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.

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.

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THE USE OF ALLITERATION, REPETITION AND ASSONANCE IN THE POEM, BINSEY POPLARS

The poet decries the destruction of nature through the felling of trees. He maintains that nature has a role to play in the affairs of human beings, To demonstrate this role. He makes use of alliteration, repetition and assonance as Stylistic devices.  Alliteration is defined as the repetition of initial consonants of word.  It occurs in lines and across lines. There is Alliteration of /k/and /i/ sounds as well as in ... whose airy cages/quelled or quenched in leaves the leaping sun.  Alliteration of /s/, /d/, and /w/ sounds in “That dandled a sandaled shadow that swam or sank On meadow and river and wind wandering, weed-winding bank’. (c) Also, alliteration of “/t/ and ‘/k * in ‘Ten or twelve, only ten or twelve strokes of havoc unselve...” 

Most of the sounds alliterated are voiceless of Soft sounds. These convey the feeling of empathy and reinforce the notion that nature is delicate an and beautify and there's great loss in its being destroyed. 

The Use of repetition is often combined with alliteration, and occurs in several parts of the poem. Examples include: ‘All felled,  felled are all felled  delve or hew"/ “hew or delve”  ...quelled/quelled,  “ten or twelve, only ten or twelve” 

On occasion, entire lines are repeated; with slight variations: 

The sweet especial scene 

Rural scene, a rural scene 

Sweet especial rural scene 

The effect of repetion is to emphasize and intensify the point or idea of loss. To draw attention to the pathetic destruction that is taking place. 

Assonance is simply the repetition of identical or sometimes, similar vowels in words. Examples include: (i) The vowel /e/ in ‘quelled’ or quenched, or ‘mend* and ‘end’, ‘delve’ or ‘selve: The vowel /i/ in ‘leaves’ and ‘leaping sun’. The vowel /a/ in dandled a sandaled...”, or in ‘swam’ and ‘sank’. 

The effect of assonance in the poem is to heightens the feeling of loss and destruction, adds to the poem’s musical quality. 

The cummulative  effect of use of the devices is to reinforce the poet's feeling of regrets , draw attention to the harm that is being done to the trees, by extension, nature. 

THE POET’S ATTITUDE TO DEATH IN THE POEM, DO NOT GO GENTLE INTO THAT GOOD NIGHT: 

 The poem deals with our human condition, that is, our fear of the death. It sees death as inevitable and natural but unwelcome.  The fact about  death is that it is inevitable and no need to call it by name. Using euphemisms such as ‘goodnight’, “close of day” ‘dying of the light” will do. It is as though these are the poet’s way of mollifying death.

 The poet feels that death should be resisted, even at old age: ‘old age should burn and rave at close of day’. He provides examples of important people who do not give in to death readily. They include: Wise men at their end who’ do not go gentle in that goodnight’. Good men...who“rage, rage against the dying of light’. Carefree people - wild men with their missed opportunities, but who ‘Do not go gentle into that goodnight’.  ‘Grave men’ that is , visionary people ‘who see with blinding light; but “Do not go gentle into that good night’. 

 The poet admonishes his dying father to show revulsion towards death, even “there on the sad height”. To “curse; bless me now with your fierce tears. To “rage, rage against the dying of the light”.

 The poet's attitude to death is a resentment owing from his attitude to his father’s dying. Words like ‘burn’, ‘rage’ suggest this. However, his fear of death also makes him address it euphemistically as “goodnight”, “close of day”, etc. as though he wishes for it. This shows his ambivalence. 

THE PERSONIFICATION OF RAGE IN THE POEM, RAIDER OF THE TREASURE TROVE:

The Theme of the adverse effects of unchecked Rage on human virtues like joy, compassion and love. In the poem, Rage symbolizes all the negatives of life. Ascribing human qualities to non-human things in the poem, Rage is seen as some entity or person capable of disturbing or even ruining one’s peace of mind, if invited in. The ground is prepared in stanza 1 which asks: ‘What is worthy of your life?’ And advises us to ‘strive to fly flags of joy and sail up streams/powered by the breeze of love....” The sole aim of Rage is to undo this happiness. Breach your sail...and (b) “.....drag rags after you”  “Become enemy of your equanimity” (d) Spread “toxic fumes and every scene”  Rage is “sole cause of your perception of Storms/ Breaking around” Rage takes its birth from people’s feelings “As you think, so you feel” Rage is capable of setting sail and unleashing. “the perception of storms...”  Rage is the companion of ruin. 

