Still I Rise by Maya Angelou - Essay Example

“Still I rise” is a stirring poem that depicts the determination of the speaker to ignore and rise above those who discriminate against her. The speaker is an African-American and has faced racial discrimination, as well as the legacy of being from slave parentage. However, instead of despairing, she gives a rousing dramatic monologue that shows her disdain for this discrimination and tells of how despite all the hardships she will continue to rise above it all. Angelou uses various forms of figurative language in her poem to better convey the message to the reader. This essay will explore some of these elements and see how they add to the poem.

In stanza one, the speaker tells that even though those who discriminate against her, have written damning things in history; it matters not, because she knows the truth about herself and her ancestors. Therefore, she will continue to move forward and rise above the false allegations. Inline two, assonance is used “bitter twisted” to describe the lies that have been written about the African-Americans. The harsh-sounding “i’s” in the two words demonstrate how cruel these false stories were. So, when the speaker says “I’ll rise” at the end of the stanza, the liberating feeling is enhanced by the previous harsh sounding “bitter twisted”.

The most common form of figurative language found in the poem is the simile. For instance, in stanza three the speaker likens herself to the moon and the sun “Just like moons and like suns”. This simile reveals to us that the speaker constantly rises, again and again, no matter how she is oppressed and put down by others; for, the sun and moon rise each day and night, and so shall she. Just like nothing can prevent the sun and moon from rising, nothing can prevent her from rising above her circumstances, causing her to provide the light of hope for others through her actions and words. In Stanza Four, another simile is used in line three, “Shoulders falling down like teardrops”. This simile creates a vivid and emotional image of how sad and dejected racism and slavery can make a person, causing them to bow beneath the sorrow. Yet, the speaker tells her audience that this will not happen to her; for, she does not bow to anyone’s wishes, allowing them to make her weep. Various other similes appear in the poem which enhances the emotional quality of the poem and aid in creating evocative imagery, making the fact that the speaker can overcome all her hardships more spectacular.

There are also numerous forms of personification in the poem. It is most prevalent in stanza six. “You may shoot me with your words” is a line that gives “words” the ability to perform a human activity “shoot”, showing how someone’s words have the ability to hit another with painful force, hurting them. Line two of the stanza says “You may cut me with your eyes”, here “eyes”, are given the power to “cut”, also a human activity; this explains how the looks one gives another can wound that person. Line three shows how emotion is personified, “You may kill me with your hatefulness”, demonstrating how negative emotions can hurt and defeat a person.

In Stanza eight, a metaphor is used to describe how the speaker thinks of herself, “I’m a black ocean, leaping and wide”. This metaphor describes how the speaker’s single act of defiance has a large impact. For, it gives others the courage to also rise above their pain and oppression, expanding the confidence of the downtrodden African-American race. The word “leaping” suggests a feeling of joy felt by the speaker as she inspires others to follow her path and defy the condemnation of others and the painful past. The final stanza has another metaphor, “I am the dream and the hope of the slave”. Here the speaker compares herself to “a dream” and “hope”, once again telling of how her actions and words have the ability to give the oppressed the hope to put everything behind them and move forward, rising above it all. Read More