Revision Websites
Struggling with revision? Stressed about your mocks? Use the following websites to help you improve your grade and knowledge:
The English Department Website
This site is a must. Go to the site and look at the IGCSE section for superb revision resources.
http://194.3.120.243/english/index.htm
The Edron Website
www.blogspot.com
English Biz
An excellent website which covers texts and exam technique in great detail.
http://www.englishbiz.co.uk/
Spark Notes
A fine American web site with free study guides to many novels, plays and poems.
http://www.sparknotes.com/
Cliffs Notes
An American site that offers free study guides
http://www.cliffsnotes.com/WileyCDA/Section/id-106145.html
BBC Bite-Size
More suited to those of you who need more basic advice
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/
Lord of the Flies
A fine revision guide for the novel
http://www.gerenser.com/lotf/
Universal Teacher
A superb site for anyone needing help with English revision
http://www.teachit.co.uk/armoore/
Thursday 22 November 2007
A comparision between Rising Five and Before the Sun
Comparing Rising Five and Before the Sun
....We never see the flower,
But only the fruit in the flower; never the fruit,
But only the rot in the fruit.
1) To what extent do the lines above express a viewpoint expressed in both Rising Five and Before the Sun?
2) What do we learn from the two poems about attitudes to life and the natural world?
3) Apply the following statements to either Rising Five or Before the Sun or both poems by placing them in the table below:
celebrates life celebrates the beauty of the natural world
references to time are significant the poem is a lament
written in the present tense
written in the past tense then shifts into the present tense
encourages readers to savour the moment and relish simple pleasures
feelings of harmony and serenity are conveyed
tone is sorrowful tone is joyous
boy communes with nature
shape of poem contributes to meaning
poem ends with reference to death
portrays the relationship between humans and nature in a very positive way
explores mortality a first person narrative
physical description of the boy is important
the poet is interested in the way we experience the world around us.
explores what it is like to be a child or adolescent
portrays a world set apart from modern society
....We never see the flower,
But only the fruit in the flower; never the fruit,
But only the rot in the fruit.
1) To what extent do the lines above express a viewpoint expressed in both Rising Five and Before the Sun?
2) What do we learn from the two poems about attitudes to life and the natural world?
3) Apply the following statements to either Rising Five or Before the Sun or both poems by placing them in the table below:
celebrates life celebrates the beauty of the natural world
references to time are significant the poem is a lament
written in the present tense
written in the past tense then shifts into the present tense
encourages readers to savour the moment and relish simple pleasures
feelings of harmony and serenity are conveyed
tone is sorrowful tone is joyous
boy communes with nature
shape of poem contributes to meaning
poem ends with reference to death
portrays the relationship between humans and nature in a very positive way
explores mortality a first person narrative
physical description of the boy is important
the poet is interested in the way we experience the world around us.
explores what it is like to be a child or adolescent
portrays a world set apart from modern society
Rising Five
Rising Five by Norman Nicholson
In your own words, summarise each stanza in one sentence
What is the effect of the contrast between the direct speech of the opening and the poet's focus on one small aspect of the child? How is the tone of each pair of lines different?
Why does the poet interrupt the line with, 'he said'?
Within the context of the poem, is there a connection between the detail of the hair and the child's use of adult language?
How does the poet subvert our expectations in the phrase, 'brimful of eyes'? What does this indicate about the child's vision? How is this significant within the poem?
Which ideas in line five are later developed in the poem?
Why 'cones' of light?
What image of the boy is conveyed by:
his speech?
his actions?
the decription?
his confectionery consumption?
What effect is created by the poet referring to the child's age as, "He’d been alive/Fifty-six months or perhaps a week more"?
Why is the final line of the stanza laid out to emphasise enjambment?
List from the second stanza examples of
feminine rhyme
assonance
alliteration
sibilance
What is the effect of this outpouring of heightened language effects?
What metaphor is used to personify the beautifying power of spring?
What are the connotations of 'swilled'?
How does the idea of spring connect to stanza one?
How does the final line change the tempo?
How is the third stanza more abstract?
What is the effect on the mood of its being so brief?
How is the light here different from that of stanza one?
How do the elements on the final stanza link to and comment on earlier ideas
The new buds
a boy/Throwing away his toffee-wrappers.
We never see the flower/But only the fruit in the flower;
How does enjambment in the final stanza give a greater sense of pathos to the antitheses established?
What is the effect of using the first person plural?
Compare the first and last lines of the poem. What is the effect? Why did the poem begin in a school?
From the poem, list a line or phrase to illustrate each of the following:
Humour
Pathos
Energy
Beauty
What links can be drawn with other poems about
Children?
Mortality?
Rising Five by Norman Nicholson
‘I’m rising five’, he said,
‘Not four’, and little coils of hair
Un-clicked themselves upon his head.
His spectacles, brimful of eyes to stare
At me and the meadow, reflected cones of light
Above his toffee-buckled cheeks. He’d been alive
Fifty-six months or perhaps a week more:
not four,
But rising five.
Around him in the field the cells of spring
Bubbled and doubled; buds unbuttoned; shoot
And stem shook out the creases from their frills,
And every tree was swilled with green.
It was the season after blossoming,
Before the forming of the fruit:
not May,
But rising June.