The poet speaker advises to “... watch your mind” and think of positive things like love, compassion and “joy, As you think, so you feel”. He enjoins  restore “laughter, charity, sweetness and light”  and live a life in which you “fling roses...” Aim for a taste of the heavenly life: “My destination is Heaven-on-earth”. 

HOW AFRICA SUFFERED AND SURVIVES STILL IN THE POEM, THE GRIEVED LANDS

This poem is about suffering and survival. The title, “The grieved lands” is a personification of Africa in grief. Yet its peoples are able to overcome various forms of deprivation. The poem shows that the period extends from colonial to modern times. The grieving is due to colonialism and slavery. “ In the tearful woes of ancient and modern slave of other seas’ (stanza |). It is also due to seduction “In the infamous sensation of the stunning perfume of the flower” (stanza 2) as well as the violence meted out “By the wickedness of iron and fire. The psychological effects of grief on Africans include the aborting of dreams ‘...the dream soon undone in the jingling of goalers’. (stanza 3) the loss of self worth “... in the stifled laughter and victorious voice laments” bottled up feelings *.... in the unconscious brilliance of hidden sensations’

 African’s means of survival is through resilience. The never-dying spirits that ..bubble up in dreams. Decked with dance by the baobab....” (stanza 4). (it) through alliance with kindred souls “In the perpetual alliance of everything that lives’.  and through the sacrifices of the dead “They shout out the sound of life. Shout it’  

Africa’s hope for the future lies in coming together/forming a union: “In the harmonious sound of consciences” (stanza 6) it also lies in the exercise of integrity “..honest blood of men’ it lies in observance of universal justice “ In the pure and simple rightness of the stars’ existence’ (stanza 6)  And in the continuance of the African race “Because we are living. And are imperishable particles of the grieved lands of Africa’. 

GABRIEL  AS A COMIC RELIEF CHARACTER IN THE PLAY

The theme of racial discrimination in America of the 1950s which impacts the lives of African Americans particularly the Maxsons. Gabriel, Troy’s brother and a veteran of World War Il is slightly demented and ignored by the larger white American Society. He had a metal plated lodged in his head during the war. Gabriel is Troy’s younger brother and he is the only one of Troy's siblings that we encounter in the play. He is a Second World War veteran who has returned home with a disabling head injury that has made him mentally unsound. He is Uncle to Lyons, Cory and Raynell and Rose’s brother-in-law. 

The interactions of characters, speeches, or scenes in a literary work that alleviate tension by creating fun or humour is referred to as comic relief. Gabriel’s funny actions and speeches are attributed to his mental state, but they add to the reader’s interest by lessening the tension in the family.  Gabriel’s delusional actions and speeches include Seeing himself as Archangel Gabriel. Seeing and chasing “hell hounds”. Believing he died long ago and went to heaven where he shared “some big fat biscuits with St. Peter”. He blows with fanfare his trumpet that gives no sound. Gabriel  Surprises everyone with his appearance at Troy’s funeral because he had been restricted to the nursing home after he was reported to disturb the peace of the neighnourhood and everyone had thought he won’t be allowed to come. He does a slow eerie dance while announcing he is going to tell St. Peter to open the gate for Troy. 

Gabriel’s Comic Relief focuses attention on the excesses of racial discrimination. It Implicates Troy Maxson in his selfish use of his brother’s money. It Provides spaces for audience laugher to lessen the tension in the family. Gabriel's dance at Troy's funeral suggests intercession. His brother’s deeds are now forgiven and Saint Peter is ready to receive him. Gabriel blowing his trumpet with no sound helps to suggest the futility of life as shown in Troy’s own life and death. 

RAYNELL’S CONTRIBUTION TO THE PLOT

 Theme of racial discrimination and its negative impact on the lives of African Americans in the 1950’s. Troy Maxson complicates an already uneasy family life with his extra-marital affair with Alberta. Plot as a sequence of events dictated by the actions of the characters in a play. In the play, Troy Maxson’s home is the centre of most of the actions and events, except those recalled by flashback.  Raynell is Troy’s extra-marital daughter whose mother, Alberta, dies in childbirth at the hospital.  Raynell is brought home by Troy “wrapped in blankets’. She is  step sister to Cory and Lyons and niece to Gabriel (Gabe). 

