Here, I shared my presentation about: African Literature. My topic name is "Critical Appreciation of Maya Angelou's poem: 'Africa'". Problem with Black people: Social, reality, economic, if there is inferior, complex, various attitude that the negro adopts in contact with white civilisation.

1. Name: Zarna Bhatti
Roll no:5
Topic Name: Critical Appreciation of Maya
Angelou’s poem: “Africa”.
Email Id:zarnabhatti10@gmail.com
Submitted By: Smt.S.B. Gardi Department of
English MKBU.

2. Introduction of Poet
• Maya Angelou was born in 1928.
• She was an actor,
writer,director,and producer of
plays, movies and public television
programs.
• She faced constant racial
discrimination in Arkansas as a
young girl.
• During World War:2, she moved to
California and won a scholarship
to study dance and acting at the
California Labor School.
• She passed away on 28th
May,2014.
• She has received over 50 honorary
awards for her achievements.

3. • “Africa” this poem divided into three parts.
• In the first line of the poem, Africa is portrayed as a
complex and pretty ridiculously hot woman.
• In stanza:2, Africa is invaded by brigands that steal
men and women. And some forced religious
conversion.
• Stanza:3 Is where Africa starts to grab some power
for itself. Now the passive woman who suffered
throughout the years is “rising”, ready and to take on
the world.

4. Thus she had lain
sugercane sweet
deserts her hair
golden her feet
mountains her breasts
two Niles her tears.
Thus she has lain
Black through the years.
Over the white seas
rime white and cold
brigands ungentled
icicle bold
took her young daughters
sold her strong sons
churched her with Jesus
bled her with guns.
Thus she has lain.
Now she is rising
remember her pain
remember the losses
her screams loud and vain
remember her riches
her history slain
now she is striding
although she has lain.
Written by Maya Angelou

5. • Angelou describes the things that Africa suffers as
attacks on a female body.
• Africa, a poor and hot country, droughts, violence
and poverty.
• This poem talked about the violence of the slave
trade.
• The taking and abusing of people is what cause
Africa the most suffering in this poem.

6.  In the first line, there is an
innocence in the tone.
 The woman is being
described by her angelic
personality, desert like
hair.
 Her feet are golden by the
walks of grace that she
takes.
 She is being compared as
the African homeland.
• “Thus she had lain
Sugercane sweet
deserts her hair
golden her feet
Mountains her breasts
Two Niles her tears.
Thus she has lain
Black through the years”.

7. • Stanza:2 This stanza is
describing the slavery
that went on in Africa.
• In lines 9-12, she is
describing the harsh
strangers on their boats
coming to Africa to
bring back slaves to
their nation.
• “Over the white
seas rime white
and cold brigands
ungentled icicle
bold”.

8. • Stanza:3 in this stanza,
survival is among them
Africa, herself, is rising.
• The last stanza gives us an
opportunity to feel the pain
that occurred in Africa and
how much it affected them.
• In lines 22-25, the tragedy
is done.
• “Now she is rising
remember her pain
remember her losses
her screams loud and vain
remember her riches
her history slain
now she is striding
although she has lain”.

9. Conclusion
• In this poem based on the violent history that
took place in Africa.
• The poem embraced the beauty of Africa as a
woman an the changes that occurred.