Well we have decided to help students by providing some insights such as background, poetic devices, themes, structure and about the poet summary to aid them understand and prepare ahead of their examination.
ABOUT THE POET
Leopold Senghor was born in Senegal in 1906, he was Educated in Dakar, Senegal, and ' Paris, France. Leopold was the first West African to graduate from the Sorbonne (a part of the University of Paris). He was regarded as the Father of negritude (negro). it is based on the philosophy that promotes the consciousness and pride in the African heritage, it cherishes the state of being a black man and his cultural values.
As a Catholic, he wanted to be a priest, but later got involved in the
cultural and political activities of his country. During the second world war,
he fought on the side of the French and was taken as a prisoner of war in then
Nazi Germany. He rose to the position of deputy of Senegal in the French
constituent Assembly. In 1960, he became the first president of an independent
Republic of Senegal and He retired from active politics in 1980.
BACKGROUND OF THE POEM
Senghor's 'Black Woman' is the first-ever African poem that is dedicated and
devoted to appreciating the beauty of African women. The poem was originally
written in French as "femme noir", and later translated to English. "Black
Woman" is a revolutionary poem published in 1936, the time at which many
people are not ready for the change in the narrative of the perfect definition
of beauty. Senghor is a leading figure of the Negritude movement, which
originated in France and set out to celebrate African
identity and
culture. In the poem, "Black Woman" Senghor personifies Africa as a beautiful
woman, who is sometimes a maternal figure and sometimes a lover. The poem's
ideological content and being the first-ever creative work that eulogized
African women outstands it. The poem "Black woman" is Senghor's most cited
poem to date, largely because it is the first time a black woman is
eulogized.
SETTINGS
The setting of the poem is Africa. The poem is set in the 19205 and 19305 when
no one could think of a black woman when matters concerning beauty and charms
are been raised or discussed. Senghor creatively employs all the features that
are then used to paint her ugliness and nastiness to give poa positive
valuation to African women.
He deploys the imagery of nature such
as animal, "the bush(savannah)", "ripe fruit", "east wind" "red-gold",
"sun—baked", etc to restore admiration for the image of the black woman.(ads)
SUMMARY
The poet persona in "Black Woman" praises the African black woman as a person
and symbol of the richness of African culture. It elevates the beauty, purity,
strategic location, cultural heritage, and personality of Africa, which has
been personified as a woman that offers enormous comfort to the persona.
When
the poet persona says: "in your shadow have grown up", it creates the image of
a mother who dutifully nurtures a child from infant to adulthood, " the
gentleness of your hands was laid over my eyes" depict the soothing comfort of
a mother's caress.
In the poem, the black woman is seen as a
mother, daughter, sister whose beauty is natural and perfect.
In
the last stanza, line 30—33, I Sing your beauty that passes, the form that I
fix in the eternal, / Before jealous fate turn you to ashes to feed the roots
of life.",
Here, the poet says as one boasts of his possessions, so
should one also be aware of attracting envious eyes, even from 'fate' and as
the persona is well aware of this fact, he ends his praise by hinting at the
impending demise of the ”woman" by "her" detractor, 'fate'. This impending
destruction is what propels the urgency and necessity needed by the persona to
sing the "woman's" praises while she still can appreciate them. The poet also
uses the poem to, stress the need to accord the black woman her rightful place
in the scheme of things in African society.
THEMES
African Beauty
The poem gives prominence to the admiration and glorification of the beauty of
the black woman; hence the whole of the poem is devoted to the beauty of the
black woman. The poet admires the beautiful smooth skin of the African woman,
which strikes his heart" like the lighting of the eagle" he appreciates the
powerful black presence of the natural black woman around him right from his
childhood. The African woman's body is then compared to the of a ripened
fruit, and whose resonant contralto voice is regarded as the spiritual anthem
of the nation. The poet describes the African woman as elegant, graceful, and
pure in all her physical attributes. This, the poet achieved by evoking
elements of beauty in the poem, such as: " sun-baked pass", the "heart of
summer" "the heart of noon", " firm-fleshed ripe fruit", somber raptures of
black wine" to refer to African that is personified as a Naked woman, a Black
woman in the poem.
The Nurturing Quality of a Black Woman.
In the poem, the poet does not cease to express the unbeatable qualities of a
black woman as the source and sustainer of the growing child. The poet
expresses his affection and appreciation to the black woman who had care
tenderly in the gentleness of her hands until he enters the "promised land" of
adulthood (Lines 1- 10). The ability of a black woman to give birth and
sustain the life of the infant child is applauded. Also, the role of the
African woman as the first teacher of the child is uncovered by the poet, as
he remembers his mother's tutelage at the various stages of childhood that
sustained his growth into adulthood. (Line 4—5)
“The Theme of Praises of the Africa Culture.
