Oppression In Maya Angelou's Poem

1.) Maya Angelou is an African-American woman who wrote about her experience under the oppression era in America. The theme of the poem is racism, slavery and oppression. Evidence of the theme is shown in line 29 “Out of the huts of history's shame”, line 31 “Up from a past that's rooted in pain”, line 33 “I'm a black ocean, leaping and wide,” line 35 “Leaving behind nights of terror and fear” and in line 40 “I am the dream and the hope of the slave.” I think that the main theme of the poem, Still I Rise, would be considered a universal theme as the speaker says in line 29 “Out of the huts of history's shame” referring to the history of oppression which is shameful. During that era black women were ill-treated, made to work as slaves, were

victims of sexual violence and abuse and were made to think that they were responsible for what happened. More evidence that the speaker's poem would be considered a universal theme is in line 40 whereby she says “I am the dream and the hope of the slave.” implying that the speaker offers hope for the slaves all over the world to persevere and triumph over the adversary.
2.) The speaker says in line 29 “Out of the huts of history's shame” implying that black women have been brought to shame by the way that they have been treated.

Black women were frequently abused both verbally and physically through rape by white men. They were oppressed and had to be subservient to white men. An old black woman had to call a young white woman of her daughters age, madam. The jobless son of a black woman was called Tsotsi (criminal or ganger). All of this is the history of shame that Maya Angelou comes

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from but despite being abused and oppressed, she, Maya Angelou, fights against this and defeats abuse and all forms of discrimination based on race and

gender.
3.) In line 25 the speaker refers to her sexiness “Does my sexiness upset you?” which implies that she feels sexy and beautiful. As a black woman she also feels bold and confident in herself, therefore challenging the white men by posing an uncomfortable question for them. In lines 27-28, “That I dance like I've got diamonds / At the meeting of my thighs?” implies that the speaker feels proud of her sexuality and feminism and that she owns and loves every part of herself. Lines 27-28 also implies that the speaker feels and regards herself as valuable and precious just like diamonds, are a precious stone, therefore she dances as if she has diamonds in her groin.
4.) The denotation of “black” in line 33 in it's simplest form is a colour.

The denotation of “ocean” in line 33 in it's simplest form is a vast amount of water that surrounds the earth's surface. The connotation of “black ocean” (line33) refers to black women. The word “black” (line 33) referring to the speaker's race and evoking the theme of racism. The speaker uses the words “black ocean” (line 33) implying that she compares herself to the ocean as she shares some of the same characteristics of the ocean. The ocean is a powerful force similar to the speakers powerful perseverance in having her voice heard in fighting against racism and oppression. She feels unrestrained like the ocean capable of overcoming her past and moving

forward.
5.) Stanza 1, lines 1-4 illustrates the speakers sassiness when she says “You may write me down in history / With your bitter, twisted lies, / You may tread me
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in the very dirt / But still, like dust, I'll rise.” Her sassiness is expressed in lines
1-4 when she literally says that the oppressor can do whatever pleases him to bring her down, belittle her and cause her pain but no matter what the oppressor does, she will rise above the adversity and challenging circumstances.