ANALYSIS OF CAGED BIRD- MAYA ANGEOLU

  MAYA ANGEOLU - CAGED BIRD

 

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 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.

 

About the Poet

Writer and activist, Maya Angelou, had a broad and successful career as a streetcar conductor, dancer, editor, teacher storyteller and actress. Born Marguerite Johnson in 1982, she gained fame with I know Why the Caged Birds Sings, her 1970 autobiography which speaks courageous with racism. Angelou died in 2014 at the age of 86.

Maya Angelou

Background to the poem

Maya Angelou’s “Caged Bird” is highly romantic. Romantic poems present nature as embodiment of freedom and perfection. Angelou contrasts the struggles of a bird attempting to rise above the limitations of adverse surroundings with the flight of a bird that is free. She seeks to recreate in the reader sentiment toward the plight of the misused, captured creature, a symbol of downtrodden African Americans and their experiences. Angelou is indignant that American society refuses to imagine the powerful impact of traumatic assault on the psychological integrity of the Black society.  In the Angelou’s “caged bird”, Negritude and femininity make contradictory, irreconcilable demands on the poet-speaker’s sense of personal identity.  The colour of her skin, the kindness of her hair and the fullness of her lips all contributed to socially engendered feelings of physical inadequacy bordering on self hatred. The poet speaker perpetual struggle throughout “Caged Bird” is for acceptance, recognition, valorization, caring and love.

Summary

In the first stanza, the speaker describes a bird taking flight and gliding on a wind current. The bird revels in its freedom, feeling the warmth of sun rays on its wings as it flaps them. The speaker describes the free bird's flight as "dar[ing] to claim the sky."

The second stanza introduces a comparison of the free bird to a caged bird. Imprisoned, the caged bird stalks his cage and feels rage over having clipped wings and tied feet. The flight-limiting cage, wing clipping, and tied feet prompt the bird to sing.

In the third stanza, the speaker says the caged bird sings a song infused with a fear of the things the bird does not know but longs for nonetheless. The caged bird's tune reaches a distant hill because it is a song yearning for freedom.

Stanza four returns to the free bird, who contemplates the arrival of another strong wind and thinks about the fat worms which await him on lawns in the morning. He claims the sky as his own.

The fifth stanza shifts back to the caged bird, whose perch is "the grave of dreams" and whose "shadow shouts on a nightmare scream." Because his wings are clipped and his feet tied, he opens his throat to sing.

The sixth and final stanza is a word-for-word repeat of the third stanza. The caged bird sings a song that is fearful of the things the bird does not know but for which it longs. The speaker concludes the poem by repeating that the song reaches a distant hill because "the caged bird sings of freedom."

Through juxtaposing the symbolic experiences of two birds—one free and one caged—Maya Angelou explores themes of freedom, oppression, and resilience. The result is an allegory for the comparative experiences of white Americans who take their freedom and privilege for granted and Black Americans who face systemic racial and economic oppression, and yet because of this oppression, have a deeper and truer knowledge of what freedom is.

In terms of form, “Caged Bird” comprises six stanzas of free verse. The poem also uses an inconsistent rhyme scheme that combines occasional end rhymes, slant rhymes, and internal rhymes. Angelou establishes rhythm in the first line through the use of iambs, which creates a stress pattern of a short syllable followed by a long syllable: e.g. a FREE bird LEAPS.

However, as the poem is written in free verse, Angelou often breaks with the iambic rhythm to subvert the listener’s expectation of how the line will sound. For example, the third stanza begins with what would be four lines of iambic dimeter were it not for the introduction of a fifth syllable in the second line (“with a fearful trill”). The effect of breaking the rhythm—making it slightly off-balance—is that Angelou captures in her language the “fearful trill” being described.

Angelou also uses enjambment—the continuation of a clause or sentence over multiple lines—to enhance the images she describes. The first stanza, in which the free bird takes flight and drifts on the wind, is a single sentence extended over seven lines. The effect of Angelou’s lineation is to make the language itself seem to float along the same wind current on which the free bird glides. Interestingly, Angelou also uses enjambment in the second stanza, but puts the device to different effect: rather than enhancing a sense of freedom, enjambment in the second stanza emphasizes the caged bird’s claustrophobia and desperation.

Another device Angelou uses to great effect in “Caged Bird” is repetition in various forms. The omniscient speaker shifts between the perspectives of the free bird and the caged bird, a repetition that establishes the juxtaposition between the two birds’ experiences and invites the reader to compare them. Repetition also occurs on the line level: The last three lines of the second stanza (“his wings are clipped and / his feet are tied / so he opens his throat to sing”) repeat exactly as the last two lines of the fifth stanza.

More significantly, the third stanza is repeated word-for-word in the final stanza. With her repetition, Angelou draws the reader’s attention to the image of the bird singing his song of freedom. The effect is to underscore how the caged bird, because he lacks the variety freedom offers, continues to sing as his only recourse for expressing the longing his confinement engenders. In this way, the repetition highlights both the monotony of the bird’s existence and his sustained resilience in the face of that monotony.

