Africa, a poem by Maya Angelou, is a powerful and evocative piece that personifies the continent, exploring its history, suffering, and resilience. The poem encapsulates Africa’s journey from its ancient grandeur through the period of exploitation and colonisation to its eventual awakening and strength. Africa was originally published in 1975 in her second volume of poetry, Oh Pray My Wings Are Gonna Fit Me Well.
Maya Angelou’s prose and poetry often raise questions about black identity and how white oppressors have challenged the survival of African heritage over multiple generations. However, this oppression has also had a motivating effect, as Angelou outlines in numerous works how the suffering of her African ancestors inspired the strength and resilience of their descendants —African Americans like herself. Unfortunately, history often repeats itself: just as the Africans described in Africa were subjected to slavery and sexual violence in colonial times, their descendants in America and around the world have fought, generation after generation, against racism and the incivilities that arise from it.
Africa conveys several themes prevalent in Angelou’s works: oppression, racial tensions, violence, female power, freedom, and hope. Despite a reasonably regular rhyme scheme, the irregular beats per line and lines per stanza make the poem an example of free verse. Given the poem’s title, reverent tone, and use of repetition, it reads as a kind of anthem —a love song for Africa that describes all the pain it endured before finding hope and joy. Africa is personified as a beautiful but vulnerable woman, as depicted through vivid imagery. However, just as attractive women are often subjected to violence, the continent is eventually ravaged by the invasion of white Europeans. Colonisation imposed religion and slavery upon Africans, leading to violence and the death of many natives. The poem eventually concludes with a message of hope: Africa will triumph and rise above its pain like a woman rising after a violent experience that has knocked her down. “She” is ready to take back power and thrive again.
Summary
The poem begins with an elaborate description of what appears to be a female figure lying down. The unidentified speaker describes this figure in the past tense as if telling a story. The various references to female anatomy —from hair to feet to breasts —initially convince the reader that the speaker is indeed speaking of a woman. However, the geographical references intertwined with these human characteristics quickly make it clear that the speaker is describing Africa. The continent is merely personified as a beautiful woman. The sugar cane fields, deserts, mountains, and rivers of the continent are described rapturously —the continent is as enchanting as a beautiful woman. However, the Nile River is depicted as the woman’s tears—in all its loveliness, Africa is suffering.
The second stanza elaborates on this struggle. Brigands, or bandits, are described as sailing to the continent on icy seas. Their demeanour is likewise icy, and they are rough brutes. These bandits were the white Europeans who arrived in Africa and enslaved the natives. They are described as taking —or raping— the young women and selling the men into slavery. Many Africans were also killed. The Africans were further subjected to imposed Christian practices, losing their religious freedom. At this point, Africa is not depicted as lying down peacefully. Instead, she is lying down in pain, beaten to the ground by her oppressors.
The last stanza, however, shows the resilience of the African people. The tone is both passionate and hopeful. The speaker recounts that Africa in the present is no longer lying down and succumbing to the oppressors. She has lifted herself and is rising above the pain. The speaker recalls the horrors the continent experienced and appeals to the listener to remember these terrible acts. The poem concludes on a triumphant note: Africa has risen again, and she is walking with confidence. The African people are resisting their oppressors, ready to regain their power and thrive again.
Characterisation
The Speaker
The speaker of the poem is an unidentified person with an omniscient, or all-knowing, point of view. The speaker may have witnessed the events described in the poem or perhaps is aware of these events and is relaying the history of Africa. She conveys great empathy and compassion for its people and expresses hope for the continent’s future.
Africa
The continent itself is personified throughout the poem as a beautiful woman. Various geographical features, such as deserts, mountains, and rivers, are described as features of this woman. She is both oppressed and powerful, broken and triumphant. Africa is represented as a motherland—specifically, the motherland of Angelou’s ancestry.
The Listener
The speaker tells the story of Africa to almost anyone willing to listen. She asks the listener to remember the pain of Africa’s past and recognise that Africa will rise above its troubles again. The speaker is asking all of humanity to recognise the atrocities that have taken place in her motherland.
