Thus, it can be concluded that Angelou is the speaker of both poems. Furthermore, 'Still I Rise' was originally written in English but later on an album titled 'Still I Rise' was released featuring songs by various artists including Rihanna and Jay-Z. The repetition of 'I rise' serves to emphasize more than just the poem's core image (of rising, overcoming obstacles etc.) but also its theme (personal strength and determination). When reading the poem for the first time, it is simple to recognize Angelou as the speaker. For example, when his mother died, he turned this tragedy into a statement about human dignity. In addition, Angelou admired Lincoln's ability to turn negative experiences into positive ones. Instead, he hoped to convince them to allow blacks to be hired as laborers which would not have destroyed any culture or economy. Although Lincoln fought against slavery, he did not want to destroy the South because it would have been economically disastrous. He is mentioned several times in 'Still I Rise' and the closing line comes from one of his speeches: 'And thus we conclude that freedom is not free'. It is apparent that these authors were important to Angelou's development as a writer.įinally, Angelou cited Abraham Lincoln as an influence on her work. Another influence was Homer's Iliad which contains some of the most memorable lines in English literature. One of her favorite poets was Shakespeare who she often quoted or referred to characters from his plays. The title itself is significant: It implies that no matter how many times someone tries to bring someone down, they will always rise again.Īngelou used other sources to inform her work. Because Angelou frequently wrote about blackness and black women, 'Still I Rise' might be understood as a critique of anti-black racism. In general, the poem asserts the dignity and perseverance of underprivileged people in the face of injustice. Still I Rise was written in 1971 but is still relevant today. This idea continues throughout the poem as Angelou compares the girl's life to that of other women so they can identify with her journey towards freedom. In the opening lines, we are told that this young girl's name is Still I Rise because even though she falls down, she gets back up again.

She feels like a rising sun as she thinks of all the struggles and victories that have led up to this moment. In this poem, Angelou imagines a young girl who has not yet come into her own power and strength, similar to that of King's dreamer. Still I Rise takes its title from a line in Martin Luther King Jr.'s 'I Have a Dream Speech'. The first woman of color to be awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry, she has been called 'the mother of modern poetry in English' (The Guardian). Maya Angelou, born Marguerite Annie Johnson, was an American poet, writer, and civil rights activist. She uses language effectively to create impact and stir emotion in its readers. Its message of freedom and survival was a recurring subject in Angelou's writing. 'Still I Rise,' a strong poem by Maya Angelou, relies on a variety of inspirations, including her personal past and the African American experience in the United States. What is the overall message that Angelou delivers through her poem, Still I Rise? In 1964, Angelou became the first woman appointed to the President's Committee on Employment Policy. Two years later, she started her own publishing company, Mayflower Books, which published eight volumes of her own works before it went bankrupt in 1962. After graduating, she moved to New York City where she worked as a clerk at several magazines until she found work as a book reviewer in 1955. This inspired her to study literature at several universities including Wake Forest College where she earned her B.A. She had six siblings.Īt age fourteen, when most girls her age were preparing for marriage, Angelou wrote some poems which were published in the school newspaper.

Her parents were middle class and worked hard to give their children a better life. Louis County during the Great Depression. Maya Angelou was an American poet, writer, and civil rights activist who has been called 'the mother of modern poetry in the United States.' Born on April 4th, 1928, in St. As a result, the lines 'I rise' are repeated throughout the poem in various situations to demonstrate her will to triumph despite all attempts to erase her history, suppress her voice, and drag her down with hatred. 'Still I Rise,' a poem by Maya Angelou, concerns attempts to oppress and suppress African Americans.

Maya angelou quotes still i rise