And in the sky
The dust dissected tangential light:
not day,
But rising night;
not now,
But rising soon.
The new buds push the old leaves from the bough.
We drop our youth behind us like a boy
Throwing away his toffee-wrappers. We never see the flower,
But only the fruit in the flower; never the fruit,
But only the rot in the fruit. We look for marriage bed
In the baby’s cradle, we look for the grave in the bed:
not living,
But rising dead.
In your own words, summarise each stanza in one sentence
What is the effect of the contrast between the direct speech of the opening and the poet's focus on one small aspect of the child? How is the tone of each pair of lines different?
Why does the poet interrupt the line with, 'he said'?
Within the context of the poem, is there a connection between the detail of the hair and the child's use of adult language?
How does the poet subvert our expectations in the phrase, 'brimful of eyes'? What does this indicate about the child's vision? How is this significant within the poem?
Which ideas in line five are later developed in the poem?
Why 'cones' of light?
What image of the boy is conveyed by:
his speech?
his actions?
the decription?
his confectionery consumption?
What effect is created by the poet referring to the child's age as, "He’d been alive/Fifty-six months or perhaps a week more"?
Why is the final line of the stanza laid out to emphasise enjambment?
List from the second stanza examples of
feminine rhyme
assonance
alliteration
sibilance
What is the effect of this outpouring of heightened language effects?
What metaphor is used to personify the beautifying power of spring?
What are the connotations of 'swilled'?
How does the idea of spring connect to stanza one?
How does the final line change the tempo?
How is the third stanza more abstract?
What is the effect on the mood of its being so brief?
How is the light here different from that of stanza one?
How do the elements on the final stanza link to and comment on earlier ideas
The new buds
a boy/Throwing away his toffee-wrappers.
We never see the flower/But only the fruit in the flower;
How does enjambment in the final stanza give a greater sense of pathos to the antitheses established?
What is the effect of using the first person plural?
Compare the first and last lines of the poem. What is the effect? Why did the poem begin in a school?
From the poem, list a line or phrase to illustrate each of the following:
Humour
Pathos
Energy
Beauty
What links can be drawn with other poems about
Children?
Mortality?
Rising Five by Norman Nicholson
‘I’m rising five’, he said,
‘Not four’, and little coils of hair
Un-clicked themselves upon his head.
His spectacles, brimful of eyes to stare
At me and the meadow, reflected cones of light
Above his toffee-buckled cheeks. He’d been alive
Fifty-six months or perhaps a week more:
not four,
But rising five.
Around him in the field the cells of spring
Bubbled and doubled; buds unbuttoned; shoot
And stem shook out the creases from their frills,
And every tree was swilled with green.
It was the season after blossoming,
Before the forming of the fruit:
not May,
But rising June.
And in the sky
The dust dissected tangential light:
not day,
But rising night;
not now,
But rising soon.
The new buds push the old leaves from the bough.
We drop our youth behind us like a boy
Throwing away his toffee-wrappers. We never see the flower,
But only the fruit in the flower; never the fruit,
But only the rot in the fruit. We look for marriage bed
In the baby’s cradle, we look for the grave in the bed:
not living,
But rising dead.
Caged Bird student essay two
Explore the ways in which Maya Angelou uses language and other poetic devices to present her ideas in “Caged Bird”
“Caged Bird” explores freedom and lack of freedom, as do the poems “Monologue” and “Song to the Men of England” from the Songs of Ourselves collection. The idea of Imprisonment and restriction is explored in “Caged bird” and “Monologue”. In “Monologue” the “door” motif is repeated, which emphasizes the feeling of yearning to escape, a yearning also expressed in “Caged Bird”. Both “Caged Bird” and “Song to the Men of England” depict social injustice, Shelley considers social divisions between the rich and the poor. In “Caged Bird” there is a contrast between freedom and Imprisonment, the “free bird” and the “caged bird”, this symbolism can be applied to many forms of social injustices. The free bird has desire, wants more and can search for more, whereas the caged bird has dreams and all it can do is imagine and sing. The tone of the poem shifts between the caged bird and the free bird stanzas, you can sense anger and bitterness in her portrayal of the caged bird, also the way she present this contrast, between free and caged bird is for us to realize, how bad the situation of some people is. Maya Angelou really tries to convey the message that you have to look beyond yourself, and look at the world situation. Maya Angelou was born in 1928 and experienced the inequalities and injustices of the time when the poem was written, which greatly influenced the poem which explores the situation of black people in America. Angelou doesn’t use colour symbolism so we can just take this assumption from what we know about the author.
The structure of this poem is significant. This Poem is split into two parts, the caged bird and the free bird, the caged bird dominates the poem, there are four stanza’s for the caged bird and two stanzas for the free bird. This is because Maya Angelou wants us to focus on the caged bird. The free bird emphasizes for the reader how unfair life is for the caged bird, when compared to the free bird. Stanza three and six are a repeated refrain. This helps show how hard imprisonment is on the mind and on the spirit. Also the repetition of the stanzas emphasizes the dreadful situation of the caged bird and on how hard it is to break out of psychological imprisonment as well as literal. The pain of the oppressed is heard but will it be answered? Or, are the free too busy searching for themselves? The poem suggests that the free take their freedom for granted and Angelou seems to be calling got the free to start listening and contemplating the caged.
