Poetry mini essay 1

The first day after the war

In the poem The First Day After The War by Mazizi Kunene, the poet celebrates
the Zulu culture and freedom after oppression. The 3 poetic devices that are
highlighted in The First Day After The War are Tone, Imagery and Diction.

The imagery of joy and new beginnings mentioned in stanza 1, Line 1 “We
heard the songs of wedding party” represents joyful celebration and the start
of a new life. In lines 2-3 the poet speaks of “a soft light” and “young blades of
grass”, This creates an image of the new generation of young people who are
being born into a land of freedom and hope.

The diction in the poem emphasizes joy, rebirth, and a new beginning. The
speaker mentions ‘songs’, a ‘wedding party’ a ‘soft light’ and the ‘young blades
of grass’ these words are connotations of joy, rebirth, and a new beginning. In
line 4 stanza 1, the word ‘hesitated’ indicates their confusion and difficulty
believing they are free from oppression.

The tone is initially one of disbelief that the oppression has come to an end,
and restrained joy, followed by ecstatic jubilance and pride. There Is hesitation
at first, but the signs become clear and the exclamation mark in line 5 ‘her face
emerged, then her eyes of freedom!’ shows the final realization of what is
happening.

Thus the speaker addresses the overwhelming joy that is celebrated among the
people of South Africa now that oppression is over and that freedom has been
awarded. The speaker produces a clear image of rejoicing and liberty through
the tone and diction of the poem.
 Macbeth:
In the play Macbeth written by Shakespeare, Macbeth is most certainly
responsible for his own demise. This is evident by Macbeth's desire for power
of the throne which leads him to commit treason. Lady Macbeth is also a
crucial character in Macbeth's downfall as well as the witches.
Macbeth's initial desire for power and the throne leads him to commit the
murder of King Duncan, setting off a chain reaction of further crimes and to
maintain his position. He knows that murdering Duncan is a heinous act, and
he wrestles with his thoughts. However, his overwhelming desire for the throne
leads him to the realization that evil is the only choice to achieve his goal. The
evidence lies in Macbeth's own thoughts, actions, and the consequences he
faces throughout the play, all of which trace back to his desire for power. As a
result, Macbeth is to blame for his own tragic demise.
Lady Macbeth plays a crucial role in pushing Macbeth toward the murder of
King Duncan. While she does not directly force him to commit the murder, she
manipulates him through emotional blackmail and challenging his masculinity,
therefore pushing him into darker deeds. This is evident when she calls him a
coward for hesitating to act on the witches' prophecies. Her taunts and
manipulation prey on Macbeth until he agrees to murder King Duncan. While
Macbeth's ambition is a primary factor in his downfall, Lady Macbeth's
influence is instrumental in pushing him along the path of destruction.
The witches' prophecies serve as a catalyst for Macbeth's actions. Their
predictions spark his ambition and curiosity, leading him to believe he is
invincible. The idea of being king begins to obsess him and he becomes
consumed with fulfilling this destiny. This is evident when Macbeth returns to
visit the witches demonstrating his growing dependence on their prophecies.
The witches' role in Macbeth's downfall also raises questions about fate and
free will. While the witches make prophecies, Macbeth still has the choice to
act on them or not. His decisions and actions seal his fate.

In conclusion, Macbeth's downfall is driven by his ambition, manipulation from

Lady Macbeth, the influence of the witches, and external forces like Macduff’s
quest for justice. Macbeth's descent into madness and tyranny leads to his
tragic demise, highlighting the consequences that can result from choices one
makes in pursuit of one's desires.