Themes And Poetic Devices In The Poem: “Black Woman” By Leopold Sedar Senghor

THE CELEBRATION OF BEAUTY: In the “Black Woman”, Senghor eulogizes the beauty of Africa woman and by extension, Africa as a continent. He writes to debunk the assumption of the Western world that black is inferior and associated to barbarism or primitivism. The poet sees Africa as a superior continent. He compares the colour of African woman to life; the beauty of an eagle. “Naked woman, dark woman” is repeated in the poem to emphasis the beauty of Africa. The skin of Africa reflects the sun, gold and natural surroundings. It can be asserted that the work is an ode to beauty.

GENDER AND SUPERIORITY OF MOTHERHOOD: It has often been argued that women are inferior compared to men. This assertion is a controversial. Is the female weak physically, emotionally and spiritually? However, Senghor depicts women as life. Without them there will be no life. They are seen as “ripped fruit”, paradise of beauty, his “new found land” in the poem. The poet persona captures the qualities of compassion, peace, benevolence and contagious joy of motherhood. These qualities are attributed to a superior being. Allegorically, he sees Africa as the mother womb of the earth. In the last line of the poem, Africa is seen as the mother that “feeds the roots of life.” Historically, Africa is the cradle of civilization. Africa as continent was rapped economically by the colonizers.

CULTURAL RENAISSANCE: As said in the aforementioned, this poem debunks the claim that African culture is inferior, barbaric, and primitive in the face of Western culture. Culture is the way of life of a particular people. Eulogy, songs of praises, dancing, and mode of appearance are some of the cultural essences depicted in the poem. The poet wants Africans to value their culture but reject Western ideologies that are not in consonant with African culture.

POETIC DEVICES

Allegory: Allegory is a work that has primary and secondary meanings. The dark woman in the poem is a symbol of Africa as a continent. Africa is a beautiful and lovely continent. She is seen as the beloved of the world. Her natural resources attracted the Western world.

Metaphor: The dark woman is compared to life, new land, paradise, sun, star etc.

Simile: The beauty of the woman strikes the poet-speaker “like the flash of an eagle.”

Interior Monologue: The poet persona speaks his thought to an addressee.

Apostrophe: The whole poem is one long apostrophe. The poet addresses an unseen woman and Africa in general.

Imagery: Basically, the poet uses visual pictures of nature.

Repetition: Words like “dark woman”, “naked woman” are repeated in the poem to drive home the dominant message.                  

GENERAL EVALUATIONS/REVISION QUESTIONS

1. Highlight on the theme of beauty in the poem, “Black Woman”
2. Comment on the poetic devices used in the poem.

WEEKEND ASSIGNMENT

SECTION A

INSTRUCTION: Answer all questions

1. A story which explains a natural phenomenon is A. legend B. parable. C. myth.

D. fiction.

• A narrative in which characters and events are invented is A. fiction. B. epistolary.

C. autobiography.D. biography.

• Lines and stanzas are to poetry as action and dialogue are to A. music. B. prose.

C. fiction.D. drama.

• The performers in a play constitute the A. chorus. B. characters. C. audience. D. cast.
• The types of literary work are A. eras. B. episodes. C. genres. D. cantos.

SECTION B

INSTRUCTION: Answer one question.

1. Comment on the issue of pan-Africanism in the “Black Woman”
2. Assess the use of eulogy and apostrophe in the poem.

READING ASSIGNMENT

Read up the structure and mood of the poem above in Exam Focus.