ENGLISH COMPULSORY B.A.I “I KNOW WHY THE CAGED BIRD SINGS” MAYA ANGELOU PREPARED BY: JASREET

ABOUT THE POET AFRICAN AMERICAN AUTHOR WRITTEN ESSAYS, POEMS, PLAYS, AUTOBIOGRAPHIES ONE OF THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN AUTHOR TO PUBLICALY DISCUSS HER PERSONAL LIFE SPOKESPERSON FOR BLACK PEOPLE ESPECIALLY WOMEN WORKS ARE KNOWN AS DEFENCE FOR BLACK CULTURE

ABOUT THE POEM COMPLEX THEME RELATED TO RACE, GENDER, SLAVERY, FREEDOM HOPE IS ETERNAL AND CAGED BIRD DREAMS OF FREEDOM

ENCAGED BIRD REPRESENTS BLACK AMERICAN WHITE FREE BIED REPRESENTS WHITE AMERICAN

THE FREE BIRD LEAPS ------------AND DARES TO CLAIM THE SKY. LEAPS – DIVE, FLOATS DOWNSTREMS – TOWARDS THE MOUTH OF THE RIVER, DARES – CHALLENGES, CLAIM THE SKY- AS IF TO OWN THE SKY

BUT A BIRD THAT STALKS---------SO HE OPENS HIS THROAT TO SING STALKS DOWN HIS NARROW CAGE – FOLLOWS OR TRAILS IN HIS SMALL CAGE WINGS CLIPPED – SHORTENED, CUT, OPENS HIS THROAT TO SING – OPENS HIS BEAK AND STARTS SINGING, THIS STANZA SHOWS THE HELPLESSNESS OF THE BIRD WHO IS CAGED AND CAN NOT ENJOT THE FLIGHT INTO THE BLUE SKY BUT HE STARTS SINGING

THE CAGED BIRD SINGS-------------SINGS OF FREEDOM FEARFUL TRILL – SHRILL LONGED TO – DESIRED TO DISTANT – AT A DISTANCE, FAR OFF PLACES THE BIRD IS AFRAID OF THE UNKNOWN WORLD, THE WORLD OUTSIDE THE CAGE, AND WANTS QUIET AND PEACEFUL LIFE. AND WHEN IT SINGS THE SONG IS HEARD FAR AND WIDE. THE SONG OF FREEDOM THE DREAMS OF FREEDOM CANNOT BE CURTAILED BY THE BARS OF THE CAGE.

THE FREE BIRD-----------HE NAMES THE SKY HIS OWN THE FREE BIRD WANDERS ALL OVER THE WORLD ENJOYING THE WINDS AMONGST THE TREES. IT FILLS ITS STOMACH WITH RICH FOOD AVAILABLE IN THE LUSH GREEN LAWNS.

BUT A CAGED BIRD STANDS---------TO SING CAGED BIRD ALSO DREAMS OF FREEDOM BUT HIS FEET ARE TIED AND HIS WINGS ARE CUT SO HE FEELS AS IF HE IS STANDING ON THE GRAVE OF HIS DREAMS. HE OPENS HIS MOUTH TO SING. THOUGH THE BIRD CANNOT FLY INTO THE BLUE SKY BUT NOONE CAN STOP HIM FROM SINGING AND VOICING HIS MISERIES. THEME OF THE POEM THERE IS HOPE OF FREEDOM. EVEN THOUGH THE BIRD IS CAGED, HE KEEPS HIS DREAM OF FREEDOM ALIVE AND KEEPS ON SINGING THE SONG OF FREEDOM.

THANK YOU