The
poem offers many different tones: playful and defiant, comical and angry,
self-assured and bitter. However the overall tone is triumphant.
The poem’s first word—“You”—is
important. The poem is clearly addressed to others. It is not private. Much of
its energy derives from its bold and cheeky self-assertiveness. Clearly
addressed to the white oppressors of black persons, the poem presents us with a
black woman willing to speak up for herself, for other living blacks, and even
for her black ancestors. The poem is both very political and very personal. The
speaker is implicitly responding to decades of oppression and mistreatment. Her
tone never sounds arrogant, but Instead, most readers are likely to feel
immense sympathy for her further oppression.
The
use of metaphor: “I’m a black ocean, leaping and wide…" strengthens that
stance and the use of personification. “You may cut me with your eyes.” offers
vivid imagery of undefeatable and invincible. As for allusions "Out of the huts of
history’s shame I rise Up from a past that’s rooted in pain I rise" is a direct reference to slavery. "Leaving
behind nights of terror and fear" is also a reference to slavery along with
racism. The obvious motifs are "I rise " and "I'll rise"
both act as a way to reinforce the will of the speaker.
Many
of the marginal notes were very useful, however they could cover more broad
literary devices such as the metaphors that are in use, "black ocean, leaping and wide;", a
metaphor reinforces the power of the poem.
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