Woman Work Analysis by Maya Angelou<
August 27, 2014 by Shreya Bardhan
Woman Work Analysis by Maya Angelou

The rhyme scheme throughout ‘Woman Work’ is not constant. The first stanza consists of seven pairs of rhymed lines in the pattern AABB and so on. Since these lines are short and quick in nature, they create an impression of breathlessness in the reader’s mind, as if the woman has no time to pause between… Continue reading Woman Work Analysis by Maya Angelou

Touched by an Angel Analysis by Maya Angelou<
August 27, 2014 by Shreya Bardhan
Touched by an Angel Analysis by Maya Angelou

‘Touched by an Angel’ has no set rhyme scheme, but is written in rhythmically-flowing free verse. What are noticeable in the poem are the multiple end rhymes, such as “delight” and “sight” in the second and fifth lines, or “see”, “be”, and “free” in the seventeenth, nineteenth, and twenty-first lines. Throughout the poem, Angelou uses… Continue reading Touched by an Angel Analysis by Maya Angelou

Touched by an Angel Summary by Maya Angelou<
August 27, 2014 by Shreya Bardhan
Touched by an Angel Summary by Maya Angelou

‘Touched by An Angel’ consists of three stanzas. The first stanza contains six lines, and therefore, it is a sestet. The second stanza contains an extra line, bringing the total to seven, and is therefore a septet. The third and final stanza similarly adds another extra line, bringing the total to eight, and is therefore… Continue reading Touched by an Angel Summary by Maya Angelou

The Valley of Unrest Analysis  by Edgar Allan Poe<
August 27, 2014 by Shreya Bardhan
The Valley of Unrest Analysis by Edgar Allan Poe

Several versions of this poem have been published by Poe. It was first published in the 1831 collection of Poe’s poetry simply entitled Poems under the name ‘The Valley Nis’. In 1836, Poe revised the 1831 version of the poem, changing the last twenty lines to a large extent, but retaining the original title. In… Continue reading The Valley of Unrest Analysis by Edgar Allan Poe

The Valley of Unrest Summary by Edgar Allan Poe<
August 27, 2014 by Shreya Bardhan
The Valley of Unrest Summary by Edgar Allan Poe

Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849) is one of the foremost American authors and poets of his age, and in fact any age. Considered by many critics as an exponent of the Romantic Movement in America, Poe’s brand of Romanticism is better described as Dark Romanticism. His themes are generally gloomy, sorrowful, and mysterious, and hence, they… Continue reading The Valley of Unrest Summary by Edgar Allan Poe

Still I Rise Analysis by Maya Angelou<
August 26, 2014 by Shreya Bardhan
Still I Rise Analysis by Maya Angelou

‘Still I Rise’ is a typical Maya Angelou poem in terms of its subject matter, but what really sets it apart is the kind of visual stimulation it provides to readers. We shall find evidence of this time and time again in our analysis of the poem. The first seven stanzas of the poem show… Continue reading Still I Rise Analysis by Maya Angelou

Still I Rise Summary by Maya Angelou<
August 26, 2014 by Shreya Bardhan
Still I Rise Summary by Maya Angelou

Maya Angelou (1928-2014) is an African-American woman poet. Her poetry thus addresses two kinds of oppression – both racial oppression, and sexism. A contemporary of Angelou’s named Zora Neale Hurston has said that the black woman is the mule of the world, bearing all the disrespect imaginable on her own feeble shoulders. In ‘Still I… Continue reading Still I Rise Summary by Maya Angelou

Spirits of the Dead Analysis by Edgar Allan Poe<
August 26, 2014 by Shreya Bardhan
Spirits of the Dead Analysis by Edgar Allan Poe

‘Spirits of the Dead’ was first published under the name ‘Visits of the Dead’ in the 1827 collection of Poe’s poetry known as Tamerlane and Other Poems. The title was changed for re-publication in another collection entitled Al Aaraaf, Tamerlane and Minor Poems, which was published two years later. The rhyme scheme of each of… Continue reading Spirits of the Dead Analysis by Edgar Allan Poe

Spirits of the Dead Summary by Edgar Allan Poe<
August 26, 2014 by Shreya Bardhan
Spirits of the Dead Summary by Edgar Allan Poe

Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849) is an American author and poet belonging to the Romantic era. However, his most common theme of choice is horror, unlike other Romantics perhaps. His depiction of nature makes use of fear-inducing imagery, and his poems are often mysterious and ambiguous in their meanings. ‘Spirits of the Dead’ is no exception.… Continue reading Spirits of the Dead Summary by Edgar Allan Poe

Momma Welfare Roll Summary by Maya Angelou<
August 26, 2014 by Shreya Bardhan
Momma Welfare Roll Summary by Maya Angelou

Maya Angelou (1928-2014), an African-American woman poet, writes passionately about the experiences of women of her own community. While often focusing on the story of one particular African-American woman, Angelou makes it clear that the story is not, in fact, the story of an individual, but of many like that woman who live in despair… Continue reading Momma Welfare Roll Summary by Maya Angelou