MURANG’ A UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

SCHOOL: EDUCATION, HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

DEPARTMENT: HUMANITIES

UNIT CODE: CEL 303

UNIT TITLE: AFRO AMERICAN LITERATURE

LECTURER: A. MINAYO

ASSIGNMENT: GROUP RESEARCH 2

GROUP NO: GROUP TWO

DATE OF SUBMISSION: FRIDAY 18/ 02/2022

TASK: Read and analyze the Poem “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” by Maya Angelou
using any applicable theoretical approach.

GROUP MEMBERS

NO: REGISTRATION NO: NAME SIGNATURE

1. TE201/1535/2019 JOY SHARON KINYA
2. TE201/0507/2019 GRACE KIHATO
3. TE201/0604/2019 JOSHUA CHEBII
4. TE201/0477/2019 ELIZABETH WAMBUI
5. TE201/0493/2019 ELIZA WACHU
6. TE201/0611/2019 ELIZABETH OMUKUBA
7. TE201/0610/2019 TERRY MUTHEU
8. TE201/O573/2019 TIAMPATI LEKISHON
9. TE201/0614/2019 BENSON OGANYO
10. TE201/0353/2019 ABIGAEL CHEPKOECH
11. TE201/O583/2019 DANSON MACHARIA
12. TE201/0546/2019 KANANA KAREN
A FORMALIST/ NEW CRITICISM APPROACH OF THE POEM ‘I KNOW WHY THE
CAGED BIRD SINGS’ OR ‘CAGED BIRD’ BY MAYA ANGELOU.

INTRODUCTION

New criticism is a formalist movement in literary theory that dominated American literary
criticism in the middle decades of the 20th century. The proponent of formalism is John Crowe
Ransom. It emphasizes close reading of a literary text, mainly, poetry to discover how a work of
literature function as a self-contained, self -referential aesthetic object. It argues of textual
evidence in validating textual interpretation. New criticism calls for the use of concrete, specific
examples from the text itself to support one’s interpretation. For the new criticism the only way
to know an author’s intentions is to closely read the text itself for evidence of the texts formal
elements, example, plot, characters, styles and themes which work together to produce an
inseparable whole. Formalism tries to show how a specific element work to support the overall
meaning of the text. New critics are interested in how the parts of a text relate to create harmony,
order, tension, paradox. ambivalence and ambiguity.it also deals with how a work can be read
objectively and accurately by examining the structure and form.

Below is the formalist analysis of the poem ‘I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings’ by Maya
Angelou, giving more of the form of the poem and the structure, formal elements such as the
stanzas persona, characters, literary devices, themes atmosphere mood and tone:

STRUCTURE OF THE POEM ‘I KNOW WHY THE CAGED BIRD SINGS’

STANZAS AND LINES

The poet positioned the stanzas based on the emotions, themes and mechanical patterns. The
poem has 6 stanzas and 38lines. The first and fourth stanzas have a happy tone and the rest are
morose. Maya Angelou chose to write the poem in free verse. This means that there is no
single rhyme scheme or metrical pattern that unites all the lines. But, there are some examples of
an iambic meter. This adds to the overall musicality of the poem. Iambs are also generally
referred to as “rising” feet in that the second syllable is stressed. This plays into the content of
the caged bird and the free bird.
The poet grouped stanzas with similar patterns in the following pairs:

Stanza 1 and 2 has 7lines each.

Stanza3 and 6 8lines each.

Stanza 4 and 5 4lines each.

The poet has designed this stanzas and lines to create a rhythm and ultimately create musicality.
The poem reads like music. It’s like a song with a chorus and a bridge. Hence, ‘Caged Bird’ can
be classified as a lyrical poem.

DICTION

Diction is the choice and use of words and phrases in speech or writing.

The poet expresses human life through meaningful word choices that elicit different emotions
and tone.

For instance: freedom, dawn, sings, wind, leaps and free bird depict happiness and enthusiasm.
On the other hand, the words: caged bird, trill, grave, shadow, and rage imply sadness and
powerlessness.

SUMMARY OF THE POEM

‘Caged Bird’, or ‘I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings’ as the poem is sometimes referred to, by
Maya Angelou, is arguably one of the most moving and eye-opening poems ever written. It is an
incredibly important poem in which the poet describes the experience of two different birds, one
free and one caged.

