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‘Phenomenal Woman’ is a 1994 poem by the American poet Maya Angelou (1928-2014). Angelou was a singer, dancer, composer, actor, teacher, memoirist, and poet: a woman of many talents. She was also a key voice in the American civil rights movement.
"Phenomenal Woman" is a poem by Maya Angelou, first published in 1978. The poem rejects narrow societal expectations of women and proposes an alternative perspective on what defines real beauty. Confidence and comfort in one's own skin, the speaker insists, are the markers of true beauty.
“Phenomenal Woman” is a poem that first appeared in Maya Angelou’s third poetry collection, titled And Still I Rise (1978). The poem features a speaker who, despite not being as thin as her society tells her she needs to be, nevertheless embodies her femininity with an attractive self-confidence.
- Summary
- Meaning
- Structure
- Literary Devices
- Themes
- Detailed Analysis
- Historical Context
- Similar Poetry
The first-person speaker of the poem ‘Phenomenal Woman,‘ presumably Maya Angelou, describes the allure she has and celebrates her identity as a woman. Throughout each stanza, the speakerexposes the attributes she possesses that deem her irresistible to others, particularly to those of the opposite sex, despite the fact that she does not fit into so...
Angelou’s constant use of the word “phenomenal” is twofold. One most often defines the word as meaning extraordinary and impressive, and she is certainly revelling in being an extraordinary and impressive woman; however, the word phenomenal is also synonymous with unbelievable. By consciously choosing to call herself phenomenal, the speaker seems a...
Structurally, Angelou breaks her poem into four major stanzas, with a smaller yet still significant stanza in between. So, there are a total of five stanzas. While there is some evidence of rhyme, she mostly uses an unconventional rhyme scheme. She begins her poem with a couplet in the first two lines: “Pretty women wonder where my secret lies./ I’...
Throughout this poem, the poet makes use of several literary devices. These include but are not limited to: 1. Repetition: Angelou ends the majority of her stanzas with “That’s me.” In addition, the phrase “phenomenal woman” is repeated throughout the course of the poem, once again emphasizingAngelou’s unconventional beauty and appeal to the opposi...
Angelou’s ‘Phenomenal Woman’ taps on the themes of womanhood, identity, pride, self-love, and self-acceptance. The main theme, womanhood, is celebrated throughout the poem. The line, “I’m a woman,” propagates her self-confidence in being a woman. She celebrates not only her bodily beauty but also her inner glow. Another important theme, identity, i...
Stanza One
In the first stanza, Angelou’s speaker bluntly tells her reader that other women wonder what she has that they are missing, even though she lacks the traits that society most often judges to be beautiful; she intuits that the other women are jealous of her. She writes, “They think I’m telling lies.” The speaker continues on, telling the reader her appeal lies in her arms, hips, and lips. Her voice reflects a sense of confidence. She does not hesitate to talk about the span of her hips or the...
Stanza Two
In her second stanza, she moves away from discussing women and begins to discuss the spell she seems to have over the men she encounters. Her attractiveness goes beyond the physical: it is something innate inside her that makes her so irresistible to men. While women can change the way they look, Angelou insinuates that they will never be able to replicate what she naturally possesses inside herself.
Stanza Three
The third stanza contains only two lines. These lines are a part of the refrain. Separating these lines in this stanza, Angelou tries to emphasize the idea. Besides, she uses this scheme to give special stress to the words. It enhances the confident moodof the poem. As readers can see, these lines need special emphasis. The repetition of the same idea also expounds on how she feels when men hover around her like honeybees. She feels confident by thinking about men’s reactions and celebrates h...
‘Phenomenal Woman’ was first published in Maya Angelou’s collection “And Still I Rise” (1978). Later it was published in her book of poetry “Phenomenal Woman: Four Poems Celebrating Women” in 1995, along with Maya Angelou’s most popular poems such as ‘Still I Rise’and ‘Our Grandmothers.’ This poem was previously published in Cosmopolitan magazine a...
Here is a list of a few poems that are similar to the themes present in Maya Angelou’s poem, ‘Phenomenal Woman.’ 1. ‘On Being a Woman’ by Dorothy Parker – This short and humorous poem describes a fickle-minded lady’s failure in love to be true to her emotions. Read more poems by Dorothy Parker. 2. ‘A Woman’s Hands’ by Eva Bezwoda – In this poem, a ...
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Jun 25, 2024 · “Phenomenal Woman” by Maya Angelou first appeared in 1978 in her third poetry collection, titled And Still I Rise. The poem is a celebration of female empowerment and self-love, featuring a speaker who radiates confidence and charm despite not conforming to traditional beauty standards.
Examples of Plot in Poetry. While a poet may write about a person, pastime, object or observation, he may also use verse to tell a story. When a poem has a plot, it progresses by stanza and contains an exposition, rising action, climax, falling action and resolution.
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Throughout the poem, Angelou makes a loud and proud statement about her own identity as a woman: she is not just any kind of woman, but a phenomenal one. Pretty women wonder where my secret...