“Caged Bird” also uses repetition in the sense that its premise is a repetition of the basic conceptual idea of Paul Laurence Dunbar’s 1899 poem “Sympathy,” in which the speaker sympathizes with a caged bird who beats its wings against its cage and sings. Angelou used the line “I know why the caged bird sings!” for the title of her 1969 autobiography, and returned to the premise of a poetic speaker sympathizing with a caged bird in “Caged Bird.” Angelou’s poem is in conversation with Dunbar’s symbolic verse about the bondage of slavery to suggest that even from her post-Civil Rights Movement vantage, the legacy of white supremacy in the United States continues to negatively impact the Black community.

Like Dunbar’s speaker, Angelou’s speaker sympathizes with the oppressed caged bird. Angelou’s speaker also attributes an attitude of entitlement and obliviousness to the free bird, who “dares to claim the sky” and “names the sky his own.” The free bird is akin to privileged white Americans who benefit from the inequality built into the foundation of U.S. governance and the U.S. economy. By contrast, the caged bird is akin to Black Americans who, despite being born into structures that limit their freedom and oppress them, sustain a spiritual resilience that transcends their material conditions.

Analysis of the Poem

 The poem begins by speaking of the free bird and how it has the freedom to go where ever, when ever, and can claim the sky because there are no other birds to contest with. The poet-speaker show us that the free bird is lazy and would rather float on the wind instead of making its own path. Here, the poet draws the attention of the readers to the description of the 'free bird' by using visual images such as 'leaps', 'floats', 'dips. A bird that is free interacts with nature and 'dares to claim the sky ' The speaker illustrates how the free bird, or white race is untroubled. It also shows how the white society has the audacity to own and govern the society unjustly.

The second stanza introduces the the limitations set upon the caged bird and how this affects thew bird as the bird is still proud and cries for freedom. The caged bird is imprisoned. Nothing is in the bird's control including its wings which are clipped and its feet which are tied making the bird an angry creature. How the poet expresses the Changed bird or African Americans are treated. They are faced with anger, frustration all because of the colour of their skin. 

The third stanza emphasizes the caged bird plight. it tells of how the caged bird sings for freedom, as if it still has hope for things it does not know of. The caged bird fears al the unknown but which the see the unknown if it means getting out of the cage. The bird is shown to rebel against all that held it back in an attempt to be free. The poet-speaker shows how the African Americans speak out for freedom even if the unknown would happen. 

The Fourth stanza is about the free bird again, and how the bird although free thinks of another breeze. This shows that the bird even though it is free is not contented and is greedy to have more freedom. The poet describes how things come easily to the free bird as there are fat worms waiting for it in the dawn on the lawn. The breeze and fat worms are metaphors for all hopes and opportunities that the whites had that the blacks didn't have. 

The fifth stanza shows how the caged bird or African Americans think they will never be free and starting to give up on dreams. But they still have some hopes and begin to sing for freedom. The poet depicts the bird in its cage, the cage that has now become the grave bird's dreams. The caged bird lives in a setting of horror and in the most fearful part.

The Sixth and final stanza is the third stanza repeated for more emphasis representing the caged bird singing out of fear but still in want of the unknown. 

Themes

Racism and Segregation: 

During an era of white supremacy, the lives of African –Americans were characterized by discrimination and limited opportunities. Blacks were forced to be servile and submissive due to these customs that deeply ingrained in a prejudiced society. The only way for African American to earn respect was for them to have a voice and stand up for their rights. Maya Angelou encouraged those of her ethnicity to do this in her poem “Caged Bird”. The poem expresses a serious contempt against racial discrimination. The blacks are confronted by serious and inhuman incidents of racism, such as lack of regards and lack of freedom. The poem also demonstrates the dogged nature of the black community’s hope for freedom and right to life.  

Self-awareness:

The theme of self-awareness is shown in the poem “Caged Bird” in that the poet highlights how this bird has a rage within herself. This rage is because the caged bird senses it is given the liberty to express itself as other birds and other living creatures do. The bird ‘…stalks down his narrow cage’ (line 8-9). This shows that the bird realized the retractions placed on it in its unnatural environment. To this caged bird, the bars of the cage are ‘bars of rage’ as a result, the bird made concerted effort to sing. Self- awareness here is shown by the fact that the bird longs for something that is unknown. It desires this unknown that is out there because it senses that the unknown is better than being caged. And in essence, a slave to its man-made environment where it cannot spread its wings and fly higher.

Despair and Hope

The caged bird is in a state of despair. Being tied up in the cage compromises his movement. He is hopeful that it will transform into a free bird.

That is why he sings of the anticipated freedom. Freedom seems out of reach, and his "tune is heard" in the distant hill. This tells us that the bird is hopeful one day he will fly over to the distant hill just like his voice.

Fear and Courage

While the free bird finds it easy to fly and enjoy his freedom by claiming the sky, the caged bird lives in fear.