The free bird flies around the wind currents, feeling as though the sky belongs to him. On the
other hand, the caged bird can barely move in its prison. It’s angry and frustrated. its wings are
clipped and its feet are tied together. All it can do is sing fearfully of the things it wants and does
not know. It sings for its freedom and everyone, even those far distant, can hear its song.

All the while, the free bird is focused on the breeze, the sounds the trees make, the words in the
ground he’s planning on eating. Once more, the speaker reiterates the fact that the bird feels as
though it owns the sky. The poem concludes with the caged bird singing once more, as the
poet repeats the third stanza in its entirety.
ANALYSIS OF THE POEM STANZAS

The Birds are a popular symbol in poetry, which were used as an expression of freedom by the
Romantics and sometimes symbolized poetry itself. Maya Angelou deviates from the norm by
not only speaking about the bird’s freedom but also conveying its sorrow and rage.

The caged bird is a symbol of the plight of Black American people. Its song is a reference to how
slaves in the 19th century came together at Congo Square to sing as a way of remembering their
heritage. The bars of rage on the caged bird’s cage is supposed to represent the bird’s blinding
anger at being locked up.

The free bird is the polar opposite of its caged counterpart and serves to highlight everything the
caged bird lacks. The free bird has the freedom to do what a person would believe birds enjoy.
The free bird is able to do whatever it pleases, which is in sharp contrast to the caged bird which
can only ever hope for freedom.

In the first stanza, Maya Angelou presents the free bird. The strong verbs used are supposed to
convey how static the free bird is, and how it never seems to stay in one place. The free bird
claims the sky as its own for it never had anything else to share it with. Maya Angelou uses the
two narratives to create a jarring contrast. The condition of the cage bird seems even more
distressing next to the joy and happiness of the free bird’s life.

The second stanza changes the atmosphere completely. Its main focus is on the caged bird and its
pain as being confined. The cage’s narrow form shows how limiting its confines are as opposed
to the openness of the free bird’s sky. The bars of rage refer to how due to its anger and pain, the
caged bird can barely see past its sorrow. The clipped wings and bound feet are supposed to
show how it’s freedom was taken away from it. The line where the bird opens his mouth to sing
is a turning point in the stanza as it is the only thing that the bird can do willingly. The change to
the dark mood of the cage bird’s narrative is made all the move jarring by the considerably
lighter mood of the first stanza.

The third stanza goes deeper into the caged bird’s song. The bird sings with fear and
apprehension for it doesn’t wish to live the rest of its life in such a confined manner. The next
two lines of things unknown and longed for still is a paradox, for someone cannot long for
something they do not know. Here, Angelou is referring to the way someone who was captive all
his life would yearn for freedom. It states that it is an innate emotion to have control over one’s
self even if the person in question has never had the chance to feel that way. The caged bird’s
song reaching far enough to the distant hill is a metaphor for how calls of justice are always
heard, but not always reciprocated.

In the fourth stanza, the free bird thinks of things that the caged bird has never experienced and
has had the privilege to enjoy them. The fat worms mentioned could be seen as a kind of
privilege along with the dawn bright lawn because they seem there just to serve the free bird’s
desires. By naming the sky his own, the free bird states that there is no other being that is obliged
to share it with. This aligns with the preconceived notion that some groups of people are born
with rights over others.

In the fifth stanza, the tone shifts yet again from the free bird’s bright imagery to the chilling
narrative of the caged bird. The grave of dreams refers to all the hopes the caged bird might have
had at an earlier age that now seems irrelevant or impossible at its current stage. The caged bird’s
shadow is a personification of his powerlessness. The nightmare problem refers to a small part of
the caged bird that fears it will never be released. The caged bird continues to sing despite its
wavering resilience, showing that it’s beliefs that life will get better and will continue to persist.

The final stanza is a repeat of the third, which delves into the bird’s song. The bird cries out
about freedom, but it’s never stated if its cries are ever heard by its free-flying twin.

THE PERSONA OF THE POEM

The poem ‘Caged Bird’ seems to stem from personal experience. However, he uses the pronoun
‘he’ to refer to the bird.

The persona of the poem is an observer. He observes the caged bird held captive and all he goes
through and also observe ways the bird uses to fight for freedom. He also observes the freeness
of the free bird and the privilege he enjoys by oppressing the caged bird.

