Still I Rise by Maya Angelou | Summary and Analysis

Unyielding Spirit:
A Study of ‘Still I Rise’
by Maya Angelou

Information
Name : Rajdeep Bavaliya A.
Roll No. : 12
Enrollment No. : 3176205820210012
Sem. : 6 (T. Y. - B. A.) (2023 – 2024)
Paper Name : A Study of American Literature – 2
Paper No. : 19
Paper Code : 24262
Unit : 4 – Still I Rise by Maya Angelou
Topic : Unyielding Spirit: A Study of ‘Still I Rise’ by Maya Angelou
Submitted To : M. R. R. Monapara Arts College, SPEI, Bhavnagar, Department of English.
Submitted Date : April 9, 2024
E-mail : rajdeepbavaliya2@gmail.com

Table of Contents
• Questions to be
Addressed
• Introduction
• About the Author
• Analysis
• Key Literary Devices
Used in the Poem
1. Simile
2. Metaphor
3. Repetition
4. Rhetorical Question
5. Structure and Form
6. Imagery
7. Symbolism
• Conclusion
• References

Questions to be Addressed
• How does the meaning of the poem evolve as we
progress through each stanza?
• How do similes and metaphors enhance the
imagery in “Still I Rise”?
• What effect does the repetition of certain phrases
have on the overall tone of the poem?
• How does Maya Angelou use symbolism to convey
her message of resilience and empowerment?

Introduction
• “Still I Rise” is a poem by the
American civil rights activist and
writer Maya Angelou.
• The poem was published in
Angelou’s third poetry collection
“And Still I Rise” in 1978. (Image Source: DALL-E 3)
• Broadly speaking, the poem is an assertion of the dignity and
resilience of marginalized people in the face of oppression.
• “Still I Rise” can also be read more specifically as a critique of
anti-black racism.

Still I Rise by Maya Angelou | Summary and Analysis

About the Author
(Image Source: Wikipedia)
• Born Marguerite Annie Johnson; on April 4,
1928 – May 28, 2014.
• She was an American memoirist, poet, and
civil rights activist.
• She published seven autobiographies, three
books of essays, several books of poetry, and is
credited with a list of plays, movies, and
television shows spanning over 50 years.
• The first, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
(1969), tells of her life up to the age of 17 and
brought her international recognition and
acclaim.

Analysis
• ‘Still I Rise’ by Maya Angelou – 1987 – Live Performance:
Click Here
Stanza: 1
• Asserts determination and courage despite oppression.
• Rejects false historical narratives and others’
mistreatment.
Stanza: 2
• Challenges societal reaction to her success.
• Mocks societal discomfort with her confidence and
achievements.

Stanza: 3
• Compares herself to the moon and sun, emphasizing
resilience.
Stanza: 4
• Directly confronts racism and societal expectations.
• Exposes societal desire to see her broken and subdued.
Stanza: 5
• Sarcastically questions society’s discomfort with her pride.
• Highlights society’s double standards and her confidence.

Stanza: 6
• Declares society’s inability to defeat her spirit.
• Asserts resilience and determination to rise
above oppression.
Stanza: 7
• Continues to question societal norms and
prejudices.
• Places society on trial for its injustices.

Stanza: 8
• Condemns the lingering effects of historical
oppression.
• Refuses to be defined or limited by past injustices.
Stanza: 9
• Declares intention to transcend fear, terror, and
sorrow.
• Repeats the phrase “I rise” as a triumphant
affirmation of resilience.

Key Literary Devices Used in the Poem
1. Simile
• A simile is a comparison of two unlike items that employs the terms “like”
or “as”.
• A poet utilizes this type of figurative language to express that one item is
comparable to another, as opposed to metaphor, which states that it “is”
another.
• “But still, like dust, I’ll rise.”
• “’Cause I walk like I’ve got oil wells”
• “Just like moons and like suns,”
• “Just like hopes springing high,”
• “But still, like air, I’ll rise.”
● Examples

2. Metaphor
• Metaphor appears in the last section of “Still I Rise.”
• In lines 21-23, for example, the speaker used figurative
language when outlining the different things her oppressor
may do to harm her:
● Examples
“You may shoot me with your words,
You may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefulness,”

3. Repetition
• The repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of
multiple lines, usually in succession.
● Examples
“You may shoot me with your
words,
You may cut me with your
eyes,
You may kill me with your
hatefulness,
But still, like air, I’ll rise.”
“Leaving behind nights of terror and fear
I rise
Into a daybreak that’s wondrously clear
I rise
Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave,
I am the dream and the hope of the slave.
I rise
I rise
I rise.”

4. Rhetorical Question
• A rhetorical question is one that is not intended
to be answered; rather, it is presented to clarify
the point.
● Examples
• “Does my sassiness upset you?”
• “Does my sexiness upset you?”
• “Did you want to see me broken?”

5. Structure and Form
• The poem ‘Still I Rise’ is nine stanzas long and
divided into unequal lines. The first seven
stanzas include four lines, known as quatrains,
while the eighth has six and the ninth has nine.
• The first seven stanzas have a rhyme scheme of
ABCB, the eighth ABABCC, and the ninth
ABABCCBBB.

6. Imagery
• The first line shows a picture of “dust” that helps
the speaker say what she wants.
• We can see oil wells that are spilling oil.
• The third stanza has pictures of the moon, the sun,
and the water that moves up and down. In this
poem, the water goes very high. It is like “hope.”
• Gold mines
• Diamonds
• Black ocean

7. Symbolism
• “Dirt” as a symbol.
• “Oil wells”, “Gold mines”, and “Diamonds”.
• The moon and sun symbolize the speaker herself.
• “Bowed head and lowered eyes.”
• The eighth verse contains an essential symbol of the
“black ocean”.
• Another sign appears in the final stanza’s use of the
term “night”.

Conclusion
• In the poem’s conclusion, Angelou speaks with
clear confidence.
• She declares that no matter the pain or oppression,
she will always rise.
• It’s a simple yet strong message of resilience and
hope.
• Her words encourage everyone to stand tall and
face challenges with the belief that they can rise
above them.

References
• Chen, Wendy. "Still I Rise." LitCharts. LitCharts
LLC, 28 Oct 2019.
https://www.litcharts.com/poetry/maya-
angelou/still-i-rise. 8 Apr 2024.
• Corfman, Allisa. "Still I Rise by Maya Angelou".
Poem Analysis, https://poemanalysis.com/maya-
angelou/still-i-rise/. Accessed 8 April 2024.
• OpenAI. ChatGPT. OpenAI, 2021.
https://www.openai.com/chatgpt.

Still I Rise by Maya Angelou | Summary and Analysis

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