This document provides a critical analysis of the poem "Woman Work" by Maya Angelou using Marxism theory. [1] It summarizes the background of the poem and societal context of the 1960s-1970s time period. [2] The analysis explores the conflicts portrayed in the poem between men creating the ideology of women's work and women's desire to run away from their domestic responsibilities. [3] It examines how the poem reveals the class structure of gender and class conflict through the oppressed main character.

1. CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF
POETRYMarxism Theory Entitled “Woman
Analysis of Poem by Maya Angelou
Work” by using
Alfiani Safitri
Fira Nursya’bani
Meyza Pritama

2. Woman Work by Maya
Angelou

3. Text Analysis

5. Figurative Language
Personification
Stanza 2: Stanza 3: Stanza 4:
Shine on me, sunshine Storm, blow me from here Fall gently, snowflakes
Rain on me, rain With your fiercest wind Cover me with white
Fall softly, dewdrops Let me float across the sky Cold icy kisses and
And cool my brow again. ‘Til I can rest again. Let me rest tonight.
Sun, rain, curving sky
Mountain, oceans, leaf and
stone
Star shine, moon glow
You’re all that I can call my
Hyperbola own.

6. Imageries

7. Character and Setting
The character in this poetry is a housewife
The setting is in her own house in America 1960s-1970s

8. Maya Angelou
Marguerite Annie Johnson
born on 4th April 1928 in St. Louis,
Missouri
experienced the brutality of racial
discrimination in her childhood
respected as a spokesperson for Black
people and women
I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings (1970)
Gather Together in My Name (1974)
A Song Flung Up To Heaven (2002)
She is also the first African-American woman who wrote a scenario
of a movie, Georgia, Georgia (1971)
Source: mayaangelou.com

9. Marxism Theory
The main principles of Marxist theory:
- reality itself can be defined and understood.
- society shapes our consciousness.
- social and economic conditions influence.
- Marxism details a plan for changing the world.

10. Analysis of “Woman Work” by Maya Angelou
by using Marxism theory
Aspects included:
-- Background of the poem
-- Society
-- Conflict
-- Contrary

11. Background of the Poem
The text is published in August, 12 1978.
The author intended to publish the poem to the public in 1978, included in
And Still I Rise book.
The poem tells about woman in that era where feminism appeared and the
issue about woman as the subordinate.
The author, Maya Angelou is a member of the oppressor, because her
poem tells about woman as she is, and she tries to describe the woman
work and woman feeling about it, through her poem.
The economic issues when the poem published are …

12. Conflicts
Man creates the ideology of woman work. Man gives what woman needs,
but she has to take care of family includes man.
Woman gets what she needs from man.
Contrary
Woman wants to runaway from her problem.
Woman is set to work at home and taking care of her family.
The main character defies the dominant ideology.

13. Society
It reveals the class structure of gender.
It reveals the class conflict in the year the poem was created.
It shows that there is a character being oppressed.

14. Thank you for attention and question ..