The poem’s diction is significant. Words representing the free bird are bright and upbeat, such as “leaps” which helps to get across the feeling of power and easy going life. “Floats” brings across the impression that the bird is resting on water which is moving, that his life is effortless, that someone else seems to be doing all the work. Could it be the cage bird? The caged bird is represented by gloomy and morbid words, “stalks” is telling is that he marches stiffly and angrily in his cage, that he is angry about something. “cage” means that the bird is imprisonment, unable to escape. When reading the poem we get a sense of a contrast between natural freedom and man made imprisonment. The diction which Angelou applies is closely linked to the themes, freedom and imprisonment, words such as “leap” and “float” portray freedom. “he names the sky his own” again contributes to the fact that free bird has a world of opportunities. Furthermore she applies the opposite of freedom to convey imprisonment. Such as, “bars” and “tied” express the idea of being locked up. The verb “opens” reminds us of this sense of freedom, which refers back to the free bird, the caged bird dreams and sings of what the free birds takes for granted. All he can “open” is “his throat”. Dreaming and singing is the caged bird’s only freedom.
Maya Angelou uses imagery extremely effectively in this poem, to develop ideas about freedom and imprisonment. Rage, an abstract emotion, is made concrete in the image, “Bars of rage”.
bars represent how the caged bird is emotionally imprisonment in his own anger, as well as literally. Angelou writes “a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams”. This metaphor represents the dreams of freedom, which will never be realised. “grave” is implying that his dreams are dead and have no future. The tone and emotional impact conveyed is bitter and despairing.
The Poet makes use of many grammatical features to make the Caged Bird poem powerful. To describe the free bird dynamic and energetic verbs are exploited, such as “leaps”; “floats”, “dips”, “dares”. The active construction is applied with these verbs, “a free bird leaps”. Verbs to portray the caged bird are much less active and are often qualified “can seldom see”. The passive construction is sometimes used, “His wings are clipped and his feet are tied”. The active construction is applied with the free bird to emphasize the feeling of freedom, movement and happiness. Whereas the passive construction and qualifications convey that the caged bird is unable to move, he is a victim of torture and imprisonment and has little or no control over his own actions. The use of the passive also raises questions. Who clipped his wings? Who tied his feet? Was the free bird responsible? Is that the reason why he is so ignorant and self centred? The conjunction repetition is used, “and” is repeated, mainly to emphasize what a great life the free bird has and to confirm almost the countless quantity of things he possesses. The reader feels that the free bird should give some of it to the caged bird. Who has nothing except his “grave of dreams”. The caged bird takes everything he has for granted and doesn’t stop to realise his fantastic way of life. “The free bird thinks of another breeze”, again this illustrates that he doesn’t appreciate what he possesses and that this bird thinks of more. This poem also uses the repetition of “but”, to make it clear that there is something negative, we are reminded of unattractive side of life, we are reminded of the caged bird.
Sound has an important role in the poem, emphasizing the theme of freedom and imprisonment. The assonance of “leaps” and “downstream” conveys a flowing feeling of the free bird. This is also a half rhyme, making it more fluid and not imposed which emphasizes the bird’s liberty. Alliteration draws our attention to a contrast of the world of the free and the caged. The free bird “dips” and “dares” in the “sky” and “sun, the caged bird “stalks”, and can “seldom see”. When you are free you “dare”, you have the courage to be confident in the world of opportunities represented by the “sky” and “sun”. Whereas the caged bird can “seldom see”, suggesting the opportunities are not even visible, there is no “sky” and “sun” in the caged bird’s world. Although the poem does not follow a regular rhyme scheme, some lines do rhyme, such as the rhyme of “narrow cage” and “bars of rage”. This full rhyme attracts our attention to the caged bird’s anger. In the chorus, “ill” words are repeated every other line, “trill”, “still” and “hill”, stressing the caged bird’s plea for justice and that his plea is barely heard on the “distant hill”.
The free and the caged bird both wish for more, illustrating that even the free are not completely satisfied but think of “another breeze”. Maya Angela implies that you should appreciate your liberty if you have it. You should consider other people’s conditions and listen to the tune of those unheard in society. Is this poem a plea for change attitudes? As a plea for change this is much more subtle than Song to the men of England by Shelley. Whereas Maya Angelou uses the symbol of the caged bird to raise consciousness of oppression, Shelley addresses the working men of England, in a rebellious call to stand up against the oppressor. Song to the Men of England is much more persuasive and emotive in the way it encourages the working class to stand up for their rights. Both poets show an awareness of how difficult it is for the oppressed to break free. Even though Shelley seems to tell the working class to rebel, there is a warning to what that rebellion might bring, if they “shake the chains” “The steel ye tempered glance on ye”. This means if you try to speak out your rebellion will be crushed through brutality and the weapons you made will be used against you. “Caged Bird” makes you think more thoughtfully and intellectually about social injustice. Freedom will only come when those who are free listen to the voice of who are not.
