Name: Hina P. Chauhan
Sem: 4
Roll No. : 09
Batch: 2018-20
Enrollment No. : 2069108420190006
Paper No. : 14 The African Literature
Topic: Critical Analysis Of Selected Poems
Email ID: hinachauhan36511@gmail.com
Submitted to: Smt.S.B.Gardi Department Of English,M.K.Bhavnagar University.
Introduction
The African literature is mirror of African culture and heritage.
Here, in these poems we found that all poems reflect their hatred
towards civilized. During this British emperor the African culture
and heritage is totally ruined. All poems talks about situation f
African people, who are wavering between two culture, British
culture and African culture. Also deals with the human
psychology and impact of civilization on the lifestyle of African
people. How happy they are before Bruisers are came. Colonizer
also laughs on African culture and rituals.
1) Once upon A Time
But believe me, son.
I want to be what I used to be
when I was like you. I want
to unlearn all these muting things.
Most of all, I want to relearn
how to laugh, for my laugh in the mirror
shows only my teeth like a snake’s bare fangs!
This poem is written by African poet ‘Gabriel Okara' . In this poem
we found that Conversations between father and son. Poet deals
with impact of globalization so called civilization. The life of
human becomes mechanical and robotic life. All people run
behind money. And in this race human becomes robot. Here in
this poem poet talk about that the relation is remain formal, lake
of trust and aspens of feelings. Even smiles also became plastic
smile or artificial smile. Humans are doing all this things like
hospitality, charity and other things only for sake of doing, not
from their heart. People becomes formal some word are only for
speaking like good bye, I really enjoyed your company, nice to meet you , come again and many other thing are spoken by for
formality, not form heart. People use to wear mask, we found this
kind of duel face rather we can says malty face to human being.
They stared change emotions like they change their cloths
(makeup of mind). Poetic persona tells his son about his
glorious past and what is present. Poet try's so connect past and
present, also generation gap of life of father and the life of son.
Father says that “Once upon A time I was lie you.” Child is
innocent and happy, his smile is original and he enjoyed his life,
whereas father cannot do all this things through his heart. In past
father also use to smile with their heart but now he cannot smile
with heart, he smile with teeth. All this things are happened
because of money and civilization. Poetic persona asked his son
to teach me how to smile. He also longing for original and real life
but he can't. In this poem we found impact of civilization.
2) Mystic Drum
And then the mystic drum
in my inside stopped to beat -
and men became men,
fishes became fishes
and trees, the sun and the moon
found their places, and the dead
went to the ground and things began to grow.
This poem is written by Okara. The Drum represents African
culture. We can say that is connecting with heart beats of poetic
persona. Lady who smile's behind tree is signifies so many
things. She is an outsider. Lady thinks that she has more rich
culture, but in real sense the colonized won’t have their own.
Culture. In this poem we found that men, women and fishes are
dancing on the bit of drum. It shows the connection of nature and
humans, that they are dancing together. It also shows how powerful mystic drum is ? The African culture is connected with
nature, the mystic drum invokes the sun, the moon, the river,
gods and trees began to dance. In the poem lady is outsider and
colonizer also. She is standing behind tree; it shows because of
industrial revolution the trees and forest are cutting down. Poetic
persona says that the mystic drum is not beat loudly anymore.
Because of industrialization, African culture destroys slowly. It
means other western people started ruling over African. We can
say that the lady is the personification of industrialization. This is
a gift of colonialism and imperialism. Industrialization started
sucking the land through their roots. The smoke comer from her
lips is suggest how much pollution is done by industrialization. In
the poem we found that when drum is beaten am become fishes
and fishes become men. But, when mystic drum stopped beating
men become men and fishes become fishes. It reflects that life
become dry and mechanical.
3) Where I to choose
When Adam broke the stone
and red streams raged down to
gather in the womb,
an angel calmed the storm”,
“And I, the breath mewed
in Cain, unblinking gaze
at the world without
from the brink of an age”.
