"Phenomenal Woman," written by Maya Angelou, is a celebration of the strength, beauty, and resilience of women. Through her use of vivid imagery and confident language, Angelou celebrates the unique qualities that make women special and powerful.
The poem begins with the line "Pretty women wonder where my secret lies," which suggests that Angelou's secret to her beauty lies in something other than physical appearances. This idea is further emphasized in the following lines, where she describes her "inner mystery" and the "curves and swerves" of her body. These descriptions suggest that Angelou's beauty is not just about her appearance, but about her inner strength and confidence.
The poem also celebrates the diverse qualities of women. Angelou describes how "men themselves have wondered" about the qualities that make women special, such as their ability to bear children and their capacity for love and compassion. These qualities are not limited to any particular group of women, but are instead universal traits that all women possess.
In addition to celebrating the strength and beauty of women, "Phenomenal Woman" also serves as a message of empowerment. Angelou writes that she "walks into a room" and "men grow quiet," suggesting that she exudes a sense of confidence and self-assurance that commands respect. This message of empowerment is further reinforced by the use of the word "phenomenal," which means "extraordinary" or "remarkable." By using this word to describe herself and other women, Angelou suggests that women are capable of achieving great things and should not be underestimated.
Overall, "Phenomenal Woman" is a tribute to the unique qualities and strengths of women. Through her use of vivid imagery and confident language, Angelou celebrates the diversity and resilience of women and encourages them to embrace their own power and beauty.
Phenomenal Woman Poem Analysis
So that HAIL came along. Enticed and seduced by her they swarm about her like bees swarm around a queen bee in a beehive. The poem, in the end, gives us a sustaining sense of self, that little us in the big us which can never be destroyed by any gender or class or race. On the off chance that an instructor needs to express what is on her mind, is she going to say it once? There are few examples of explicit repetition expect for the word "man" and the pronoun "he". In most every instance of tragedy or hardship, the people affected must either yield to or rise above their situation, and in rising above, develop or display extraordinary and exemplary traits uniquely fitted to dealing with that situation. Stanza Two: I walk into a room, As cool as you please, And to a man, The fellows stand or Falls down on their knees.
The speaker reveals that all of her recollections have led up to the present moment when she declares that she can be a phenomenal woman without trying to draw attention to herself or fitting stereotypes. The speaker does not fit the standard conventions of beauty and rejoices in her uniqueness. Angelou is typically associated with African-American writing but this poem merges between her gender and racial consciousness. Confidence, pride, and unwavering sexuality are some of the most powerful things anyone can have. They are warm, confident, playful and full of passion.
Men are constantly around her and swarm her like honey bees Angelou Fire And Ice By Robert Frost Analysis 1432 Words 6 Pages This writing style is used to represent different emotions fire and ice can be. It is through the use of literary devices that her poems serve as a testament to the love and confidence that she now exudes. Comparing Mother To Son 'And Langston Hughes' Still I Rise 628 Words 3 Pages The author uses personification which expresses the theme because it shows people saying mean things about the speaker, but they keep moving on. She begins rendering her emotional and sexual experience together. The speaker takes on a more defiant tone with these lines, asserting that, against societal convention, she is the very picture of womanhood. Personification "Fall down on their knees" - When men see the speaker, they are so entranced by her that they practically fall to the ground.
Phenomenal Woman (Maya Angelou poem) Literary Elements
She questions male power and finishes it off. She describes her secret saying that it comes from her confidence, the way she stretches her arms, the way she walks, the rhythm of her hips and also the way she smiles. The last four lines of the poem form the refrain that has previously occurred in the poem, but in these lines there is a small modification in the words. Even though the topic is the same the two authors, Simon Armitage and Alfred, Lord Tennyson, present the theme with different approaches, one about the innocent, one about the ones that chose to get involved In the conflict. The poem was originally written to admire the beauty and self-confidence of a woman.
This particular poem keeps featuring in the popular culture again and again because of its crowd-pleasing characteristics. The poem can be considered as a discourse commenting on social outlook towards gender and sexuality, and is commonly regarded as a tribute to womanhood. Pretty women wonder where my secret lies. The poet again relates different features of the beauty of a woman from African American Meanings of Stanza -3 Men themselves have wondered What they see in me. Such is the pride and self-assurance the poet places on herself.
I think this is the most important piece of repetition because it shows the reader the theme of friendship through the name they are calling each other. The entire poem is the speaker reflecting on their past childhood. It is a part of the discourse on self-acceptance. Additionally, she also uses connotation to remind women they are more than what they are perceived to be in relation to others and they have the power to define themselves. Angelou intensifies her mysterious power as a human being by making us rethink the traditional notion of seeing a woman. This pull lies in the arch of her body, her smile, her breasts, and her walking style.
They do not understand what it is about her that makes her command such high dignity and recognition in the society. After relating her persona in the earlier stanzas, the writer now expects the readers to understand why she walks with her head held high. To critically examine Angelou's poem "Phenomenal Woman," let us first look at the structure. Men themselves have wondered What they see in me. The poet says that the reason why men are attracted to her is in her eyes, her teeth, her waist, and her feet. The first and most obvious is "highly extraordinary; exceptional" and this fits right in with what Angelou is saying in the poem.
Phenomenal Woman Analysis By Maya Angelou • English Summary
Angelou expressed one time in her interview that she has written this poem for every woman. Maya breaks the stereotypes associated with women and presents a new definition of a phenomenal woman, who is beautiful despite her skin color. It is well abstruse and unfathomable. Maya Angelou is often credited for the simplicity in the use of her language and the present verse is no exception. The poet expects that after describing so many of her physical features, she thinks that her interlocutors, who are possibly women, would have understood why she feels proud of her.