“Caged Bird” explores freedom and lack of freedom, as do the poems “Monologue” and “Song to the Men of England” from the Songs of Ourselves collection. The idea of Imprisonment and restriction is explored in “Caged bird” and “Monologue”. In “Monologue” the “door” motif is repeated, which emphasizes the feeling of yearning to escape, a yearning also expressed in “Caged Bird”. Both “Caged Bird” and “Song to the Men of England” depict social injustice, Shelley considers social divisions between the rich and the poor. In “Caged Bird” there is a contrast between freedom and Imprisonment, the “free bird” and the “caged bird”, this symbolism can be applied to many forms of social injustices. The free bird has desire, wants more and can search for more, whereas the caged bird has dreams and all it can do is imagine and sing. The tone of the poem shifts between the caged bird and the free bird stanzas, you can sense anger and bitterness in her portrayal of the caged bird, also the way she present this contrast, between free and caged bird is for us to realize, how bad the situation of some people is. Maya Angelou really tries to convey the message that you have to look beyond yourself, and look at the world situation. Maya Angelou was born in 1928 and experienced the inequalities and injustices of the time when the poem was written, which greatly influenced the poem which explores the situation of black people in America. Angelou doesn’t use colour symbolism so we can just take this assumption from what we know about the author.
The structure of this poem is significant. This Poem is split into two parts, the caged bird and the free bird, the caged bird dominates the poem, there are four stanza’s for the caged bird and two stanzas for the free bird. This is because Maya Angelou wants us to focus on the caged bird. The free bird emphasizes for the reader how unfair life is for the caged bird, when compared to the free bird. Stanza three and six are a repeated refrain. This helps show how hard imprisonment is on the mind and on the spirit. Also the repetition of the stanzas emphasizes the dreadful situation of the caged bird and on how hard it is to break out of psychological imprisonment as well as literal. The pain of the oppressed is heard but will it be answered? Or, are the free too busy searching for themselves? The poem suggests that the free take their freedom for granted and Angelou seems to be calling got the free to start listening and contemplating the caged.
The poem’s diction is significant. Words representing the free bird are bright and upbeat, such as “leaps” which helps to get across the feeling of power and easy going life. “Floats” brings across the impression that the bird is resting on water which is moving, that his life is effortless, that someone else seems to be doing all the work. Could it be the cage bird? The caged bird is represented by gloomy and morbid words, “stalks” is telling is that he marches stiffly and angrily in his cage, that he is angry about something. “cage” means that the bird is imprisonment, unable to escape. When reading the poem we get a sense of a contrast between natural freedom and man made imprisonment. The diction which Angelou applies is closely linked to the themes, freedom and imprisonment, words such as “leap” and “float” portray freedom. “he names the sky his own” again contributes to the fact that free bird has a world of opportunities. Furthermore she applies the opposite of freedom to convey imprisonment. Such as, “bars” and “tied” express the idea of being locked up. The verb “opens” reminds us of this sense of freedom, which refers back to the free bird, the caged bird dreams and sings of what the free birds takes for granted. All he can “open” is “his throat”. Dreaming and singing is the caged bird’s only freedom.
Maya Angelou uses imagery extremely effectively in this poem, to develop ideas about freedom and imprisonment. Rage, an abstract emotion, is made concrete in the image, “Bars of rage”.
bars represent how the caged bird is emotionally imprisonment in his own anger, as well as literally. Angelou writes “a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams”. This metaphor represents the dreams of freedom, which will never be realised. “grave” is implying that his dreams are dead and have no future. The tone and emotional impact conveyed is bitter and despairing.
The Poet makes use of many grammatical features to make the Caged Bird poem powerful. To describe the free bird dynamic and energetic verbs are exploited, such as “leaps”; “floats”, “dips”, “dares”. The active construction is applied with these verbs, “a free bird leaps”. Verbs to portray the caged bird are much less active and are often qualified “can seldom see”. The passive construction is sometimes used, “His wings are clipped and his feet are tied”. The active construction is applied with the free bird to emphasize the feeling of freedom, movement and happiness. Whereas the passive construction and qualifications convey that the caged bird is unable to move, he is a victim of torture and imprisonment and has little or no control over his own actions. The use of the passive also raises questions. Who clipped his wings? Who tied his feet? Was the free bird responsible? Is that the reason why he is so ignorant and self centred? The conjunction repetition is used, “and” is repeated, mainly to emphasize what a great life the free bird has and to confirm almost the countless quantity of things he possesses. The reader feels that the free bird should give some of it to the caged bird. Who has nothing except his “grave of dreams”. The caged bird takes everything he has for granted and doesn’t stop to realise his fantastic way of life. “The free bird thinks of another breeze”, again this illustrates that he doesn’t appreciate what he possesses and that this bird thinks of more. This poem also uses the repetition of “but”, to make it clear that there is something negative, we are reminded of unattractive side of life, we are reminded of the caged bird.
Sound has an important role in the poem, emphasizing the theme of freedom and imprisonment. The assonance of “leaps” and “downstream” conveys a flowing feeling of the free bird. This is also a half rhyme, making it more fluid and not imposed which emphasizes the bird’s liberty. Alliteration draws our attention to a contrast of the world of the free and the caged. The free bird “dips” and “dares” in the “sky” and “sun, the caged bird “stalks”, and can “seldom see”. When you are free you “dare”, you have the courage to be confident in the world of opportunities represented by the “sky” and “sun”. Whereas the caged bird can “seldom see”, suggesting the opportunities are not even visible, there is no “sky” and “sun” in the caged bird’s world. Although the poem does not follow a regular rhyme scheme, some lines do rhyme, such as the rhyme of “narrow cage” and “bars of rage”. This full rhyme attracts our attention to the caged bird’s anger. In the chorus, “ill” words are repeated every other line, “trill”, “still” and “hill”, stressing the caged bird’s plea for justice and that his plea is barely heard on the “distant hill”.
