The Black Man Life . A4

HANDOUT 1

--[A1]

Bab 1 [A2]

Introduction

1.1 Background

Poetry analysis is the process of investigating a poem's form, content, and history in an informed way, with the aim of heightening one's own and others' understanding and appreciation of the work. Poetry uses forms and conventions to suggest differential interpretation to words, or to evoke emotive responses. Devices such as assonance, alliteration, onomatopoeia and rhythm are sometimes used to achieve musical or incantatory effects. The use of ambiguity, symbolism, irony and other stylistic elements of poetic diction often leaves a poem open to multiple interpretations. Similarly, metaphor, simile and metonymy[4] create a resonance between otherwise disparate images—a layering of meanings, forming connections previously not perceived. Kindred forms of resonance may exist, between individual verses, in their patterns of rhyme or rhythm. (

Stanford begins The Tragedy of the Negro in America by distinguishing between the authorized tragedy of black Americans, represented by slavery, with the unauthorized tragedy of post-bellum injustice. In discussing the authorized tragedy, Stanford describes the first attempts at colonizing and Christianizing black communities in the West Indies, and moves on to the first importation of blacks into the American colonies. He condemns the false Christianity that allowed slavery to continue and grow throughout the 17th and 18th centuries. Stanford acknowledges the good deeds done by various religious sects (particularly the Quakers) and praises the New England states for the restriction or abolition of slavery. In describing the unauthorized tragedy, Stanford blames Andrew Johnson for failing to control racist legislation in the southern states and allowing the freedmen to suffer under economic conditions little better than those suffered under slavery. He also describes the perversion of the justice system to allow for the ritual denigration of African Americans. The Tragedy of the Negro in America by distinguishing between the authorized tragedy of black Americans, represented by slavery, with the unauthorized tragedy of post-bellum injustice. In discussing the authorized tragedy, he describes the first attempts at colonizing and Christianizing black communities in the West Indies, and moves on to the first importation of blacks into the American colonies that allowed slavery to continue and grow throughout the 17th and 18th centuries. (

1.2Thesis Statement

“the black man life”.[A4]

Bab II

Discussion

2.1Stanzaic pattern[A5]

`It is the `Negro’s `tragedy I feela

/′ - / - ′ /- ′ /- ′ /- ′ /→ Iambic pentameter with a trochaic on the 1st foot

Which `binds me `like a `heavy `iron `chain,b

/- ′/- ′ / - ′/ - ′ /-′/→ Iambic pentameter

`It is the `Negro’s ‘wounds I `want to `heala

/′ - /- ′/ - ′/ - ′ / - ′/→Iambic pentameter with a trochaic on the 1st foot

Be′cause I `know the ′keenness of his `pain.b

/- ′ /- ′ / - ′ /- - / - ′/→Iambic pentameter with a pyrrhic 4th foot

Only a `thorn-crowned `Negro and no `whitec

/ ′ - /- ′/ ′ - / ′ - /- - ′/ →trochaic pentameter with an anapest on 5th foot

′Can pene`trate in′to the `Negro’s ′kend

/′ -/ - ′/ -′/ - ′/ - ′/→iambic pentameter with a trochaic on 1st foot

Or `feel the `thickness of the `shroud of `nightc

/- ′/-′ /- -/ - ′ / - ′/→iambic pentameter with a pyrrhic on 3rd foot

Which `hides and `buries him from `other `men.d

/-′ / - ′/ - - /- ′/-′/→ iambic pentameter with a pyrrhic on 3rd foot

So `what I `write is shot `out of my `blood.E

/- ′ /- ′ /- - / ′-/ -′ / → iambic pentameter with sprung rhythm

`There is no `white man who could `write my `book f

/′-/ - ′ / - - / -′ / - ′/→iambic pentameter with sprung rhythm

Though `many `think the `story can be `toldg

/- ′/ ′-/ ′ - / - ′ /→iambic tetrameter with a trochaic on 2nd and 3th foot.

Of `what the `Negro `people `ought to `brook.F

/- ′ / - ′ / ′′ / - ′/→iambic tetrameter with a spondaic on 3th foot

Our `statesmen `roam the `world to `set things `right. H

This `Negro `laughs, and `prays to `God for `Light!h

2.2Rhyme and Rhythm

→There are two stanza in this poem ( the Negro’s Tragedy ) the first stanza is octave because in one stanza consist of eight line. And the second stanza is sestet, it is called sestet because in one stanza consist of six line.

