Exploring the Main Characters in Five Poems of Distinct Cultures - Coursework Example

Exploring the Main Characters in Five Poems of Distinct Cultures Prior to examining the poem “I, too” by Langston Hughes, it is quite essential to consider the social and cultural influences of the black poet who is critically acclaimed at having exhibited revolutionary approach with jazz poetry of the 1920s and the period known as the Harlem Renaissance. Hughes lived in the age wherein social injustice against the black communities prevailed in the U.S. so the character in “I, too” must be one coming from the black race and Hughes chooses to use a first-person point of view to project a large part of him that manifests semblance and agreement to the sentiments of the speaker. Basically, the poem depicts the issue of color which is a common theme on the majority of literary works by Hughes and a tone that suggests racial inequality that forms through the confession of the “darker brother”. The adverb “too” signifies inclusion which connotes something missing or only part of the American population, more specifically the supreme race, are entitled to so in a way, the speaker appeals for equal rights of living with the white people of America. “I, too” presents a type of protagonist who struggles to adapt to his mistreating environment where he is often brought to “eat in the kitchen” upon the arrival of the company which could be the greater authority or the race in command. Despite such unfavorable circumstances, however, the black narrator hopes to keep up a good fight which the line “They’ll see how beautiful I am” reflects so that he may be justified to conclude “I, too, am America.” Repetition of “I” and “too” opens and closes the poem, respectively, and Hughes establishes metaphor in rendering the speaker to claim on ending with a patriotic pitch that he is America. As a Guyanese poet, on the other hand, Grace Nichols believes that Caribbean rhythms connect her sense of spirituality in Africa to all other cultures of the East and the West. This can be well recognized in her work “Praise Song for My Mother” which primarily characterizes her coastal life as applied to the maternal sentiments she uniquely identifies her mother with. Through a series of enjambment which normally appear on the beginning of each stanza under a nostalgic tone, Nichols makes her mother the central figure of the metaphors which she utilizes in comparing Caribbean attributes with the relevant traits possessed by her mother. The use of water, moon’s eye, and sunrise is elemental then the speaker, in the second-person point of view, elaborates the basic details with extended metaphors in order for the reader to understand how special and affectionate parenting is experienced during the childhood days of the poet. Essentially, Nichols likens her mother’s care to the general life in the coast where almost all natural resources by which to sustain one’s living exist just as everything a child needs is with the loving mother’s safekeeping. Such is evident in “deep and bold and fathoming” which is quite symbolic of qualities a mother’s goodness has as well as “rise and warm and streaming” in reference to the characteristics of blood and milk all mothers share in common. With repetition of the word “replenishing” after enumeration with fishes, flamer’s tree, and crab’s leg, Nichols puts a stress on her encounter of abundance with the coast which does not occur to run out of life’s fundamental necessities just like a mother’s love and patience that altogether endures with time. “Island Man” is another piece which Grace Nichols fashions in the absence of punctuations throughout the poem’s structure. One may feel that the poet’s attempt with enjambment has to do with the substance of her chosen subject which is hugely associated to Caribbean features involving seas and waves representing expanse and forms that are typically free and unbounded in nature. On this ground, thus, Nichols prefers not to punctuate in discussing the lifestyle of the Caribbean man who happens to be a Londoner at the same time. Nichols narrates “Island Man” in third person and decides for a male to comprise the intended character since the piece demonstrates a life of adventure with the island in ample detail as opposed to a mundane living and work in the usual London place. Such contrast points to a matter of concern among masculine figures who are fond of diversion to exotic spots for some relief and freedom from toxic urban work. Sibilance may be observed at the line with “sun surfacing” and in subtle hissing with “the sound of blue surf” in order to enliven the passages rich with descriptive imagery about an island experience. Marked by a tone of enthusiasm over more than halfway the composition, the transition is realized along the line in which “groggily” is repeated after the man is said to have returned from a Caribbean mode of thought into the real mode of an apparently dull city life. Famous Scottish poet Norman MacCaig, similarly, conveys his maudlin recollection of Gaelic culture during his youth in “Aunt Julia” which revolves around the character of a close relative, aunt Julia, with whom MacCaig spent most of his tender years. Based on the poem, the narrative voice of the speaker manages to express how he has learned to value the rural and rather conservative life with his aunt and the nature she is used to. There emerges repetition in the lines “Aunt Julia spoke Gaelic very loud and very fast” and MacCaig necessitates this to address the issue of his frustration to comprehend his aunt and, thus, an ancestral orientation that seems far and strange from the modern civilization grown up with. To her nephew, Julia’s ways indicate how significantly old Scottish traditions have embedded on her attitude and livelihood means as viewed via “paddling with the treadle of the spinning wheel” and “her right hand drew yarn.” Both the effects of plosive and sibilance are found in the use of “buckets” and “flouncing” correspondingly as MacCaig perceives these words as suitable metaphors for a person with whom he gains trouble at trying to cope with language barrier yet whom he grows to appreciate by heart, having discovered that his main understanding of aunt Julia is in everything which bears her identity regardless of the regret with “so many questions / unanswered.” Nigerian poet Niyi Osundare, like the aforementioned intellectuals, creates his piece to depict events in his community which are worth the while of being told and relayed on the mass majority for social awareness. Through “Not my Business”, Osundare provides a concrete picture of the unpleasant realities which the Nigerian lives are confronted with on a regular basis and the rhetorical portion of his song “What business of mine is it / So long they don’t take the yam / From my savouring mouth?” registers a tone that later encourages the reading public to take action against unjust deeds and oppression occurring in silence. Osundare, shapes the principal character according to his knowledge of a person in their tribal society who does not pay regard to unrighteous affairs or felonies witnessed in hiding as long as his general economy remains unaffected. Each of the Akanni, Danladi, and Chinwe is a tribe whose encounters serve a lesson to the uncaring speaker who confesses the stanza-long stories in first person viewpoint for the purpose, perhaps, of effective delivery of the poem’s theme and overall meaning. To achieve the desired impact, the poet utilizes euphemism with “lengthy absence” and a necessary alliteration with “hungry hand” of the greedy character who becomes fated by the horrors of silence, an irony to fear and ill happenings which selfish people like him opt to neglect at the expense of innocent others. Read More