I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings Poem Analysis Sparknotes

Comprising six stanzas the poem is often interpreted as a metaphor suggesting the free bird as the white people and the caged bird as the black americans.

I know why the caged bird sings poem analysis sparknotes. Caged bird was published in maya angelou s 1983 poetry collection shaker why don t you sing. Caged bird summary in caged bird poet maya angelou uses birds as an extended metaphor to convey the frustration and suffering of those who are oppressed. It is one of the most widely read and taught books by an african american woman. Historical context of i know why the caged bird sings the book begins in the segregated american jim crow south of the early 20th century and ends in san francisco shortly after the end of wwii.

In i know why the caged bird sings maya angelou describes her coming of age as a precocious but insecure black girl in the american south during the 1930s and subsequently in california during the 1940s. I know why the caged bird sings by maya angelou analysis 840 words 4 pages. Due to its profound suffering the caged bird sings both to cope with its circumstances and to express its own longing for freedom. The poem describes the opposing experiences between two birds.

Maya s parents divorce when she is only three years old and ship maya and her older brother bailey to live with their paternal grandmother annie henderson in rural stamps arkansas. This turbulent period in american history is insightfully catalogued and examined by angelou as she recounts the events of her own life. There is one person that is a civil rights activist memoirist a poet and above all a woman this person is none other than maya angelou. One bird is able to live in nature as it pleases while a different caged bird suffers in captivity.

Angelou also wrote an autobiography with a similar title i know why the caged bird sings. I know why the caged bird sings is a free verse written by the american poet and civil rights activist maya angelou. Maya angelou is widely regarded as the black woman s poet laureate her reflections on the society and the times she lived in are vividly expressed in her poetry. The poem is based on an earlier poem by an african american author paul laurence dunbar.

See a complete list of the characters in i know why the caged bird sings and in depth analyses of marguerite ann johnson maya bailey johnson jr annie henderson momma vivian baxter and big bailey johnson. Angelou first describes the joy that a. The poem compares the plight of a caged bird to the flight of a free bird. It is clear that this title had great significance to angelou as it was the title to her entire life story.

Angelou has been a famous american poet since the release of her 1969 autobiography i know why the caged bird sings. I know why the caged bird sings the first of seven autobiographical works by maya angelou published in 1969. Caged bird or i know why the caged bird sings as the poem is sometimes referred to by maya angelou is arguably one of the most moving and eye opening poems ever written.