→Several variation of rhyme

The first is Perfect rhyme, on the first stanza line two and four in the last word “Which binds me like a heavy iron chain” “Because I know the keenness of his pain” , and the second in the “Our statesmen roam the world to set things right”. “ This Negro laughs, and prays to God for Light!”

→rhythm

The rhythm this poem used run- on line and end stopped line.

→Inference about the rhyme scheme and metrical analysis

The stanza have identical rhyme scheme that are iambic pentameter with a sprung rhythm. In this poem the word Negro are repeated almost in every stanza. The word also keep reminding the readers of the poem about the speakers and his feeling about the tragedy of Negro people on that century. Every stanza show the pain of black people that only black people feel it

“The Negro’s tragedy” was first published without this title in the July-August issue of The Catholic Worker.

“The Negro’s Tragedy” is an identity politics poem excellence—complicated by the Christology that McKay develops throughout The Catholic Worker sonnets. The speaker feels the “Negro’s tragedy” and wants to heal “his pain” in the first quatrain. In the second, such positive declarations give way to exclusionary ones: whites are excluded from the “Negro’s ken,” or point of view.

Only a thorn-crowned Negro and no white

Can penetrate into the Negro’s ken

(“The Negro’s Tragedy” ll. 5-6)

He identifies himself with the tragedy of the Negro, the pain and suffering experienced by the Negro race.The poet says that no white man understands the situation of the black man, though many think that they do. A white man cannot "penetrate into the Negro's ken," and he cannot feel the Negro's isolation from other men.

2.3Figurative language[A6]

Simile

“……which binds me like a heavy iron chain” (stanza one line 1-2). Use word “ like” here are compared two things between “ bind me and heavy iron chain”

Personification

“…..Or feel the thickness of the shroud of night Which hides and buries him from other men. (stanza 1 line 7-8). the shroud of nightcan’t hide or buries the man from the other man. The use of words hide and buries may add dramatic effect on the tragic experience.

Hyperbole

“So what I write is shot out of my blood” ( stanza 2 line 1 ). All the Negro’s tragedy really tragic. The speakers use this figurative language to show that what he write about tragedy is like shot his blood, and I thing this line sounds like hyperbole.

Atmosphere

Tragic ( on the first stanza line 4 – 8)

Can penetrate into the Negro’s ken

Or feel the thickness of the shroud of night

Which hides and buries him from other men

“Because I know the keenness of his pain.

Only a thorn-crowned Negro and no white”

Diction

“Bind means tie or fasten, shrouds means cover ”

2.4Biographical Information

Claude McKay (1889-1948) is a pioneering-poet of Harlem Renaissance. In the early 20th century, the Americans saw a revival of African Culture and its expression through many artistic forms like music, dancing and poetry. McKay was born with ‘black and blue’ colour and brought up in the racial Jamaica. So very early in his life he was exposed to the racial-attitude of the white people. As a result, racial consciousness had become a part and parcel of his life. He was one of the members of the group of very sensitive black intellectuals and artists who had gathered in the name of race and color, to give an unprecedented exposure to their problems, hopes and aspirations.[A7]

2.5Historical Information

The Tragedy of the Negro in America by distinguishing between the authorized tragedy of black Americans, represented by slavery, with the unauthorized tragedy of post-bellum injustice. In discussing the authorized tragedy, he describes the first attempts at colonizing and Christianizing black communities in the West Indies, and moves on to the first importation of blacks into the American colonies that allowed slavery to continue and grow throughout the 17th and 18th centuries.[A8]

Bab III

Conclussion

3.1Summary of analysis

3.2Massage

Massage of the poem

In this world whatever it is always have differences, the important things is ourselves face it.
There is always light every darkness.

References

[A9]

HANDOUT 2

--[A10]

BAB I. [A11]INTRODUCTION

Summary of the poem

This poem told about the speaker wanted to be remembered by her love. She knew that she would die and she asked to her love for always remembering him in his life. Nevertheless, she realized that the darkness and the corruption [A12]from herself could make her love became sad, so she changed her mind to forgot her than remembered her.

The poem’s major theme

Someone who wants to make people arround him/her do not be sorrowful. We choose this theme because in each line of the poem explains that the writer wants to be remembered by her lover. However, she realizes if her love still remember her when she has gone, it will just make him sad[A13].

BAB II. DISCUSSION

Stanzaic Pattern

Stanzaic form: 1 octave and 1 sestet; General rhyme pattern: a-b-b-a; written in iambic pentameter in most lines and iambic pentameter with trochee in line 7 and line 13.[A14]

Rhyme and Rhythm[A15]

REMEMBER

By : Christina Rosetti

Remember me when I am gone away,a