‘Limbo’ L.O: To be able annotate the poem confidently

ambiguity What is ambiguity? What is ambiguity? The dictionary defines this as: noun (pl. ambiguities) uncertain or inexact meaning.

‘Limbo’ by Edward Kamau Brathwaite What are your first impressions of the poem? What are your first impressions of the poem? Do you like it? Do you like it? Why/ Why not? Why/ Why not?

This poem tells the story of slavery in a rhyming, rhythmic dance. It is ambitious and complex. There are two narratives running in parallel: This poem tells the story of slavery in a rhyming, rhythmic dance. It is ambitious and complex. There are two narratives running in parallel: the actions of the dance, and the actions of the dance, and the history of a people which is being enacted. the history of a people which is being enacted. Going down and under the limbo stick is likened to the slaves' going down into the hold of the ship, which carries them into slavery. In Roman Catholic tradition, limbo is a place to which the souls of people go, if they are not good enough for Heaven or bad enough for Hell. More exactly, according to the Catholic Encyclopedia, it is Going down and under the limbo stick is likened to the slaves' going down into the hold of the ship, which carries them into slavery. In Roman Catholic tradition, limbo is a place to which the souls of people go, if they are not good enough for Heaven or bad enough for Hell. More exactly, according to the Catholic Encyclopedia, it is "...the permanent place or state of those un-baptized children and others who, dying without grievous personal sin, are excluded from the beatific vision on account of original sin alone." "...the permanent place or state of those un-baptized children and others who, dying without grievous personal sin, are excluded from the beatific vision on account of original sin alone."

Edward Kamau Braithwaite Edward Kamau Braithwaite A poem by:

Learning Intentions Key Teaching Points To read the poem To understand the context and stylistic features. Key Terms Metaphor Refrain Repetition

The Poet Edward Kamau Braithwaite is a Carribean writer. His poems often deal with the themes of colonisation and slavery. In the 18thC several European countries invaded the West Indies and established colonies. Slaves were captured in Africa and brought to the islands to work on sugar plantations. Many of them died on the journey across the Atlantic.

The Limbo Dance It is believed that the limbo dance was invented on board the slave ships by the slaves themselves as a way of keeping fit in confined conditions. It involves dancing beneath a horizontal pole, leaning backwards more and more as trhe pole is gradually lowered. If the dancer knocks the pole s/he is disqualified. The limbo dance is now only performed for tourists.

Now read the poem There are two different styles of print used in the poem. The italics represent the refrain, echoing the response of the slaves to the call of the overseer. The limbo dance used in the poem is a metaphor for slavery. While the poem tells the story of a dance it is, at the same time, the story of slavery. Now look at the poem again. Pick out examples from the poem of how the stories of the dance and of slavery are intertwined.

We are now going to take a closer look at how the central metaphor is developed

Limbo: slavery and dance LINETHE DANCESTORY OF SLAVERY 1Stick waiting to be dance underSilent, waiting to be taken on board ship 7Dancing at nightNight is a metaphor for fear 10/11A dancer hitting a stickSomeone being hit with a stick 12/13Ship ready to sail 16/17No escape/ call for help 22/25Limbo stick 27/28Drum stick 29/30Knees spread to dance 32/33Dark ground of dance area 34/36Going down under limbo stick 40/43Sunrise – morning dance nearly over 44/46Coming up from under the limbo stick 47Music signifies the end of the dance 48-50Walking away from the dance

Did you find any optimistic images? For example: ‘music’? ‘saving me’? ‘sun coming up’? What kind of saving might this be? How does the poem use the limbo dance to parallel the story of being taken into slavery?

ambiguity Where is the ambiguity? (think about the title of the poem) Where is the ambiguity? (think about the title of the poem)

Now, for homework: Explain the way the poem is structured