However, he is courageous enough to keep singing and use the power of his throat to fight for his freedom.

Quest for freedom:

The predominant theme of the poem is freedom. The first line depicts this by introducing "the free bird." And the opposite theme is "slavery." A caged bird in captivity "sings of freedom." The caged bird was created for freedom as a free bird

Nonetheless, it is in an unnatural situation, trapped in a cage. Not only is it trapped, but its body has been mutilated as well.

The poem shows how the white race has the audacity to own and govern society unjustly. The speaker concludes’ “(the free bird) dares to claim the sky”. This shows how whites demonstrated discrimination and prejudice toward blacks. The poet describes the action of the caged bird, or African Americans as those that are questing for freedom. They were mistreated because they were different and thought to be inferior. The poet affirms that “His wings are clipped and his feet are tied so he opens his throat to sing”. This highlights the disadvantages African-Americans had to endure due to the colour of their skin. In the end, African-Americans knew it was necessary to stand for their long-deserved freedom.

Moral Question:

“Caged Bird” is not just talking about the literally caged birds but the oppression of the Black folks by their white counterparts. In expressing this, the poet is questioning the morality of keeping pets locked up in a cage; the poet shows clearly that there is no moral justification to segregate against fellow humans just because of their colour.

Adversity and good fortune

Sometimes it takes hardship to find out your abilities and strengths, like the caged bird. Sometimes you enjoy the good fortune of using all your abilities, like the free bird.

The caged bird uses his voice to the fullest to help him through hard time, but the free bird has time to enjoy himself with his free body. This can also explain the theme of power and powerlessness.

Poetic devices

Language/Diction:  The words that are used alternate between very harsh, strong words such as “stalks” and “fearful trill” when in a stanza concerning the caged bird, to more flowing words such as “floats” and “sighing tree” when concerned with the free bird.

Imagery: Angelou has vivid imageries. ‘orange sun’, ‘distant hills’, ‘fat worms, etc are examples of visual imageries while ‘sighing trees’, ‘nightmare scream’ and ‘fearful trill’ are auditory imageries

Tone: when talking about the caged bird, the tone and attitude becomes gloomy and depressing showing true emotions of the caged bird. When the poet describes the free bird, the tone is more of optimistic, happy and joyful. The tone surrounding the free bird is soft and also indicative of authority  

Alliteration: Alliteration is used in places like: can seldom see through ‘s’ alliterate, fat worms waiting on a dawn ‘w’ alliterate, bright lawn his shadow shouts on a nightmare scare

Rhyme: the rhyming in the stanzas create a rhythm, a beat for the poem, and the rhythm, gives a more ominous air to the stanzas. End rhyme is used in the second, fourth and sixth lines of the third stanza

Personification: the poet has personified the two birds when she says ‘dips his wings’, ‘dares to claim the sky’, ‘sings of freedom’ etc

Repetition:  The Poet has repeated the third stanza later in the poem to emphasize the distressed condition of the downtrodden people.

Metaphor: The poem is full of metaphors such as ‘free bird’ and ‘caged bird’. The free bird represents the privileged section of the society whereas the caged one signifies the underpriviledged

Structure

The poet positioned the stanzas based on emotions, themes, and mechanical patterns. The poem has 6 stanzas and 38 lines. The first and fourth stanzas have a happy tone and the rest are morose.

The poet grouped stanzas with similar patterns in the following pairs: Stanza 1 and 2 (7 lines), Stanza 3 and 6(8 lines), Stanza 4 and 5(4 lines).

It's quite interesting how this adds musicality to the poem and creates a rhythm. The poem reads like music. It's like a song with a chorus and a bridge.

Hence, "Caged Bird" can qualify as a lyrical poem.

"Caged Bird" is a free verse poem with some iambic metrical pattern. Iambs are two syllables whereby an unstressed syllable is followed by a stressed syllable. If you read aloud you will realize the rising intonation from the unstressed to the stressed syllable.

Irony

The most striking irony in Maya Angelou’s poem is this. Freedom is denied one segment of the population of a country that prides itself on the ideals of equal rights, individual freedom and liberty. This is clearly an indictment on a nation that preaches freedom to the rest of the world.

Contrast

The persona in I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings contrasts the carefree, privileged life of the whites to the restrictions placed on blacks in the American society.

Much of the poem Caged Bird’s diction and imagery revolves around the differences in the conditions of these two segments of the society.

The most important words that convey the state of racial inequality in the American society are FREE and CAGED.

The structure of the poem is also built around the poetic device known as contrast.

We can observe that while the first stanza speaks of the fruits of freedom freely available to the whites, the second and third stanzas turn to the opposite direction. These two stanzas speak to the sorry condition of the black race in the same society.

This movement between the two opposite conditions in America continues up to the end of the poem.

Thus, the poet has used the poetic device of contrast to expose and also criticize racial discrimination in her native land.

To Maya Angelou, the perpetration of racial injustice is a blot on the conscience of a nation that was founded on the principle of equality for all.

.