The free and the caged bird both wish for more, illustrating that even the free are not completely satisfied but think of “another breeze”. Maya Angela implies that you should appreciate your liberty if you have it. You should consider other people’s conditions and listen to the tune of those unheard in society. Is this poem a plea for change attitudes? As a plea for change this is much more subtle than Song to the men of England by Shelley. Whereas Maya Angelou uses the symbol of the caged bird to raise consciousness of oppression, Shelley addresses the working men of England, in a rebellious call to stand up against the oppressor. Song to the Men of England is much more persuasive and emotive in the way it encourages the working class to stand up for their rights. Both poets show an awareness of how difficult it is for the oppressed to break free. Even though Shelley seems to tell the working class to rebel, there is a warning to what that rebellion might bring, if they “shake the chains” “The steel ye tempered glance on ye”. This means if you try to speak out your rebellion will be crushed through brutality and the weapons you made will be used against you. “Caged Bird” makes you think more thoughtfully and intellectually about social injustice. Freedom will only come when those who are free listen to the voice of who are not.
Caged Bird Annotated Notes
Caged Bird - Maya Angelou
Stanza One
Highlight the words that take stress. Look at how this varies from line to line. The pattern is not regular but compare the connection between line length, rhythm and the types of movement described ('leap', 'float') in, say, the first three lines.
How does the poet combine the elements of wind and water in the opening stanza? Why?
Find examples of repetition, internal assonance, monosyllabic diction (especially for verbs) and sibilance. What do they contribute to the tone? You might link this to the stanza being made up of one sentence in brief lines
Stanza Two
What is the effect of the opening word of stanza two? With which other word from stanza one is it being contrasted?
Contrast the verbs in this stanza with those in stanza one. Until the last line, only one is unmodified (what sort of movement does 'stalk' suggest compared to stanza one?) and two are in the passive. What point is here being made?
How is sibilance used differently in this stanza?
Compare the different effect of the alliteration of 'dip' and 'dare' in stanza one and 'bird' and 'bar' in stanza two
Compare the different effect of the assonance of 'wing' and 'clip' in stanza two and 'wing' and 'dip' in stanza one
How does the metaphor of line four give deeper meaning to the poem?
The final line is a surprise and establishes the paradox of the poem. How does the conjunction 'so' emphasise this?
How does the assonance of 'open' and 'throat' develop this irony when referring to a captive?
Stanza Three
The tone here is more like that of stanza one but there are crucial differences. Look at & comment on the vowel sounds and connotations of key words at line endings:
Stanza One - leap, wind, wing, rays, sky
Stanza Two - stalk, cage, rage, tied
Stanza Three - sing, trill, still, hill, freedom
Now look at adjectives which modify these in stanza three. What is the effect of:
Fearful trill
Things unknown
Distant hill
How does the final word of the final line give deeper meaning to the poem?
Stanza Four
How is the line length different and what effect does this have on the tone?
How does the final line link to the final line of stanza one?
List examples of assonance, sibilace, repetition and rhyme. How do they contribute to creating the image of the free bird in flight?
Stanza Five
How is the fifth stanza like the second in terms of grammar and imagery?
How do the images of stanza five contrast with those of stanza four eg. grave of dreams with dawn-bright lawn?
Compare the effect of sibilance here with the very different tone created in stanza four
Why are lines repeated from stanza two?
Stanza Six
How does repeating stanza three make a point? Does it have a different mood as a result? Is it significant that the poem ends with the word 'freedom'?
Overall
Divide the poem in two. How do the central ideas of the poem develop between each half?
What is the central paradox of the poem?
What is the central political message of the poem? Give key lines that emphasise this. Is the poem optimistic or ominous?
Which other poems in the anthology about freedom & injustice could the poem be linked to?
Caged Bird
Maya Angelou
A free bird leaps
on the back of the wind
and floats downstream
till the current ends
and dips his wing
in the orange sun’s rays
and dares to claim the sky.
But a bird that stalks
down his narrow cage
can seldom see through
his bars of rage
his wings are clipped and
his feet are tied
so he opens his throat to sing.
The caged bird sings
with a fearful trill
of things unknown
but longed for still
and his tune is heard
on the distant hill
for the caged bird
sings of freedom.
The free bird thinks of another breeze
and the trade winds soft through the sighing trees
and the fat worms waiting on a dawn-bright lawn
and he names the sky his own.
But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams
his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream
his wings are clipped and his feet are tied
so he opens his throat to sing.
The caged bird sings
with a fearful trill
of things unknown
but longed for still
and his tune is heard
on the distant hill
for the caged bird
sings of freedom.
Stanza One
Highlight the words that take stress. Look at how this varies from line to line. The pattern is not regular but compare the connection between line length, rhythm and the types of movement described ('leap', 'float') in, say, the first three lines.
How does the poet combine the elements of wind and water in the opening stanza? Why?