THEMES IN THE POEM ‘I KNOW WHY THE CAGED BIRD SINGS’

A theme in poetry means the main idea of discussion of the poem. What the poem is talking
about. The poem “The Caged Bird Sings’ is filled with powerful themes. This include racial
oppression, freedom versus captivity or slavery, happiness versus sorrow, despair versus
hope, fear versus courage. This themes are all wrapped together in the poem by Angelou’s
depiction of the two birds, one free and one caged.

Theme of Racial oppression

This refers to unfair treatment of people in relation to their skin color. Oppression refers to
discrimination when the injustice does not target and may not directly afflict everyone in society
but instead targets specific groups of people.

The poet has pointed out the racial injustices that are there in the Afro American community
where blacks just like the caged bird are discriminated against and cannot enjoy the privileges of
the white race. The free bad symbolizes the white people who feel superior and use this
superiority to oppress the blacks.

In the fourth stanza first line

The free bird thinks of another breeze

In the second stanza third line

‘Can seldom see through

His bars of rage’

The first quoted part shows how free is the free bird, they are free to do anything even if it means
subjugating the blacks. The white people are planning for a way to continue the oppression to the
blacks. The second quoted part is talking about the caged bird in this case the blacks who are
treated unjustly and there is nothing they can do.

Theme of Freedom versus Captivity

Freedom is the power to act, speak, or think as one wants whereas Captivity is the condition of
being confined.

The free bird that is the whites have the capability to do anything, say anything and think as they
want whereas the caged bird that is the blacks are imprisoned meaning they don’t have a chance
to exercise any right.
In the second stanza third to fifth line

‘Can seldom see through

His bars of rage

His wings are clipped and

His feet are tied’

This shows how the blacks lack freedom they are captivated in the white man’s authority.

In the first stanza the first and second lines

‘A free bird leaps

On the back of the wind’

The first words in the poem shows how free is the free bird symbolizing how the whites possess
freedom over the blacks.

Theme of Happiness versus sorrow

Happiness is the feeling of fully enjoying your life, and the desire to make the best of it.
Happiness helps us be and do our best. Sorrow on the other hand is the contrary, is a feeling of
deep distress caused by loss, disappointment, or other misfortune suffered by oneself or others.

In the poem the free bird that is the white man is happy of their position and that is why we find
the bird leaping on the back of the wind (stanza one). The free bird that is the white man makes
best of this happiness to dare claim the sky (last line of the first stanza). They feel they have
everything and there are no people who can challenge them.

The caged bird (black man) on the other hand is sorrowful because he does not enjoy any
privileges that are attached to the white man. He is even fearful of the superior free man.

(Stanza three) the caged bird sings with a fearful trill of things unknown. The black people are
even afraid to express themselves before the whites and this leads them in a state of distress.

Theme of Hope versus despair

Hope is a feeling of expectation and desire for a particular thing to happen while despair is the
complete loss or absence of hope.

In the poem we find that the caged bird that is the black people are despaired they are deprived
their freedom and given no chance to air their grievances.

Stanza two line five and six

‘his wings are clipped and

His feet are tied’

The clipping of the caged bird’s wings and the tying of his feet is a sign of hopelessness.

However, the blacks have hope that through projecting their voice using songs. Still on stanza
two in the last line we find the caged bird opening his throat to sing. The hope is that their voice
as blacks will be heard and at least treated justly. This hope is somehow dimed because we find
the free bird that is the whites setting strategies on how to continue the oppression and ‘feed on
the fat worm’.

Theme of fear and courage

Fear is an intensely unpleasant emotion in response to perceiving or recognizing a danger or

threat. Courage means mental or moral strength to resist opposition, danger, or hardship, means
being brave.

The blacks fear the whites; they fear talking things out on the other hand the whites are
courageous in their oppression of the blacks they don’t fear anything they even claim the sky
(stanza one last line).

In stanza three line one and two

‘the caged bird sings

with a fearful trill’

The above shows how the blacks fear even when speaking the truth of what they are going
through. This fear of course has been inculcated in them by the ‘superior’ whites.