This poem is written by Gabriel Okara. Here poet true to
compare Adam and black negro man. Here, poet also talks about
generation gap. Adam is father and Cain is metaphorically
represented new generation. He talks about the language. The
red streams are suggests multilingual new generation. Poet
compares Cain (Son of Adam) with African man that Cain is wonderer and he doesn’t have any kind of aim in his life. He just
wanders here and there without destination. Same man have not
aim in their life. ,Poet indirectly satirized modern men. The tower
of Babel is symbol of unity. Because when tower is constructed,
people wanted to this tower is tower of oneness or unity. But
God gives them different languages and makes them different
through language. The line “And of this dark halo was the tired
head free”. Poet tries to be free from this dark halo.
4) Dedication
Earth will not share the rafter's envy; dung floors
Break, not the gecko's slight skin, but its fall
Taste this soil for death and plumb her deep for life
This poem is written by Wole Soyinka. This poem is kind of
advice of new coming generation. Poet dedicated this poem to
new born child. Poetic persona has deep sense of life, so be
gives advice to new generation, how to live in this world. What to
do and what not to do. We can compare this poem to Mark
Zuckerberg’s letter to his new born baby. In which he gives
advice to his daughter and hope for better future of his daughter.
Poetic persona gives both negative as well as positive advice to
new generation with the use of different images and metaphors.
Poet tries to convey his message, like honey , scorpion, moon,
sun and many others. Though in this poem poet hope for better
society, because his life passed away but he thinks that his child
males society better. The child itself is dedication to society.
Long on your lips, of salt, that you may seek
None from tears. This, rain-water, is the gift
Of gods—drink of its purity, bear fruits in season.
5) Telephonic Conversations
price seemed reasonable, location
Indifferent. The landlady swore she lived
Off premises. Nothing remained
But self-confession. 'Madam' , I warned,
'I hate a wasted journey - I am African
This poem is written by Wole Soyinka. Poet deals with racism
and relation of white and black people. Talk about first world
country and third world country. A black man won’t to perchance
home from white lady. Here, home means land) There is
telephonic conversation between them. Telephone is symbol of
connecting people, it is tool of communication. But here in this
poem it shows distance between two people and nation also.
Lady represents first world country and black man represents
third world country. Here, we find Frantz Fanon’s concept of
‘Black Skin white mask' . In this poem both are rich, neckless
shows richness of lady and black man want to buy home so it
shows his richness. But lady over power man because she
represents r belongs to first world nation. Lady is colonizer and
man is colonizer.
depending on the color of his skin only.
The poem deals with a foul subject, that of racism and prejudice,
in a lighthearted, almost comical manner. A most important
device which Soyinka has used to highlight this sense of racism,
which was previously widespread in western society, is that of the
telephone. Had the person been speaking face to face with the
lady, this whole conversation would never have taken place. She
would have either refused outright, or would have found a more
subtle way of doing so. The whole back and forth about ‘how
dark’ the man is wouldn’t have occurred. Thus the telephone is used to make the issue of racism clear and prove how
nonsensical it really is.
6) Refugee Mother and child
No Madonna and Child could touch
that picture of a mother's tenderness
for a son she soon would have to forget.
The air was heavy with odours
Refugee Mother and Child” is a poem composed by Chinua
Achebe depicting the destitution and starvation for displaced
people. The poem is about a displaced person mother and her
child who endure in the arms of neediness. In the long run, her
child perishes and as a mother she feels despondency, upset and
vulnerable. In the poem, Achebe joined love, lament, religion,
confidence, enduring, recollections, agony and change into the
lives of the outcasts’ mom and tyke. Chinua Achebe expressed
“Refugee Mother and Child” as a reaction to his experienced
childhood in neediness with unprivileged kids and enduring and
felt propelled by their psychological quality. All through the poem,
Achebe drives us to a comprehension of mother`s delicate love.
title of the poem gives off the initial impression that the poem may
focus on refugees: one who flees to seek refuge, The lives of
refugee children, their parents, their feelings, their emotions and
their pain. ‘For a son she soon would have to forget’. This
foreshadows the idea that her son is dying, and she would have
to forget him to adapt to her tragic loss. 2 The metaphor in the fist
stanza, ‘No Madonna and Child could touch that picture…’,
relates to the idea of Mary and her child, Jesus.
Conclusion
Thus , African poetry is full with emotions which is repressed
emotions. Somewhere it is the voice against slavery system and
somewhere it is about justice for everything. As we discussed in
this assignment we can conclude that African poetry has its own
beauty though it is more about experiences of injustice.