Find examples of repetition, internal assonance, monosyllabic diction (especially for verbs) and sibilance. What do they contribute to the tone? You might link this to the stanza being made up of one sentence in brief lines
Stanza Two
What is the effect of the opening word of stanza two? With which other word from stanza one is it being contrasted?
Contrast the verbs in this stanza with those in stanza one. Until the last line, only one is unmodified (what sort of movement does 'stalk' suggest compared to stanza one?) and two are in the passive. What point is here being made?
How is sibilance used differently in this stanza?
Compare the different effect of the alliteration of 'dip' and 'dare' in stanza one and 'bird' and 'bar' in stanza two
Compare the different effect of the assonance of 'wing' and 'clip' in stanza two and 'wing' and 'dip' in stanza one
How does the metaphor of line four give deeper meaning to the poem?
The final line is a surprise and establishes the paradox of the poem. How does the conjunction 'so' emphasise this?
How does the assonance of 'open' and 'throat' develop this irony when referring to a captive?
Stanza Three
The tone here is more like that of stanza one but there are crucial differences. Look at & comment on the vowel sounds and connotations of key words at line endings:
Stanza One - leap, wind, wing, rays, sky
Stanza Two - stalk, cage, rage, tied
Stanza Three - sing, trill, still, hill, freedom
Now look at adjectives which modify these in stanza three. What is the effect of:
Fearful trill
Things unknown
Distant hill
How does the final word of the final line give deeper meaning to the poem?
Stanza Four
How is the line length different and what effect does this have on the tone?
How does the final line link to the final line of stanza one?
List examples of assonance, sibilace, repetition and rhyme. How do they contribute to creating the image of the free bird in flight?
Stanza Five
How is the fifth stanza like the second in terms of grammar and imagery?
How do the images of stanza five contrast with those of stanza four eg. grave of dreams with dawn-bright lawn?
Compare the effect of sibilance here with the very different tone created in stanza four
Why are lines repeated from stanza two?
Stanza Six
How does repeating stanza three make a point? Does it have a different mood as a result? Is it significant that the poem ends with the word 'freedom'?
Overall
Divide the poem in two. How do the central ideas of the poem develop between each half?
What is the central paradox of the poem?
What is the central political message of the poem? Give key lines that emphasise this. Is the poem optimistic or ominous?
Which other poems in the anthology about freedom & injustice could the poem be linked to?
Caged Bird
Maya Angelou
A free bird leaps
on the back of the wind
and floats downstream
till the current ends
and dips his wing
in the orange sun’s rays
and dares to claim the sky.
But a bird that stalks
down his narrow cage
can seldom see through
his bars of rage
his wings are clipped and
his feet are tied
so he opens his throat to sing.
The caged bird sings
with a fearful trill
of things unknown
but longed for still
and his tune is heard
on the distant hill
for the caged bird
sings of freedom.
The free bird thinks of another breeze
and the trade winds soft through the sighing trees
and the fat worms waiting on a dawn-bright lawn
and he names the sky his own.
But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams
his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream
his wings are clipped and his feet are tied
so he opens his throat to sing.
The caged bird sings
with a fearful trill
of things unknown
but longed for still
and his tune is heard
on the distant hill
for the caged bird
sings of freedom.
Caged Bird Essay
Comment on the ways in which ideas are explored in ‘Caged Bird’ by Maya Angelou from the collection Song of Ourselves
Maya Angelou uses caged and free birds to symbolise the dream of attaining freedom. The poem as a whole can be interpreted on many levels. It could be exploring the oppression of black people in America, however the poet does not refer directly to black and white. The author took her title from a poem about racist oppression by the black poet P Paul Dunbar who was the son of two former slaves, and she called her Autobiography, which recalls the hardships of growing up in a segregated oppressed black community, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sing The poem describe the plight of millions of weary enslaved people, It also sheds light upon the unfavourable position of women in certain countries who are persecuted for their religion or ethnicity. The poem illustrates the contrast between imprisonment and freedom through the symbolism of a caged bird and a free bird, and then between their dreams and desires. Through the contrast of the birds which are so alike and yet different in many ways Angelou illustrates oppression and the fear of freedom of those who cannot have it. Even though the poem illustrates a carefree bird in a beautiful landscape, as the bird that suffers takes over the majority of the poem, the tone is quite serious and solemn.
The way the Angleou separate the two birds so that each one has its own stanzas emphasises how they live in two separate worlds that are so close. A stanza portraying the free bird opens the poem, stanzas 2 and 3 describe the caged bird, stanza 4 returns to the free bird and then the final stanzas, 5 and 6 focus our attention back on the caged, with the last stanza being the same as stanza 3.The repetition of stanza 4 emphasis how hard it is to break out, psychological imprisonment as well as literal; it also allows the caged bird to dominate the poem, Maya Angelou forces us to take note, she wants us to hear the caged bird’s song. The lengths of the lines in the stanzas of the caged bird seem to copy those of the free bird; this shows how much the free bird wants to imitate the free bird.
