Africa by David Diop (1956) infused personification; hence, the reader may perceive that the speaker of the poem is directly conversing to Africa. Africa in this poem is redefined to be a person of color who both suffered and hoped as they progress through time. The poem highlights a macro-view of the rich socio-historical features of African culture. For instance, the human qualities incorporated to Africa are those traits exclusive for the people of color who experienced slavery and the negritude movement.
The poem shared the experiences and emotions the Africans felt during the pre-colonial, colonial and post-colonial periods. These elements highlight how significant this poem up to this day. As a country, many perceived Africa to be free compared before; however, the poem reminds everyone that Africa is still a hostage of the past due to some prevailing concerns such as racial discrimination. Overall, the intended message of the poem revolves on reminding or informing everybody of the issues brought about by slavery to the Africans. Thus, the theme of the poem emphasizes more into the changes happened due to the horrible circumstances as recorded in their history and culture.
Africa is written as a dramatic monologue that aims to deliver both insights and emotions adhering to the central theme and aim of the literary text. Being formed as it is, Africa is also regarded to empower patriotism and nationalism.
That is your Africa springing up anew
The line above showcases how hopeful the Africans are despite everything happened to them; hence, this is an example of how this poem, as a dramatic monologue, empowers the love and faith in the country.
Aside from personification, the poet also used symbolisms to create a richer reading experience. For instance, the line that tree young and strong maximized the usage of symbolism. The line relates to starting anew, where Africa can develop as a tree. Africa can be a young tree again only if they accept rebirth in terms of their society, history, and culture. Moreover, as a strong tree, Africa can withstand the plights from then and now; hence, as they progress into that kind of tree, Africa will thrive just like how they thrived over the years of slavery and freedom.
Another observable symbolism is found in this line Whose fruit bit by bit acquires / The bitter taste of liberty. These ending couplets summarize how Africa will thrive for its future. As they develop in accordance to the current norms of the society, the liberty for Africa will never be that easy. As mentioned, they are still hostages of the past due to their current cultures and worldviews that are the products of their years of slavery. Hence, having liberty for Africa is both a challenge and a fulfillment. As the latter, the liberty can be achieved through a lot of sacrifices, such as letting go of the traumatic experiences from slavery and its results. As the former, African liberty must be driven by determination as fueled by their love of country, so that even as the poem suggests, the bitterness in liberty might have the chance to be sweet.
Finally, the line black blood flows in his veins highlights how other people can perceive all the African experience, especially those of the past. The usage of blood may suggest equality since that is one of the common parts of every human. Now, injecting a black blood into a vein of someone may imply that the African experience can also be shared by everyone. All pains and victories in Africa may not only be exclusive to them. For instance, the racial discrimination is not exclusively an African experience, but can also be of other people. Thus, this line symbolizes that both diversity and individuality are omnipresent.
The tone of the poem can be categorized into two: nostalgic and triumphant. As the poet reveals the African experience through time, the poem delivers nostalgia as it recalls how painful slavery is. The following lines serves as climactic lines that emphasize the nostalgic tone of the poem:
Africa, tell me Africa
Is this your back that is unbent
This back that never breaks under the weight of humiliation
This back trembling with red scars And saying no to the whip under the midday sun?
As for the triumphant tone, it can be found at the ending lines where a sense of hope for better Africa and for African life improvement are evident.
That tree over there
Splendidly alone amidst white and faded flowers
That is your Africa springing up anew
springing up patiently, obstinately
Relating the poem to the present Africa may signify that Africa is a reminder of everything happened before that extremely influenced how the country and its people still existed today. As mentioned, experiences and issues prevalent during the year of slavery are embedded in the poem; hence, it also served as a record on how painfully rich the African culture is. The past effects in Africa may still resonate until today but seeing how they went through generations, and as preserved in the poem, we can infer that Africa is stronger and is slowly acquiring independence.
Going back to the literary text, this dramatic monologue also used apostrophe as one of its emerging poetic devices. In the starting line Africa my Africa, the speaker of the poem is observed to be directly talking to Africa as if they are sitting with each other. This effect is brought by the usage of an apostrophe where the poet addresses the abstract ideas as if they are really there with him. Symbolism and imagery are also present in the poem that created a visual appeal of its theme. The following couplets contained these poetic devices:
Africa of proud warriors in ancestral Savannahs
Africa of whom my grandmother sings
Tags: David Diop, Africa poem analysis, African literature, African poetry, postcolonial literature, African struggle, African triumph, African identity.
Author: Christian Loid Valenzuela