The theme of the praises of the Africa culture cannot be overlooked in the
poem. The poet's choice of words to enchant the praises of the black woman is
extraordinary.
In lines 1-2, the poet made a direct call of a naked
woman, a black woman who is "clothed" with her color which is life. The poet
showers praise on the natural black color of the African woman's skin, and
everything about the black woman. Her smooth skin is compared to that of an
athletel The poet further praises the African woman as graceful and elegant as
a gazelle. The natural beauty of the black woman in the poem is the richness
of the African culture before the colonization.
STRUCTURE
Senghor's "Black Woman" is written in seven stanzas, 33 lines. The poem is
written from the first-person perspective and in free verse-meaning that it
has no set rhyme scheme.
In the first stanza, the poet expresses
his fondness for the black woman as he describes the blackness of the color of
her skin as beautiful. Here, Africa is presented as a maternal mother who
gives life through birth. And under whose shadow the poet persona's childhood
has been nourished.(ads)
Senghor presents the
black woman as a lover in the second stanza of the poem. He compares the black
body of the African woman of a ripened fruit, and the Savannah which"
shuddering beneath" eagerly caress the east wind. Her skin is further compared
to the well "carved tom-tom, taut tom-tom" drum the mutters under a valiant
conqueror's fingers. Besides, her solemn contralto voice has become the
spiritual song of the beloved" one's.
In the third stanza of the
poem, the adoration of the black skin of the African woman continues. Her
smooth skin is further compared to that of an athlete On the flanks of the
princes of Mali, " the elegant and graceful movement of the black woman is
also compared to that of a gazelle limbs formed in paradise. While the pearls
shine stars on her skin on a heavenly night of celebration.
In the
last stanza, Senghor sees the black woman as Africa personified. He prefers to
keep the beauty of the African woman perpetually hanging on the walls of his
mind. This memory will not be affected even when "...jealous fate (death)
turns her .. to ashes to feed the root of life. The natural beauty of the
African woman is compared to that of Africa before the colonial masters
invaded and colonized the continent.
POETIC DEVICES
Diction:
The poet's choice of words to symbolized the beauty of the black woman is
stunning.
He deliberately uses words like nakedness, black, and
darkness which are seen as negative attributes to praise the natural beauty of
the black woman. The poet is also challenging the African woman to appreciate
her natural beauty and not to bleach the dark skin in the name of the
sophisticated culture of the western world.
Metaphor:
Metaphor is a prominent figure of speech used in the poem. The black woman is
compared to the "promised land," "ripe fruit," "Savannah", oil, and gazelle in
lines 4,7,12, and 13.(ads)
Simile:
The literary device is used in line 5 "your beauty strikes me to the heart
like the flash of an eagle," the comparison brings to mind the beauty and
nobility of an eagle.
Repetition:
line 1 "naked woman, black woman" and. Line 6 "Naked woman, dark woman" is
repeated in lines 11 and 16 respectively to emphasize the natural beauty of
the African woman.
Personification:
The "black woman" is figuratively used to personified the African continent
and Senghor's country, Senegal. The poet uses beauty of the color of the
African woman's skin to personified the rich African culture before western
influence and colonization.
Imagery:
The poet's deploys natural imagery to link the Beauty of the black woman to
nature, and by the same token to his homeland of Senegal. Natural images like
wind, sun, moon, night, and stars are presented as attributes of the darkness
of the African woman's skin.
Alliteration:
The poet uses alliteration to buttress the beauty of the black woman in
lines 1,2,3,6,7,9 etc.
- Line 1,6,11 and 16 naked women blackwoman
- Line 2 "clothed with your color which is life, with your form which is beauty"
- Line 3 "...grown-up; the gentleness..."
- Line 7 " firm-fleshed ripe fruit..... Mouth making lyrical my mouth"
- Line 9 "carved tom-tom, taut tom-tom..."
(ads)
Symbolism:
Symbolic words like:" the promised land, ripe fruit, Savannah, oil and gazelle
to symbolize the natural beauty of the black woman as a person, as well as a
symbol of an African woman and mother Africa.
Mood
The mode of the poem is that of Adulation. The poet admires the tremendous
beauty of the naked woman, a black woman. He describes everything about the
African woman as naturally beautiful.
Senghor sees Africa as the
black woman he loves to celebrate. He seeks to adore that state of natural
beauty before it is taken away by death.
Tone:
The poet's tone of the appreciation of the natural beauty of the black woman permeates the poem. He praises the African woman not only for her natural smooth dark skin but also for the way and manner she brings up her children.
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