Maya Angelou uses powerful verbs to illustrate the actions of the free and oppressed. The free ‘leaps’, ‘floats’, ‘dips’ and ‘dares’. The oppressed just ‘stalks’ and so it can ‘open his throat to sing’ illustrates that singing becomes the only available expression of freedom, the only way of leaping and floating. It also shows how when people can’t escape from their blinding anger and ‘bars of rage’ which hold them back, they can still express their opinions, but it does not mean that anyone will listen or take notice. These words could also be interpreted that if the free bird was to listen and take notice, he would have to stop and take notice and do something about it which he doesn’t want to, so he keeps on The words used to describe the actions and situation of the free bird such as ‘dips’, ‘sighing’ and ‘soft’ give connotations of easy life and a sense of calm looking for what he wants out of life-‘the fat worms’-showing his self-centred greediness.
The poem ‘Caged Bird’ uses powerful imagery to convey the opinion and message of Maya Angelou. The metaphor ‘bars of rage’ can illustrate the rage of the enslaved at not being able to express his feelings calmly. Through the symbol of the ‘narrow’ cage Angelou shows how be subjugated and denied equality in society in like being suffocated in a claustrophobic prison. The metaphor ‘grave of dreams the caged bird stands on’ illustrates that black people realise that freedom is just a dream and that their dreams will die unfulfilled. The tune sung by the caged bird that is ‘heard on the distant hill’ allows the question to rise as to whether the free bird hears its tune and feels compassion, and the need to help, and when it is going to help. The phrase ‘on the distant hill’ can be interpreted in different ways; the use of the word ‘distant’ could be to illustrate the distant future so that change can happen, or that those who do hear the pleas for freedom are too far away to be able to liberate the caged. It could also be that there are people out there who need hear it, and who need to have compassion to them.
The words ‘sun’ and ‘sky’ can be connected by the fact that they are both in the cosmos where everything is elevated and free, and when put in conjunction with the free bird, helps illustrate the immense area it has to be in, accenting the contrast with the caged bird. In the first stanza the free bird ‘leaps on the back of the wind’ as though it is using the wind which is a subject of the elements and meant to be free, and is trying to tame it, just as someone is doing to the caged bird. The word ‘floats’ illustrates the serene, unrestricted movements of the free bird. The ‘fat worms’ illustrate the wealthy and powerful people in society who do nothing about the enslaved and just wait for them to attack so that they can be called victims.
The continuous use of verbs in the second stanza, describing the situation of the caged bird makes the reader wonder who did these things to it. The active tense of ‘leaps’ ‘dips’ and ‘floats’ help describe the continuous freedom of the free bird. However, the passive tense used for the caged bird emphasises the powerlessness of the caged bird. However, the use of the word ‘are’ in the phrases ‘his wings are clipped’, ‘his feet are tied’ illustrates that even now in the present the oppressed continue to be exploited and trapped
The long vowel sounds in ‘opens his throat to sing’ allows the reader to sense the birds desperation for its need for expression. It also makes it seem as though it is a challenge to just sing, to plea for freedom, and its want to be open The phrases ‘dips his wings/in the orange sun rays’ and ‘trade winds soft through the sighing trees’ show an interesting contrast between the delicacy of the sound of language and the blunt harshness of the poem’s theme. The assonance in ‘dips his wings’ and ‘his wings are clipped’ are used to show the even though there are many contrasts between the two birds, there are also subtle similarities that should be accounted for. The use of the short ‘i’ sound for the free bird gives the impression of suddenness and the strong will to do anything he wants; how ever for the caged bird it makes the movements of action seem obligatory, as though he is not doing it wilfully. The use alliteration of the words ‘dips’ and ‘dares’ for the actions of the free bird provokes the feeling of audacity and daring. The short single syllable sounds-‘his shadow shouts’, ‘screams’, ‘rage’, ‘tied’ convey the harsh jarring feeling of the caged who is trapped in this ‘nightmare’ behind ‘his bars of rage’.
I feel that the message that Maya Angelou is conveying in this poem is that those who are free need to start to hear the cries of the oppressed. Through the singing of the birds she shows that expression is important, that in the end not only will it be heard, but it will also be answered. The message of this poem is similar to that of ‘Song to the Men of England’ by Percy Bysshe Shelley which also conveys that if the oppressed do not fight back against the ‘tyrants’ they will ‘trace [their] grave’ and nothing will change. After reading this poem I was really moved by the way Angelou presents this issue, as she has illustrated the pain of the people that suffered in such a way that it is subtle and yet at the same time the message rings out loud and true.
Maya Angelou uses caged and free birds to symbolise the dream of attaining freedom. The poem as a whole can be interpreted on many levels. It could be exploring the oppression of black people in America, however the poet does not refer directly to black and white. The author took her title from a poem about racist oppression by the black poet P Paul Dunbar who was the son of two former slaves, and she called her Autobiography, which recalls the hardships of growing up in a segregated oppressed black community, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sing The poem describe the plight of millions of weary enslaved people, It also sheds light upon the unfavourable position of women in certain countries who are persecuted for their religion or ethnicity. The poem illustrates the contrast between imprisonment and freedom through the symbolism of a caged bird and a free bird, and then between their dreams and desires. Through the contrast of the birds which are so alike and yet different in many ways Angelou illustrates oppression and the fear of freedom of those who cannot have it. Even though the poem illustrates a carefree bird in a beautiful landscape, as the bird that suffers takes over the majority of the poem, the tone is quite serious and solemn.