Sem: 4
Roll No. : 09
Batch: 2018-20
Enrollment No. : 2069108420190006
Paper No. : 14 The African Literature
Topic: Critical Analysis Of Selected Poems
Email ID: hinachauhan36511@gmail.com
Submitted to: Smt.S.B.Gardi Department Of English,M.K.Bhavnagar University.
Introduction
The African literature is mirror of African culture and heritage.
Here, in these poems we found that all poems reflect their hatred
towards civilized. During this British emperor the African culture
and heritage is totally ruined. All poems talks about situation f
African people, who are wavering between two culture, British
culture and African culture. Also deals with the human
psychology and impact of civilization on the lifestyle of African
people. How happy they are before Bruisers are came. Colonizer
also laughs on African culture and rituals.
1) Once upon A Time
But believe me, son.
I want to be what I used to be
when I was like you. I want
to unlearn all these muting things.
Most of all, I want to relearn
how to laugh, for my laugh in the mirror
shows only my teeth like a snake’s bare fangs!
This poem is written by African poet ‘Gabriel Okara' . In this poem
we found that Conversations between father and son. Poet deals
with impact of globalization so called civilization. The life of
human becomes mechanical and robotic life. All people run
behind money. And in this race human becomes robot. Here in
this poem poet talk about that the relation is remain formal, lake
of trust and aspens of feelings. Even smiles also became plastic
smile or artificial smile. Humans are doing all this things like
hospitality, charity and other things only for sake of doing, not
from their heart. People becomes formal some word are only for
speaking like good bye, I really enjoyed your company, nice to meet you , come again and many other thing are spoken by for
formality, not form heart. People use to wear mask, we found this
kind of duel face rather we can says malty face to human being.
They stared change emotions like they change their cloths
(makeup of mind). Poetic persona tells his son about his
glorious past and what is present. Poet try's so connect past and
present, also generation gap of life of father and the life of son.
Father says that “Once upon A time I was lie you.” Child is
innocent and happy, his smile is original and he enjoyed his life,
whereas father cannot do all this things through his heart. In past
father also use to smile with their heart but now he cannot smile
with heart, he smile with teeth. All this things are happened
because of money and civilization. Poetic persona asked his son
to teach me how to smile. He also longing for original and real life
but he can't. In this poem we found impact of civilization.
2) Mystic Drum
And then the mystic drum
in my inside stopped to beat -
and men became men,
fishes became fishes
and trees, the sun and the moon
found their places, and the dead
went to the ground and things began to grow.
This poem is written by Okara. The Drum represents African
culture. We can say that is connecting with heart beats of poetic
persona. Lady who smile's behind tree is signifies so many
things. She is an outsider. Lady thinks that she has more rich
culture, but in real sense the colonized won’t have their own.
Culture. In this poem we found that men, women and fishes are
dancing on the bit of drum. It shows the connection of nature and
humans, that they are dancing together. It also shows how powerful mystic drum is ? The African culture is connected with
nature, the mystic drum invokes the sun, the moon, the river,
gods and trees began to dance. In the poem lady is outsider and
colonizer also. She is standing behind tree; it shows because of
industrial revolution the trees and forest are cutting down. Poetic
persona says that the mystic drum is not beat loudly anymore.
Because of industrialization, African culture destroys slowly. It
means other western people started ruling over African. We can
say that the lady is the personification of industrialization. This is
a gift of colonialism and imperialism. Industrialization started
sucking the land through their roots. The smoke comer from her
lips is suggest how much pollution is done by industrialization. In
the poem we found that when drum is beaten am become fishes
and fishes become men. But, when mystic drum stopped beating
men become men and fishes become fishes. It reflects that life
become dry and mechanical.
3) Where I to choose
When Adam broke the stone
and red streams raged down to
gather in the womb,
an angel calmed the storm”,
“And I, the breath mewed
in Cain, unblinking gaze
at the world without
from the brink of an age”.
