Poetry Analysis of Maya Angelous Caged Bird Essay

Poetry Analysis of Maya Angelous Caged Bird ‘Caged Bird’ is a poem written by Maya Angelou which considers the conditions of the ‘free bird’ and the ‘caged bird’. Actually this contrast between the birds enables her to express her own emotions about freedom and isolation. The poem is quite symbolic so there are various hidden messages she tries to convey about her feelings mostly indirectly. In the first stanza Maya Angelou breathes life into her description of the ‘free bird’ by using verbs like ‘leaps’, ‘floats’, ‘dips’. The ‘free bird’ is a symbol of freedom and these well-chosen verbs are especially meaningful because they contain joy and energy – this is a hint for us to discover how Maya Angelou feels about freedom as well.†¦show more content†¦In the second and third stanza she goes on to describe the ‘caged bird’ by using words like ‘bars of rage’, ‘grave’, ‘fearful’, ‘shadow’. These ominous words are references to isolation and they are disturbing compared with freedom. This method of contrast that she uses throughout the poem is powerful to highlight the comfort of freedom and how the poet achieves a better understanding of the ease of freedom by comparing it with something worse. Maya Angelou also uses irony to be cleverer and effective but less direct in conveying her feelings. ‘The caged bird sings with a fearful trill’. This sentence is ironic as the caged bird is the one singing not the free bird as we expect. However, the words ‘fearful’ and ‘trill’ makes us realize that actually it is not a happy tune but a desperate cry for freedom. This relief enables us to reach to more depth and appreciate freedom. Another device Maya Angelou uses to emphasize the beauty of freedom is by repetition. The fact that the third stanza is repeated at the end is for emphasis because it reflects the two birds that are different. ‘For the caged bird sings of freedom’ is the last line of the poem and it delivers a very important message for the reader - the caged bird wants to be like the free bird. This tells us that we should be aware and thankful for the freedom we have and basically this sums up the whole poem. The rhyme tries to create pattern of neatness and containment – ‘trill’, ‘still’, ‘hill’ andShow MoreRelatedMaya Angelou : An Influential Voices Of Modern Society Essay1386 Words   |  6 PagesMaya Angelou, born Marguerite Ann Johnson on the 4th of April 1928, was born in St. Louis, Missouri and grew up in Stamps, Arkansas. Maya Angelou is regarded as one of the most noteworthy, influential voices of modern society with over 50 doctorate degrees. 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