The way the Angleou separate the two birds so that each one has its own stanzas emphasises how they live in two separate worlds that are so close. A stanza portraying the free bird opens the poem, stanzas 2 and 3 describe the caged bird, stanza 4 returns to the free bird and then the final stanzas, 5 and 6 focus our attention back on the caged, with the last stanza being the same as stanza 3.The repetition of stanza 4 emphasis how hard it is to break out, psychological imprisonment as well as literal; it also allows the caged bird to dominate the poem, Maya Angelou forces us to take note, she wants us to hear the caged bird’s song. The lengths of the lines in the stanzas of the caged bird seem to copy those of the free bird; this shows how much the free bird wants to imitate the free bird.
Maya Angelou uses powerful verbs to illustrate the actions of the free and oppressed. The free ‘leaps’, ‘floats’, ‘dips’ and ‘dares’. The oppressed just ‘stalks’ and so it can ‘open his throat to sing’ illustrates that singing becomes the only available expression of freedom, the only way of leaping and floating. It also shows how when people can’t escape from their blinding anger and ‘bars of rage’ which hold them back, they can still express their opinions, but it does not mean that anyone will listen or take notice. These words could also be interpreted that if the free bird was to listen and take notice, he would have to stop and take notice and do something about it which he doesn’t want to, so he keeps on The words used to describe the actions and situation of the free bird such as ‘dips’, ‘sighing’ and ‘soft’ give connotations of easy life and a sense of calm looking for what he wants out of life-‘the fat worms’-showing his self-centred greediness.
The poem ‘Caged Bird’ uses powerful imagery to convey the opinion and message of Maya Angelou. The metaphor ‘bars of rage’ can illustrate the rage of the enslaved at not being able to express his feelings calmly. Through the symbol of the ‘narrow’ cage Angelou shows how be subjugated and denied equality in society in like being suffocated in a claustrophobic prison. The metaphor ‘grave of dreams the caged bird stands on’ illustrates that black people realise that freedom is just a dream and that their dreams will die unfulfilled. The tune sung by the caged bird that is ‘heard on the distant hill’ allows the question to rise as to whether the free bird hears its tune and feels compassion, and the need to help, and when it is going to help. The phrase ‘on the distant hill’ can be interpreted in different ways; the use of the word ‘distant’ could be to illustrate the distant future so that change can happen, or that those who do hear the pleas for freedom are too far away to be able to liberate the caged. It could also be that there are people out there who need hear it, and who need to have compassion to them.
The words ‘sun’ and ‘sky’ can be connected by the fact that they are both in the cosmos where everything is elevated and free, and when put in conjunction with the free bird, helps illustrate the immense area it has to be in, accenting the contrast with the caged bird. In the first stanza the free bird ‘leaps on the back of the wind’ as though it is using the wind which is a subject of the elements and meant to be free, and is trying to tame it, just as someone is doing to the caged bird. The word ‘floats’ illustrates the serene, unrestricted movements of the free bird. The ‘fat worms’ illustrate the wealthy and powerful people in society who do nothing about the enslaved and just wait for them to attack so that they can be called victims.
The continuous use of verbs in the second stanza, describing the situation of the caged bird makes the reader wonder who did these things to it. The active tense of ‘leaps’ ‘dips’ and ‘floats’ help describe the continuous freedom of the free bird. However, the passive tense used for the caged bird emphasises the powerlessness of the caged bird. However, the use of the word ‘are’ in the phrases ‘his wings are clipped’, ‘his feet are tied’ illustrates that even now in the present the oppressed continue to be exploited and trapped
The long vowel sounds in ‘opens his throat to sing’ allows the reader to sense the birds desperation for its need for expression. It also makes it seem as though it is a challenge to just sing, to plea for freedom, and its want to be open The phrases ‘dips his wings/in the orange sun rays’ and ‘trade winds soft through the sighing trees’ show an interesting contrast between the delicacy of the sound of language and the blunt harshness of the poem’s theme. The assonance in ‘dips his wings’ and ‘his wings are clipped’ are used to show the even though there are many contrasts between the two birds, there are also subtle similarities that should be accounted for. The use of the short ‘i’ sound for the free bird gives the impression of suddenness and the strong will to do anything he wants; how ever for the caged bird it makes the movements of action seem obligatory, as though he is not doing it wilfully. The use alliteration of the words ‘dips’ and ‘dares’ for the actions of the free bird provokes the feeling of audacity and daring. The short single syllable sounds-‘his shadow shouts’, ‘screams’, ‘rage’, ‘tied’ convey the harsh jarring feeling of the caged who is trapped in this ‘nightmare’ behind ‘his bars of rage’.
I feel that the message that Maya Angelou is conveying in this poem is that those who are free need to start to hear the cries of the oppressed. Through the singing of the birds she shows that expression is important, that in the end not only will it be heard, but it will also be answered. The message of this poem is similar to that of ‘Song to the Men of England’ by Percy Bysshe Shelley which also conveys that if the oppressed do not fight back against the ‘tyrants’ they will ‘trace [their] grave’ and nothing will change. After reading this poem I was really moved by the way Angelou presents this issue, as she has illustrated the pain of the people that suffered in such a way that it is subtle and yet at the same time the message rings out loud and true.
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