LITERARY DEVICES
 1. Metaphor
A metaphor states that one thing is another thing.
The hidden message in the poem is that it is not about a bird but about human beings.
There is a deeper meaning of the words first glance.
The title is a metaphor. The title ‘Caged Bird’ is used to stand in place of the oppressed
black people in Afro American countries.
The line ‘the caged bird sings’ is a metaphor symbolizing how the blacks air their
grievances by speaking out regardless of whether they will be heard or not.
The dreams of the caged bird represent the dreams of the slave. The bird sings of ‘things
unknown/but longed for still’
Things unknown to the caged bird are enjoyed by the free bird. Free people seem to have
everything and live life to the fullest.
The action of the caged bird to choose to sing is also a metaphor. Music is often beautiful
and enjoyable. His state of being caged is despicable. However, when he sings of
freedom perhaps someone will hear his voice and open the cage.
2. Vivid description
It involves producing a strong or clear impression on the senses: a sharp, intense
specifically: producing distinct mental images.
The speaker creates vivid imagery through descriptive words and phrases. This enhances
the theme and tone of the poem.
The speaker sees the physical appearance of the caged bird. It is locked in a cage and
cannot fly because ‘his wings are clipped and his feet tied’. So it wonders around. It
shows the lack of freedom of the bird.
The description of the bird that leaps and floats develops the theme of freedom and a
joyful tone.
The persona describes the surrounding and the actions of the birds: orange sun rays, fat
worms, dips his wings, opens his throat. These descriptions give the reader an image of
natural beauty and actions of the birds in the setting.
3. Juxtaposition

It is the fact of two things being seen or placed close together with contrasting effects.
The poem compares two birds in different situations. Slavery is in contrast to freedom. The
caged bird and the free bird have different points of view.

Each bird expresses diametrically opposite emotions and actions. The free bird is joyful and
energetic, in contrast, the caged bird is sad and lethargic.

The free bird enjoys life, but in the poem, he does not sing although he is capable of singing. The
free bird does not sing of freedom because to him freedom is normal. The free bird knows no
fear. His body has not been clipped or tied.

However, the caged bird sings with fear and knows the value of freedom. His freedom of
movement has been taken away by whoever put him there.

4. Personification
It is the attribution of a personal nature or human characteristics to something non-
human.
Trees are given human attributes or qualities when the poet describes them as ‘the sighing
trees’.
Another personification is ‘on the back of the wind’ (stanza one). The wind doesn’t have
a back, this metaphor shows how the free bird is confident and feels secure in his
freedom.
5. Repetition
Repetition is simply the repetition of words within a short space of words, with no
particular placement of the words to secure emphasis.
There are several words phrases lines and even a stanza that have been repeated.
Repetition or repetitive lines create rhythm, musicality, and emphasis.
Example of repetition in the poem is repletion of stanza three which has been repeated
twice
The caged bird sings
With fearful trill
Of the things unknown
But longed for still
And his tune is heard
On the distant hill
 For the caged bird
Sings of freedom
In the poem the stanza is repeated to show the poet’s emphasis on the subject matter that
is slavery and fight for freedom. It also creates rhythm and adds to the poems musicality.
6. Assonance
It is the repetition of a vowel sound in a line of text or poetry.
Repetition of vowel sounds occurs several times
Example
Stanza one line one A free bird leaps
Stanza four line one The free bird thinks of another breeze
This enhances musicality of the poem.
7. Alliteration
Alliteration is the repetition of an initial consonant sound in words that are in close
proximity to each other.
Repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of sentences occurs several times:
But a bird that stalks (line 8)
Can seldom see through (line10)
This enhances musicality too as well as making the poem memorable.
MOOD
mood is the poem’s general atmosphere or emotional complexion.
The stanzas describing the free bird have a joyful and peaceful mood. The free bird is
happy as it is enjoying its freedom.
But the caged bird brings out a melancholic (somber) mood, although it is also hopeful
through the song. Also the poet describes the caged birds anger ‘can seldom see through
his bars of rage’.
TONE
Tone of the poem is the attitude you feel in it. The writer’s attitude towards the subject or
audience.
The tone is set by the observer who knows why ‘the caged bird sings’. It’s contemplative
but also switches from a negative to a positive tone when describing the different birds.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, the above discussed form and structure and various elements of the poem
work harmoniously to produce an inseparable whole (interpretation of the poem), which
is the main aim of the formalist approach.
REFERENCES

Maya Angelou ,1983, ‘Caged Bird’ poetry foundation, www.poetryfoundation.org

University of Minnesota ,2020, Caged bird poem by Maya Angelou, artistic.umn.edu

Yarnall, Lauren. “Caged Bird.” Litcharts.

Litcharts LLC, 1 Aug2019. Web. 18Feb 2022.