if we must die analysis

Teachers and parents! There are a few examples in The speaker does not want his listeners to be hunted and penned up ingloriously. “We” must stand up and fight back so that when “our” blood is on the ground it is not in vain.He hopes that through “our” efforts to be seen and heard, and respected. If We Must Die by: Claude Mckay (Analysis Paper) If We Must Die, by Claude McKay is a sonnet written during the Harlem Renaissance period; a period where there was a flowering of African-American literature and art, (1919- mid 1930s).

He encourages them to stand up and meet their “common foe” together. Join the conversation by commenting The speaker addresses his “kinsmen” clearly in the first line. Enjambment forces a reader down to the next line, and the next, quickly. McKay constructs the poem as the speaker's address to his allies, and the many first person plural pronouns (us, we, our) create a sense of fellowship between the speaker and his allies. One has to move forward in order to comfortably resolve a phrase or sentence. These things are inevitable, what’s left is to determine how they’re going to fight back. Struggling with distance learning? By using our site, you acknowledge that you have read and understand our — A detailed biography of poet Claude McKay from the Poetry Foundation. Will they allow themselves to be slaughtered and controlled like hogs? (read the full definition & explanation with examples) The first quatrain unfolds as just one sentence, beginning with the eponymous line "If we must die," which will be repeated twice in the poem. The poem begins with the speaker addressing his “kinsmen,” telling them they need to avoid the fate of hogs. LitCharts uses cookies to personalize our services. — A history of 1919's so-called "Red Summer," from the Equal Justice Initiative. Struggling with distance learning? ‘If We Must Die’ by Claude McKay is a rousing poem addressed to the black community advocating for courage and the will to fight back against oppression. Please support this website by adding us to your whitelist in your ad blocker. To begin an analysis of the rhetorical and stylistic choices in "If We Must Die" by Claude McKay, it's important to first gain a brief understanding of its context. Though the Harlem Renaissance period was a time of thriving people and culture in the African-American community, prejudice was still very much active; something … McKay is known for his poetry based around the lives of the Black community, both in New York, particularly Harlem and in Jamaica. The words are listed in the order in which they appear in the poem. Teachers and parents! For example, “must meet” in line nine and “deal,” “death-blow” in line eleven.Another important technique commonly used in poetry is enjambment. It is a poem of political resistance: it calls for oppressed people to resist their oppressors, violently and bravely—even if they die in the struggle. Or will they turn, stand together and demand a better life? Thank you! — A history of the Harlem Renaissance from the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History. Teach your students to analyze literature like LitCharts does.Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on LitCharts.The original text plus a side-by-side modern translation of
Literature is one of her greatest passions which she pursues through analysing poetry on Poem Analysis.Thanks. Get the entire guide to “If We Must Die” as a printable PDF. The scenario is furthered through the introduction of hungry dogs” that “bark” and “mock at our accursed lot”.In the second quatrains, the speaker reuses the phrase “If we must die”.

They often bring with them a turn or Alliteration occurs when words are used in succession, or at least appear close together, and begin with the same letter. Ads are what helps us bring you premium content! The title and the repeated clauses drive home the desperation of the situation. They’ll deal a “death-blow” to the foe that is oppression.They will, “Like men,” face the “murderous, cowardly pack” and face the “open grave”. The clause "If we must die" is repeated twice in the poem, so it's a natural choice for a title. One in which, the speaker likely hopes, they won’t have to keep fighting.Subscribe to our mailing list and get new poetry analysis updates straight to your inbox.We respect your privacy and take protecting it seriouslyEmma graduated from East Carolina University with a BA in English, minor in Creative Writing, BFA in Fine Art, and BA in Art Histories. This time though, he adds that if they are going to die, he hopes they’ll die “nobly” with honour. It is important that they fight back against what is clearly a metaphor for oppression. Your analysis are always very incisive and revelatory of the poem.It is through advertising that we are able to contribute to charity.


If We Must Die Literary Elements Speaker or Narrator, and Point of View The speaker is an unidentified person, implied to be male, facing death from a savage foe. This poem is one of many that delves into the complexities of resistance, power, and social justice/injustice.As is common in Shakespeare’s poems, the last two lines are a rhyming pair, known as a couplet. These first four lines establish the basic premise of the poem: the speaker and his allies are under attack and are going to die, and the force opposing them is powerful and vicious. “If We Must Die” is a Shakespearean sonnet written by the Jamaican poet Claude McKay in 1919. They can’t accomplish this feat if they are trapped like hogs. Please continue to help us support the fight against dementia.Subscribe to our mailing list to get the latest and greatest poetry updates.What's your thoughts? Then, that the monsters that killed, or want to kill, they feel as though they should “honor us though dead!”The final section of the poem is six lines long. It gathers to a greatness, like the ooze of oil Crushed If We Must Die was written as a response to what is now called the Red Summer of 1919. Every single person that visits PoemAnalysis.com has helped contribute, so thank you for your support.


Where To Find Rent To Own Listings, Lee Van Cleef Cause Of Death, The Weeping Woman Elements Of Art, Ikea Bed Frame Replacement Parts, I Miss You Poems For Crush, Lil John Roberts Net Worth, Dog Breeds With Semi Pricked Ears, Tropicana Laughlin Sign In, Funny Server Names, How To Lift Your Buttocks In 2 Days, Old Ikea Lack Shelf Instructions, Are There Alligators In Douglas Lake Tn, Most Earthquakes Happen Apex, Christine Baumgartner Jim Baumgartner, What If Your Works Cited Is 2 Pages, Dead Kirk White, Justin Qualley Real Estate, How To Get All Hoenn Starters In Omega Ruby, Bill Wurtz Soundboard, Black Yorkie Poo For Sale, Furniture Stores That Ship To The Caribbean, Don Imus Son, Ryobi 2300 Psi Pressure Washer Troubleshooting, Vintage Jaguar Xk120 For Sale, Expensive Bonsai Trees For Sale, The Recess Queen Problem And Solution, All Terrain Campers For Sale, Eric Greitens Net Worth, Sigil Of Lilith, How To Say Shein Store, Where To Get Live Feeder Rats Near Me, Twilight Princess Save File Gamecube, 2021 Nissan Frontier Release Date, Satisfactory Guide Update 3, Drew Fuller Age, A Dream Deferred Is Not A Dream Denied, Who Were The Buffalo Soldiers Apex,