Literary Analysis Essay on Maya Angelou's Poem, "Still I Rise": A Fight for Justice

Introduction

Maya Angelou's poem, "Still I rise" is a powerful and transformative piece of literature. The choice of words and the manner in which the stanzas link up together is in a way that shows arrogance against perpetrators of injustices. This poem defines a character that has been oppressed but has had enough. It represents a woman ready to fight for herself through literature. The power of the poetry is in not only the message but also how it is packaged. The author proves her prowess in English by the stylistic devices used to emphasize her dedication and activism. This poem represents a fight for justice by the use of well-chosen vocabulary and exceptional figurative language.

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The Persona's Defiance and Fight for Justice

In the poem, the persona addresses the oppressor directly. By use of the word "you," it is possible to understand who the poem is directed at. This makes it a fight between two parties. The oppressor's evil deeds are repeatedly listed with numerous references by use of "you." For instance, in the first stanza, line 3 and four states, "You may tread me in the very dirt; But still, like dirt, I'll rise." The author has taken this general format. She exhibits the determination to get up no matter still the form of injustice and the allegations brought up. Stanza by stanza, there is an emphasis on the theme that no matter what happens to the persona, she will rise from the ashes. It is as if the author is defiant to a level that is meant to touch the ethical sense of the oppressor.

The Power of Words: Impeccable Choice and Repetition

The choice of words by Maya Angelou is impeccable in presenting the fight for justice. In the second stanza, the word sassiness indicates high self-esteem and probably an egocentric nature. This is the use of hyperbole and serves to provoke a response from the oppressor. The reader gets a feeling that those who were discriminated upon was because of their bizarre beauty which made the bully jealous and hence chose to curtail some rights and freedoms. The repetition is evident with the references to beauty as the words haughtiness and sexiness are also used in the poem. Such a repetition makes it hard to ignore that the poem is aimed at spiting the "you" in the poem. At the same time, the number of times "I rise" is repeated makes the poem resonant in one's head. In stanza six, use of the words "shoot," "cut" and "kill" shows the severity of injustice.

Unique Rhyme Scheme and Rhythm

"Still I Rise" has a total of nine stanzas, and the line arrangement is unique. There is a use of rhyme to create a rhythm and to make the poem easy to remember. The author uses a unique rhyme scheme for the stanzas. For instance, in stanza one, the rhyme is in an 'abcb' format. The last words for each of the lines in stanza one are "history," "lies," "dirt," and "rise." The rhyme is in an alternating manner as the 2nd and 4th lines have a rhyming sound. This trend is noticeable from the first to the seventh stanza. At this point, there is a change as the poem comes to an end. The rhyme scheme for each stanza turns into 'aabb' as the author decides to repeat the phrase "I rise" in the first two lines of stanza 8 and 9. For stanza eight, the rhyme in the last two lines is created by "tide" and "wide." For the last stanza, the rhyme results from "gave" and "slave." The use of rhyme is in a bid to create emphasis on the keywords and to create a lively mood to make the poem interesting to the reader.

Figurative Language: Animating the Poem and Confronting Injustices

The use of figurative language is in a bid to animate the poem and its context. The clarity of the imagery is one that creates pictures of the injustices faced. There is consistency in the way the persona makes meaningful comparisons through either similes or metaphors. In stanza four, the line "Shoulders falling down like teardrops" is a perfect example of a simile. In this context, the persona questions the oppressor whether their joy was to see her bitter. Such questions are a reflection of the views of society. She chooses to confront people with such sadist hearts directly. She aimed to disappoint them by promising that her shoulders would not fall down like teardrops, but instead, she would rise in spite of the injustices. In the last stanza, she metaphorically states "I am the dream and the hope of the slave." This line is self-explanatory as it shows the ambition to fight for the justice of slaves.

Conclusion

"Still I rise" is a rich poem regarding content. The fight for justice for the slaves and the African race is evident throughout the poem. The grievances have been voiced in a unique manner and by a woman who is adamant and understands her value in society. The choice of action words to ethically discredit the oppressor is portrayed on many occasions, and the poem is filled with imagery, similes, and metaphors. All in all, the result of the use of every stylistic device is to create emphasis and to showcase the fight for justice.