Events before Ratynell’s integration into Maxson family seem to be very much under control - no significant upheavals. Raynell’s entry into the family introduces the most significant crisis the family has to deal with. (a) Maxson is disowned by Rose as her husband; “From right now... this child got a mother but you a womanless man’. Cory is on his mother’s side and shows disrespect to his father, even ending up fighting him after the fracas at the porch. Rose’s acceptance of Raynell eases the crisis but things are never the same again with the relationship until Troy's death.

 Raynell is a source of comfort for the family as Rose is left with Raynell after Troy’s sudden death. Rose introduces Raynell to Cory and Lyons as her eldest siblings. Lyons says: ‘Look al Raynell. Ain’t she precious’.  Raynell sings late Troy's favourite song on Blue. Raynell explains it  “Papas dog that he sings about all the time’ And she adds that "Blue laid down and died like a man’ after Cory has joined her in singing the song. Rose prepares Raynell to get into her rather tight shoes to artend church fer Troy's burial. 

THE CHARACTER AND ROLES OF MADAM YOKO IN THE PLAY

The play has its relation to the theme of tradition and unfair demands on womanhood and the battles of sexes which are realized through Yoko’s characterization. Yoko's character is revealed through the Conflict in the succession of rulership in Mende land. The Conflict in gender role and abuses of colonialism. The character of Madam Yoko is identified as the favourite wife of Gbanya, ruler of Mende Chiefdom. She is Queen of Mende Chiefdom after the death of Gbanya. She is Sister of Lamboi who, with Musa, is her antagonist. Madam Yoko is an ambitious and courageous woman who joins an all-male society. Madam Yoko’s character from what she says or thinks shows she is submissive to her husband, uses terms of endearment like ‘my lord’, and prefixes what she says with ‘please’. She being courageous and ambitious aks Gbanya to fulfill his promise to make her his successor even though she is a woman. She is kind-hearted “ by taking Jeneba as her own daughter. Mourns the death of Jeneba. Madam Yoko's character from what she does usurps the chiefdom after Gbanya’s death. She empathizes with Jeneba’s mother, Jilo, when she announces the disappearance of her daughter. She appoints Musa to head the search for the missing girl and punishes the real culprits. She punishes Lansana for his adulterous relationship with Jilo. She tries to appease the Colonial Governor when she extends her chiefdom beyond senehun.  She commits suicide, even though proven innocent,  to protect her dignity and self-worth. She undergoes the Poro ritual which qualifies her to succeed Gbanya but denies her the opportunity to give birth. She delivers fair verdict in the adultery case involving Lansana and Jilo. 

Madam Yoko's character from what others say about her is that She is seen as a threat by Musa and Lamboi who want to succeed Gbanya and poison him. She is accused of murdering Jeneba and humiliated by Mende women who call her names. E.g., “murderer, witch, devil and wicked. She is humiliated by colonial power which reduces her chiefdom. She is maligned for her inability to give birth and  humiliated by Ndapi, the Chief Guard who slaps her for alleged complicity in the murder of Jeneba. She is  Remembered for her female leadership traits which blend grace, bravery,  peace and authority in her role as custodian of Mende land. She Ends up a tragic heroine.  

THE CHARACTER AND ROLES OF GBANYA IN THE PLAY

The play is about traditional African Society faced with an internal struggle for power and an external aggression by the colonial government. Gbanya exhibits traits of laudable achievements, pragmatism, good leadership and affection.  Gbanya is chief of Mende and Yoko is his favourite wife. He treats Yoko as a mere sex object for a man’s pleasure, “Of what use is a woman to a man?” There are signs of achievements during his rulership, such as:  His governance enables Mende land to boast of“... the richest wine and the biggest cattle”. His reign wins many ‘sensible’ wars which are described by Ndapi as “... honourable and brave ventures”. Yoko inherits his stable leadership for she confesses that Gbanya is “... the man who made Senehun into a great Chiefdom...”. 

Gbanya has the most courageous warriors in Mende Kingdom.  Gbanya espouses’ pragmatic ideals when he says “a chief must be ruthless”. He says a chief “must never be seen to be weak.:.” He confesses to Yoko. “... If Senehun is to survive, a man must lead... not a woman.” This is because patriarchy is practiced in Mende Kingdom. Gbanya has the courageous band of fighters/warriors.  To a point, Yoko models Gbanya’s “virtues and qualities of undying love” 

both her governance and life.  Lavalie describes Gbanya as “... a finer man ... (and) a braver man...” Gbanya shows affection for his wives through his concern. For example, he dispatches Lavalie, one of his warriors, to “tell my (his) wives to put on their best clothes” to warmly receive . the visiting Governor Rowe. He loves and cares for Yoko because of her vision and contribution to the affairs of the kingdom. Gbanya weak side falls with his misjudgement in sending his warriors to fight on John Caulker's side as against the Governor's brother. Eventually, Governor Rowe humiliates him in the presence of his subjects. He loves Yoko too much. He allows himself to be killed in the interest of peace in the Kingdom. 

