Repetition in the poem ‘Still I Rise’ by Maya Angelou

The repetition in the poem is of the lines “Still…I’ll rise” and “I rise”

Meaning of repetition
“Still…I’ll rise” helps affirm the ideas of moving forward and being successful
despite what society may think of you. By writing this at the end of the stanzas
Angelou always brings the poem back to the idea of rising up and moving
forward to a positive future. This grounds the meaning of the poem in a single
purpose: the positive affirmation that no matter the oppression, prejudice,
hate, etc. the speaker (as representative of women and African Americans)
will still succeed.

Positive Mantra
Angelou’s use of a repeated refrain creates a mantra, a group of words
considered capable of creating a transformation, which allows a positive
transformation of the beliefs that African American people may have about
themselves. It empowers them to rise, just like Angelou has done.

“I’ll Rise” Becomes “I Rise”

The transformation from “I’ll rise” to “I rise” shows that the poem and the poet
have moved forward. Angelou has gone from wanting to rise to rising, and
shows her readers they can do the same. This links to Angelou having a
difficult past, as many other African American people have had, suggested in
the line “I am the dream and the hope of the slave”. This past has illustrated
the strength of her culture to her and has inspired her to be strong and rise up
against oppression she faces.

Connotations of Rise
The word rise has connotations of determination, strength and new life; the
rise of a new dawn, the rise of an empire, etc. These connotations are
important because they transfer their qualities to the poem and the poet. This
allows her readers to feel the strength that she feels as whilst reading the
poem the readers are able to see through her outlook on life.

Relation to the Poem as a Whole

The repeated refrains of “still..I’ll rise” and “I rise” affect the poem as not only
do these lines appear often, they also give the poem strength and help
reinforce the ideas in each stanza; they return the reader to a central
argument. The word ‘rise’ aims to empower the reader and also seems to
have empowered the poet – it’s like she thinks of nothing else – as Angelou
has moved on from wanting to rise to rising during the course of the poem.