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Phenomenal woman analysis mAYA ANGELOU
Maya angelou literary critique
Phenomenal woman analysis mAYA ANGELOU
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Maya Angelou is a very inspiring and courageous woman who says how she feels through her poems without coming off in a hateful manner, but rather a sophisticated and intelligent way. Her poems varies between subjects such as love, passion,racism and the way of life. However, in her poem “Phenomenal Woman” she speaks for all women around the world who doesn’t feel they fit in with today’s society. She uses vivid words so that the reader can capture the image of what she says and picture her story as they read along. Back then, it was all about about being the the “fashion model” size but Angelou knew that every girl was made differently and should not have any shame in that. When she says, “It’s in the reach of my arms, the span of my hips,
"Angelou, Maya (née Marguerite Annie Johnson)." Encyclopedia of African-american Writing. Amenia: Grey House Publishing, 2009. Credo Reference. Web. 12 March 2014.
In Maya Angelou’s poem “Phenomenal Woman”, audiences are drawn to the bold confidence and power of the female speaker. In this poem, Maya Angelou creates the image of a woman whose confidence is not hindered or threatened by imperfections and flaws. In many analyses of this work, audiences connect this poem to the expression of Maya Angelou’s individualism and self-love after having faced many personal struggles throughout her life. In a review found in the Virginia Quarterly Review, a critic states “Its theme [“Phenomenal Woman”]- the power and depth of women- echos her own personal history […]”. This theme of power is one that transcends this poem and is seen throughout many of Angelou’s works. Additionally, Angelou’s reflection on her own life through this poem is evident in the way in which she defines this power. Rather than emphasizing perfection and ideali...
This poem is Maya Angelou speaking to the audience as she explains the problems she has overcome such as; racism, sexism, bullying and other problems in her life that she has managed to move on from.This poem is set in a first person narrative, Angelou explains to the audience about the good and bad times within her life, presented in a graceful way. By the poem being set in first person narrative, this allows the audience to connect to the poet on a deeper level because the tone of the poem is more intense throughout, making it more real for the audience. This genre of poetry is lyric poetry, relating to Angelou’s feelings and thoughts throughout the poem, addressing the audience directly.
Maya Angelou lived through a time where she was discriminated against for not only her race but also her gender. In her poem “Still I Rise” Angelou sarcastically talks about how no matter what is thrown at her she will rise above it and she will do it with resilience and confidence. Her poem discusses racism and sexism and gives minorities and women a sense of hope to overcome and endure both of those things. Angelou’s self-assurance in the poem makes you believe that you too can overcome whatever obstacle. Although this poem was intended for blacks, and women, and specifically black women, the poem helps build up strong and courageous people no matter what race or gender you are. Maya Angelou in “Still I Rise” uses both pathos and ethos to
She incorporates this rhetorical question to give the audience the perspective of what they are making it seem that they want to see her like. Angelou appeals to the reader’s perception focusing on the sense of sight with imagery. She constructs an image of defeat with the lowered head and eyes and the downward posture signifying dissatisfaction and defeat. She continues this when adding “weakened by my soulful cries.” Angelou adds this to her poem to accompany the imagery with the sense of audibility when listening to her painful and depressing shrieks. She asks the audience if they are offended by her snob and pride because she is successful. She exaggerates this by comparing her happiness and pride as if she had millions of dollars that she could find in her backyard. Angelou continues the poem by telling them that she will allow them to tell her what they wish and make all the faces at her and her success as much as they want to, but she will not let that bring her down. Along with the way that they attempt to beat her down with all the hatefulness that others try to hold her back with, the reader can assume that she is only motivated by this by the way that she then says that like air, she will rise. Again, adding the device of simile to her
In her autobiography, Maya Angelou tells the story of her coming into womanhood in the American South during the 1930s. She begins with the story of an incident she had on Easter Sunday in which she’s in church reciting a poem in front of everyone; however, she messes up leaving her unable to finish the poem, so she runs out of the church crying and wets herself. Growing up her parents had a rough marriage, and eventually they got a divorce when Maya was only 3 years old. Their parents send her and her older brother Bailey to live with their grandmother Mrs. Annie Henderson in Staples, Arkansas. Staples is a very rural area and their grandmother owns the only store in the black section of the town, so she is very respected amongst the people
Maya Angelou celebrates the strength of a young Black woman using imagery, characterization, and symbolism to share her highly personal experiences. Marguerite faces hardships like refusal for service because of her race, a longing for parental affection, and even sexual abuse and rape. Maya ultimately overcomes the oppression given to her race and to her femininity. Once believing she was and ugly caged, she is now the beautiful and free bird clothed with strength.
