up5]: Use of similie. Commented [Up6]: Use of similie. Commented [Up7]: Use of repetition. Suggests the constant drilling into those who disapprove that no matter their persecutions the poet will still rise to do what she wants. Commented [Up8]: Use of rhetorical question with a tone of sarcasm. Suggests the true intentions of the society and what they expect from the poet to oblige to. Commented [Up9]: Use of sarcasm. Intended to offend and mock. Commented [Up10]: Use of metaphor. Like before, intended to taunt the society and boast about her success. This also shows that the members of the society didn’t like it for the poet to succeed. Commented [Up11]: The entire paragraph is written very boldly with strong use of words. ‘Still I’ll rise’, suggests that no matter what happens the poet will not abandon her hopes and objectives. In the sixth stanza when the poet states: “shoot…words”, “cut…eyes”, “kill…hatefulness”, the readers are fully capable of comprehending the fact that the persecutions still haven’t ended. They are ongoing, infact they are inflicted upon the victims in every manner: “words, cuts, and hatefulness”. This choice of words and use of tone intensifies the effect of the poem and adds a different layer to it; giving it more emotion and integrity. Section 2-‘I’: The entire poem is composed in first person narrative. The letter ‘I’ in the title informs the readers about the ensuing format of the poem. Maya Angelou uses the first person narrative to her advantage in a very skillful manner in order to boast about her success “oil wells…”, to rebuke the society and their unjust customs “want to see me broken” and finally informing the world that no matter the persecutions and sexist discrimination “still I’ll rise”. Moreover, through this format, the readers are able to notice the poet’s tone of sarcasm – “don’t you take it awful hard” – In a much better way while also noticing the poet’s strong and tedious tone in the fourth, fifth and the sixth stanza. This helps the readers to deduce that maybe Maya Angelou’s problems with the society and its people ran deeper than it appeared on the outside. Furthermore, the poet’s consummate use of first person narrative is most effective towards the end of the poem when she compares herself to a “black ocean” stating that she “bear’s” the “tides”. In the previous stanza, the poet similarly compares herself to the “moons” and “the suns” and mentions the “certainty” of their “tide”. These two stanzas and comparison’s, when juxtaposed together, could possibly allude towards the same meaning: “the tides” referring to the disputes, obstacles and tyrannical oppression of the society. The “black ocean” and the “moons” and “the suns” referring towards the poet’s constant adherence and resilience; as the cycle of the sun and the moon rotates in an on-going perpetuity; similarly, the “ocean”, no matter the raging tides, still flows whilst adhering to the magnitude of the tides formulating within it. Through this, the readers are able to comprehend and perceive the layers of symbolism and allegories endowed within the poem by the poet for the readers and the world to discern. Section 3-‘Rise’: The third word in the title of the poem is perhaps the most influential and critical in accordance to the poem and the message which it is striving to convey. The definition of ‘rise’ in the English Language is: “An upward movement; an instance of rising”. Throughout the poem the readers witness the various patterns in which the poet urges those who are stifled within the shackles of oppression to ‘rise’ and take action. As an example, the poet ridicules the society and their customs – as discussed above – and rubs her success into their faces. Hence, she rises from within the persecution and the harassment and urges others to do so too. Towards the beginning, the poet enumerates the society’s oppression and then, in the likes of a fatal incursion, she defiantly states that: “like dust, I’ll rise”, “like air, I’ll rise”. Amongst those various reasons of comparing herself to “dust”, one could be the fact that dust consists of small particles, yet it is fully capable of causing harm, for example blinding someone’s vision. Likewise, by comparing herself to “dust”, one could suggest and allude that she was infact warning the members of the society; warning them not to think of her as a child; warning them not to think of her as dirt because “like dust” she may be small but she is fully capable of causing them – and anyone else with such intentions – harm; something which is clearly evident and portrayed in the fifth and the sixth stanza of the poem, while also relevant throughout. Moreover, ‘rise’ generally refers to an action. For example, a man was sitting down and then he ‘rose’ up. Which forces the readers to ponder, from where or what does the poet talk about rising from? The answer to this particular question can be obtained from the last few stanzas of the poem: “History’s shame…”, “Past that’s rooted in pain…”, “Nights of fear…” and “daybreak…wondrously clear”. The poet talks about rising from within these oppressive and smothering situations towards a better and brighter future that is “wondrously clear”. Her final repetition of the sentence “I rise” three times explains the whirlwind of emotions blowing inside of her and her dream of being treated as equal and with just.