Brigands
“Brigands” is a synonym for bandits. The brigands referred to in the poem are most likely the Europeans who colonised Africa and dramatically changed the lives of the natives. They invaded the continent, killed many natives, and enslaved countless others by taking them to the New World. Those who remained in Africa were subjected to the rules and religion of the Europeans. The brigands robbed the Africans of their way of life and, in many cases, their actual lives.
Daughters and Sons
The daughters and sons are the Africans who were taken or tormented by Europeans. Both men and women were subjected to abuse and hard labour when enslaved, and many women were raped and bore the children of their masters. The use of the words “daughter” and “son” as opposed to “woman” and “man” emphasises that families were torn apart. Without daughters and sons, there are no future generations. The African people are in danger of dying out if family units are dissolved.
Jesus
While Jesus is often depicted positively in other Angelou poems as a source of faith and spiritual comfort, the context is different in this poem. In this verse, Jesus represents the religious beliefs that the Europeans forced upon the Africans. While spirituality may have given many enslaved people hope and comfort, such Christian ideals were still imposed on the Africans. They lost their spiritual heritage and had a foreign one imposed on them. In this poem, Jesus, therefore, represents the religious oppression of the Africans.
Themes
Oppression
The poem describes the oppression of the African people through slavery. When Europeans arrived in Africa, Africans were killed, enslaved, and forced to adopt new religious beliefs and ways of life. Slavery turned Africans into property, stripping them of their humanity and cultural identity as many were forced to leave their native land.
Resistance and Resilience
As in many other poems, Angelou demonstrates and celebrates the human will to survive. In Africa, the people resisting oppression are specifically African men and women. They are fighting to survive physically, emotionally, and spiritually. If Africans can rise above pain and oppression, then African Americans —their descendants— will have the power to do the same. Courage and strength are the very fabric of their existence.
Female Power
Angelou’s poems often feature an influential female figure, and this poem is no exception. In this case, the continent of Africa is personified as a woman —beautiful and vulnerable, sad and powerful. While Angelou describes the plight of all African people —male and female —she interestingly chooses to tell the continent as a woman. This is likely a reference to the idea of a “motherland,” as well as a nod to the strength of the female spirit.
Personification and Imagery
Angelou’s depiction of Africa as a woman is a powerful literary device that humanises the continent, making its trials and triumphs deeply personal. This technique invites readers to empathise with Africa’s history as though it were the story of a close friend or relative.
The vivid descriptions of Africa’s physical features—”deserts her hair”, “mountains her breasts“, and “two Niles her tears”—create a striking visual that emphasises the continent’s natural beauty and the deep sorrow it has endured.
Historical and Political Context
The poem encapsulates Africa’s rich history and the devastating impact of colonisation and the slave trade. Angelou’s references to “brigands“ and the “black blood“ spilling through “white seas“ serve as a stark reminder of the violence and exploitation that Africa faced.
By highlighting Africa’s suffering and subsequent awakening, Angelou delivers a powerful political statement about the resilience of oppressed people. The poem calls attention to the ongoing struggles for freedom and justice, resonating with global movements for civil rights and decolonisation.
Stylistic Elements
Rhythm and Sound
Angelou’s rhythmic repetition in phrases like “she stood still“ and “she stood straight“ creates a musical quality that enhances the poem’s emotional impact. The repetition also underscores the themes of endurance and awakening.
Language and Diction
The poem’s language is lyrical and powerful, combining poetic beauty with a stark recounting historical realities. Angelou’s simple yet profound diction ensures that the poem’s message is accessible and impactful.
Maya Angelou’s Africa is a profound and multifaceted poem that blends powerful imagery, historical reflection, and a strong message of resilience and hope. While the poem specifically addresses Africa, its themes of suffering, resilience, and rebirth have universal appeal. Angelou’s portrayal of Africa’s journey mirrors the struggles and triumphs of all marginalised and oppressed peoples, making the poem resonate globally. The poem’s lyrical beauty and profound themes make it a significant contribution to literature, inviting readers to reflect on the complexities of history, identity, and the unyielding human spirit.