The use of imagery will also show that Mama’s beauty and phenomenal comes from her self-confidence and lastly, the tone makes the poem a motivating speech or women and making the author a mother figure for females. To begin, for the duration of the poem, Maya considers herself to be phenomenal and proves to be beautiful and attractive. In the poem, the author uses multiple literary devices such as metaphors, hyperbole’s and symbolism to do so. In the second stanza, Maya cites that when walking into a room indifferently and men fall to their knees.
She uses the hyperbole to exaggerate the awe men have for her and to indicate the effect her ‘power’ has over others without raying. Also, in the metaphor ‘they swarm around me, a hive of honey bees” (Angelo, line 19 and 20), she confesses that men are drawn to her and surround her like bees swarm around their hive. However, in the upcoming verse, Maya declares that it is the ‘fire in her eyes’ that attracts men like honey bees. She uses the word ‘fire’ as a symbol for drive and power. Therefore, men are not simply attracted to beauty; confidence and determination make a woman appealing.
Additionally, the poem is written in four stanzas which all notation four verses that put in evidence Mama’s physical differences from ‘skinny models’, her experience in womanhood, the determination in her eyes and her personality attributes. To start her poem, Mrs.. Angelo states that she may not be thin like fashion models but she has the confidence that ‘pretty’ women may not have, saying that her beauty shines through in ‘the reach in her arms, the stride in her step” (Angelo, line 6 and 8).
In this specific stanza, the poet is explaining to women that her secret to being phenomenal is indeed all of these minimal gestures of confidence. This proves that her physical distinctions are not what define her beauty. In opposite, “the flash of her teeth and the swing In her waist” (Angelo, line 23-24) are what make her beautiful. Throughout the poem, the author uses descriptive imagery to make apparent that is in no way in resemblance to any other female and that she is uniquely attractive.
These remarks about her further justifies that the writers key to being phenomenal is to be different and confident about ones individuality. Finally, the poem “Phenomenal Woman” is a very motivating poem. It is written in the first person and Maya Angelo is giving examples of her own body and personality to really reach out to females. For example, at the end of each stanza, she repeats the same 4 verses. This demonstrates that Maya is not only reminding the reader after each stanza that she is a phenomenal woman, she is repeating the two words “phenomenal” and “woman” to stress her power and feminism.
I’m a woman Phenomenally. Phenomenal woman, (Angelo, lines 10 to 13, 26 to 29, 42 to 45 and 57 to 60) That’s me The general tone of this poem is very inciting. Even though Maya Angelo wrote this poem in the first person speaking about herself, the composition can also be a guide for other women on how to find self-confidence. In the third stanza, the author speaks about her inner mystery and states that it is in “the arch of her back and the ride of her breasts” (Angelo, lines 38 and 40) that men see how Angelo is attractive. This means that although she is a woman of older age, she has experience in life and as a lady.
The composition written by Maya Angelo can be taken as a nurturing lesson due to Angelo Ewing a mother-figure for women and girls not only through her age but through her diction. Mama’s writing skills in this specific poem show a lot of diction because she makes sure the two most important words: “phenomenal” and “woman” are heard and understood to their fullest extremity. This is why the last verses of each stanza in the authors poem [(Angelo lines 10 to 13)] are repeated. Maya ensures that every single woman is phenomenal. In summary, Mrs.. Angelinos poem is a sort of lesson to women and girls on womanhood.
She uses literary devices like hyperbole’s, metaphors and homeboys to explain that beauty comes from having determination and confidence. She also states that beauty comes in all sizes admitting that even she isn’t as thin as a fashion model. The whole poem is written in the first person which gives the composition a motivating tone. Certain verses suggesting that Maya is of older age makes her an expert in life. That being said, she writes this poem in hopes to motivate and nurture women and young girls. Mama’s poem proves that the key to being beautiful is to having self-confidence and that individuality also makes you phenomenal.
