LCA331: Feminism literature

Nom: DONGMO ASTRIDE DJINA

Matricule : 20A023

Work: choose between poem 6 and 8 and make

feminist study of Poem 8

Still I rise of Maya Angelou

In this poem we can see :

 Rasism
 Marginalization
 Hope
 Optimism
 Pride

Interpretation of the poem

this poem was published in 1978 by maya angelou an african american writer. this inspiring poem
about overcoming injustice and prejudice. although written with slavery, this poem applies to anyone
and especially to women who have been oppressed, abused or intimidated. it's about not letting
others bring you down and speaking out against cruelty

Still I rise a kind of protest poem which is defiant as well as celebratory, this poem is about the
power of human spirit to overcome discrimination and hardship with argument specially reflecting
her attitudes as black American women. More questions follow : '’ Did you want to see me broken ?;
Bowered head and lowered eyes ?; Does my haughtiness offend you ? ' Angelou accuses her
addressee of waiting to see her spirit broken.

in the first stanza she clearly shows that despite her despised black skin color, she remains standing,
she keeps her head held high '’ You may write me down in history ;With your bitter, twisted
lies, ;You may tread me in the very dirt ;But still, like dust, I’ll rise.

The poem starts with highlighting misogyny : the hatred towards women which dominated the
writings of many great names. The women from the start were presented like '’dust’’. One can say
that the women (not being male ) were considered as '’other’’.

In the second stanza, the social construction of women as '’sassy ladies'' or in extremity as a devil
incarnate is highlighted. Another extreme is highlighted in the fourth stanza in which the social
construction of women as 'broken bowed heard lowered eyes and weak creature