This poem is written by Gabriel Okara. Here poet true to
compare Adam and black negro man. Here, poet also talks about
generation gap. Adam is father and Cain is metaphorically
represented new generation. He talks about the language. The
red streams are suggests multilingual new generation. Poet
compares Cain (Son of Adam) with African man that Cain is wonderer and he doesn’t have any kind of aim in his life. He just
wanders here and there without destination. Same man have not
aim in their life. ,Poet indirectly satirized modern men. The tower
of Babel is symbol of unity. Because when tower is constructed,
people wanted to this tower is tower of oneness or unity. But
God gives them different languages and makes them different
through language. The line “And of this dark halo was the tired
head free”. Poet tries to be free from this dark halo.
4) Dedication
Earth will not share the rafter's envy; dung floors
Break, not the gecko's slight skin, but its fall
Taste this soil for death and plumb her deep for life
This poem is written by Wole Soyinka. This poem is kind of
advice of new coming generation. Poet dedicated this poem to
new born child. Poetic persona has deep sense of life, so be
gives advice to new generation, how to live in this world. What to
do and what not to do. We can compare this poem to Mark
Zuckerberg’s letter to his new born baby. In which he gives
advice to his daughter and hope for better future of his daughter.
Poetic persona gives both negative as well as positive advice to
new generation with the use of different images and metaphors.
Poet tries to convey his message, like honey , scorpion, moon,
sun and many others. Though in this poem poet hope for better
society, because his life passed away but he thinks that his child
males society better. The child itself is dedication to society.
Long on your lips, of salt, that you may seek
None from tears. This, rain-water, is the gift
Of gods—drink of its purity, bear fruits in season.
5) Telephonic Conversations
price seemed reasonable, location
Indifferent. The landlady swore she lived
Off premises. Nothing remained
But self-confession. 'Madam' , I warned,
'I hate a wasted journey - I am African
This poem is written by Wole Soyinka. Poet deals with racism
and relation of white and black people. Talk about first world
country and third world country. A black man won’t to perchance
home from white lady. Here, home means land) There is
telephonic conversation between them. Telephone is symbol of
connecting people, it is tool of communication. But here in this
poem it shows distance between two people and nation also.
Lady represents first world country and black man represents
third world country. Here, we find Frantz Fanon’s concept of
‘Black Skin white mask' . In this poem both are rich, neckless
shows richness of lady and black man want to buy home so it
shows his richness. But lady over power man because she
represents r belongs to first world nation. Lady is colonizer and
man is colonizer.
depending on the color of his skin only.
The poem deals with a foul subject, that of racism and prejudice,
in a lighthearted, almost comical manner. A most important
device which Soyinka has used to highlight this sense of racism,
which was previously widespread in western society, is that of the
telephone. Had the person been speaking face to face with the
lady, this whole conversation would never have taken place. She
would have either refused outright, or would have found a more
subtle way of doing so. The whole back and forth about ‘how
dark’ the man is wouldn’t have occurred. Thus the telephone is used to make the issue of racism clear and prove how
nonsensical it really is.
6) Refugee Mother and child
No Madonna and Child could touch
that picture of a mother's tenderness
for a son she soon would have to forget.
The air was heavy with odours
Refugee Mother and Child” is a poem composed by Chinua
Achebe depicting the destitution and starvation for displaced
people. The poem is about a displaced person mother and her
child who endure in the arms of neediness. In the long run, her
child perishes and as a mother she feels despondency, upset and
vulnerable. In the poem, Achebe joined love, lament, religion,
confidence, enduring, recollections, agony and change into the
lives of the outcasts’ mom and tyke. Chinua Achebe expressed
“Refugee Mother and Child” as a reaction to his experienced
childhood in neediness with unprivileged kids and enduring and
felt propelled by their psychological quality. All through the poem,
Achebe drives us to a comprehension of mother`s delicate love.
title of the poem gives off the initial impression that the poem may
focus on refugees: one who flees to seek refuge, The lives of
refugee children, their parents, their feelings, their emotions and
their pain. ‘For a son she soon would have to forget’. This
foreshadows the idea that her son is dying, and she would have
to forget him to adapt to her tragic loss. 2 The metaphor in the fist
stanza, ‘No Madonna and Child could touch that picture…’,
relates to the idea of Mary and her child, Jesus.
Conclusion
Thus , African poetry is full with emotions which is repressed
emotions. Somewhere it is the voice against slavery system and
somewhere it is about justice for everything. As we discussed in
this assignment we can conclude that African poetry has its own
beauty though it is more about experiences of injustice.
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