THE SYMBOLISM OF THE FENCE IN FENCES

The theme of racial discrimination and its negative effects on an African-American family in the 1950s. African Americans had to fight white segregation as well as deal with their own internal conflict. So, they are externally fenced off while they also put up their own internal fences. Fence Is a structure, like a wall built to separate one area from another or to prevent people or animals from entering or leaving its enclosure. The play is about the building of a fence in the Maxsons’ backyard. The life of the Maxson family is affected one way or the other by the fence building project.  Rose sings a song asking Jesus to protect her like a fence.  Rose believes that asking Troy and Cory to work together to build the fence will help them to bond and heal the conflict between father and son. Bono, Troy's friend also told Troy that Rose wants a fence built around the house to keep Troy and other members of the family in. And this is a time Troy goes to see Alberta at Tylor's place.

 In the final showdown between Troy and Cory, Troy kicks Cory out of the house. The fence becomes the physical barrier that separates father and son.  The constant friction between Troy and his son Cory can be seen as an emotional barrier that separates them. The fence symbolizes all the other emotional barriers; Troy has had to experience these barriers in his life. 

The altercation between Troy and his cruel and abusive father, the racism that prevents him from becoming a professional baseball player,  poverty and homelessness that prevents him from living a dignified life are all fences that is, barriers in his life. 

Even though the play is about the building of a single fence, the title ‘Fences’ derives from the fact that there are other ‘fences’: The play’s main conflict is between father and son, Troy and Cory. There is a metaphorical fence between the two. Early in the play, Troy tries, as it were, to dismantle the racial barrier, that is, the fence between him and his aspiration of becoming the very first black truck driver in the sanitation department he works for. The whites put a ‘fence’ between Cory and his ambition to go to college on a football scholarship. They claim Cory will be discriminated against, that is, a ‘fence’ will be placed between him and his career because he is black. Troy himself had a similar ‘fence’ placed between him and his career as an aspiring baseball player. When Troy’s affair with his mistress, Alberta, is exposed, his wife Rose declares she is no longer Troy’s woman. Troy’s extra-marital affair places a ‘fence’ between him and his wife. 

The Significance of the title is manifested by the hurdles black Americans like Troy had to overcome at their workplace as manifested by the internal wrangling within the Maxson family and efforts to bring back peaceful and harmonious relationships. 

The theme of racial discrimination in America of the 1950s which impacts the lives of black Americans particularly Troy and his family. Troy Maxson is a fifty-two -year old man. He is large and has thick heavy hands. He is the central character in the play. He is the father of Lyons, Cory and Raynell, all from different mothers. He is the husband of Rose. His father is an unsuccessful sharecropper. Troy left home at age fourteen and has now built a family with his wife and children. He is a truck driver in a sanitation department. He is a friend to Bono. 

Troy's character has its background in his upbringing. Troy's father was very hard working, yet he was always in debt. His father used confrontation and violence to put fear in him. Troy engaged in a near-death confrontation with his father over the sexual abuse of his girlfriend. He left his father's home in Alabama, travelling 200 miles to the city. 

As a results of Troy’s Upbringing, he seems to have given him a wrong perception of parenting. He sees himself as a commander who can not accept his Children’s views. Troy learns the value of hard work and a sense of responsibility. Troy  experiences racism as  a boy when he is denied the opportunity to play baseball. As an adult, his honesty and awareness of wrong enable him to change his status at his work place and become the driver of a garbage truck. 

Troy’s upbringing had greater Influences on his children. Troy’s refusal to let Cory play football is an influence from past upbringing. Troy repeats the mistake of his father as he drives his son Cory away from home because of a fierce argument that nearly turns to a physical fight. Troy’s sense of hard work and responsibility is picked up by his sons, particularly Cory. He wants his children to  work hard. This is also shown when Lyons insists on paying him back the ten dollars he borrowed from him. Cory goes away to educate-himself and become a Marine Corporal. Thus, Troy’s upbringing has positive and negative influence on him, and it manifests in his relationship with his children.