Maya Angelou’s poem is structured in a quatrain format. The first few paragraphs are set out in such a way that it explains to us why she is rising; the poem compromises of a stanza of four lines, each of the same length.
There was lots of realism put into the story by Maya Angelou. The event itself is based on a true story which actually happened around 1950’s. By doing this, it makes the text much more persuasive, it makes us think more about the realistic stuff or event that occurred. This also makes the whole story more powerful as it shows us that Maya Angelou has done her research and knows what she is saying because of the how high the level of realism that is used. It makes it powerful because it makes us change our opinion about what happened and how we think about it.
Maya Angelou is considered by many to be the foremost poet of her age. While the themes of her literature are largely connected, her delivery is varied. In her poetry, she has used wit, sarcasm, imagery, and diverse rhythm. Angelou has used these techniques and the recognition it has provided for her, to fight for the civil rights of African Americans and women. After examining the life of Maya Angelou, it is easy to see that much of her work focuses on the significance and discrimination of African Americans and women. Poems written by Maya Angelou, including Phenomenal Woman, Million Man March Poem, and Still I Rise support this theme. Phenomenal Woman primarily focuses on the significance of women as Million Man March Poem does to the discrimination of African Americans. One of Maya Angelou’s most famous poems, Still I Rise, brings together both ideas by expressing the significance of African Americans and women.
The joy of the upcoming days getting close-up to a special event of her 8th graduation from Lafayette County Training School in Stamps, Arkansas was the main focus of Maya Angelou’s “Graduation.” A young African American flourishing scholar waiting with excitement and hope for her graduation moment, and to began a new journey in the real world. Angelou implies her overall excitement into the conflicts of issues that shows a reflection of societal problems that still occur in today’s society. It emphasizes how people have to be strong in everyday life as Maya Angelou did with all circumstances; referring to racism. All Maya’s dreams, hopes and expectations to her graduation day were suddenly shut by a white politician man known as Mr. Edward
Maya Angelou, a poet and award-winning author, is highly known for her symbolic and life-experienced stories. In her poem Men, she shows the theme of men domination over women, through her personal struggle. She makes her writing appealing and direct to the reader. With the use of various literary devices (similes, metaphor, imagery, and symbolism), sentence length, and present to past tense it helps the readers understand the overall theme in Men.
Interestingly, towards the end of the poem, Angelou gets deeper into how she feels about her confidence by the way she walks and carries herself. She states, “Now you understand / Just why my head’s not bowed. / I don’t shout or jump about / Or have to talk real loud. / When you see me passing, / It ought to make you proud (Line ). She makes it clear that you do not have to actively seek attention by acting out of character, or trying to be noticed. The amount of self-esteem is determined by the way a woman carries herself. Angelou says, “It’s in the click of my heels, / The bend of my hair, / the palm of my hand, / The need for my care” (Line ). Maya Angelou uses a woman’s body to symbolize the strength, power, and confidence within.
Maya Angelou’s word choice in “Phenomenal Woman” is simple and dull, but it fits the poem perfectly once it is read. The words used in the poem are not powerful but it keeps you reading. It makes the readers a have different opinion on the poem. Also it makes the readers analyze what she is really trying to say. For example, in the poem Maya Angelou states “Men themselves have wondered, What they see in me. They try so much, But they can’t touch, My inner mystery.” It is a little confusing on what she is trying to say because of her word choice and the way the sentences are connected, but reading furthermore into the stanza, it begins to become more understanding. Then too, If she had used a different word choice the poem would not have been so intriguing. For example, if she would have said “Men don’t really understand my personality”, instead of “Men themselves have wondered, What they see in me.” then the readers would not have to put much attention into it and the theme would be completely different. Moreover, another example would be “ It’s the fire in my eyes, And the flash of my teeth, The swing in my waist, And the joy in my feet. I’m a woman Phenomenally’’. She uses simple phrases like “fire in my eyes”, “flash of my teeth”, “swing in my waist”, etc. to show the phenomenal woman she is. The word choice that Maya Angelou portrays in this poem, makes woman realize that