Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Black Woman #1

Who, or what, is the "Black Woman" referred to in the poem?
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16 comments:

  1. Benson O.oDecember 2, 2009 at 1:14 PM

    The "Black Woman" referred to Africa land and also the African Culture. It talks about the hills, Savanna, river, wind...and etc in Africa. In the poem, author treats Africa as a woman, a mother and want to express the love to their land.

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  2. tee-teeDecember 2, 2009 at 6:01 PM

    I think it refers to the BLack Woman, and every woman of the world. I think also talk about the land and the world.How the women enrich life. It's also like a saying," Mother Earth. Some people percieve the women as a creator to peace and life...

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  3. wayneDecember 2, 2009 at 9:28 PM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

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  4. wayneDecember 2, 2009 at 9:29 PM

    The "Black woman" refers to sex object or mother, and the words "naked", "beauty", "gentleness" identify that. But when we read the poem more carefully, we find that the author also implies “Black woman” as motherland, and he inspires people to struggle against the Conquerors. "Carved tom-tom, taut tom-tom, muttering under the Conqueror's fingers", clearly explains that.

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  5. JosephDecember 3, 2009 at 12:14 AM

    In this poem, "Black Woman" referred to the land of Africa in which the speaker of this poem grew. "I grew up in your shadow. The softness of your hands.", "Promised land", and "Savanna" indicated that. In this poem, the speaker praises the beauty of the land and shows the love for this land, which had been the shelter for him.

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  6. raisinsklDecember 3, 2009 at 1:10 AM

    I agreed with Wayne. I think the author incisively uses “Black Woman” as the title to refer the environment and people in Africa, as it is a way to inspire the reader with his nostalgia and to highlight the Black beauty.

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  7. karen-zhongDecember 3, 2009 at 6:30 PM

    I also agreed with Wayne. The "Black Woman" is not only refers to the black female identity, but it also stand for the author's motherland.The author as a Africa, he/she is proud of being its member. The author love and admire the land deeply; his/her passion for the "black woman" is stronger and stronger till the end of the poem.

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  8. dtwelve89December 3, 2009 at 10:21 PM

    I too agree with Wayne and the others that this "Black Woman" is refering to Africa. As stated before, the author's homeland has female characteristics. From one point of view this female figure can represent a mother in how it raised and nourished the author. Another point of view of this female figure can represent a beautiful woman. The small detailed features of a woman that drives men crazy and fall in love with. This can be used to describe the sensual and passionate love for his home.

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  9. prettyleungDecember 4, 2009 at 5:27 PM

    I am totally agree with Wayne and other's point of view that "Black Woman" is all refering to Africa and the woman's identity
    in Africa. The author mention that she love her own place alot and its all about the land, mountaim, the beauty of the place.

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  10. gabrielasedovaDecember 4, 2009 at 5:57 PM

    All the details described in this poem serve as an imagery fitting a women, while making metaphor for the whole nation to which the author gives honor.
    The main point of the poem is the gender - women and accompanying sensuality.

    "Naked woman, dark woman
    Ripe fruit with firm flesh, dark raptures of black wine,
    Mouth that gives music to my mouth...."

    Those are the lines that express it all in the best way.
    The author "scream" to the whole world how proud he is on his own identity.
    He wonders if the rest of us will ever be able to understand his feelings.

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  11. kalDecember 4, 2009 at 7:27 PM

    I don’t think that Senghor is talking about a woman at all but in order to show the true beuty of Africa, he expressed Africa in the form of a woman. Like Rifaat wrote in My World of the Unknown, "'Perfect beauty is to be found only in woman'" (1140). I didn’t really agree with this when I first read it but now that I am seeing it in different situations, Rifaat and Senghor couldn’t be more right. Had Senghor expressed the beauty of Africa as a man it couldn’t have had the same impact on me as it did in a woman. Senghor repeated the words “Naked woman, black woman” not to express sexuality but rather to show where the beauty of Africa lays which is in its natural splendor.

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  12. carrielamDecember 4, 2009 at 8:44 PM

    I agree with Kal, I don't think the main point of the poem is about black woman. From the first paragragh last 2 sentences state that " From the crest of a charred hilltop I discover you, Promise Land And your beauty strikes my heart like an eagle's lightting flash.I can clearly undersatnd it is about a place, not a human. As far as I unstersatand from this poem, only the last to the second paragragh seems to be talking about a black female . " upon the night of your skin/ In the shades of your hair, my despair Lightens in the close suns of your eys.

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  13. xiao-liDecember 5, 2009 at 3:20 PM

    Yes I agree with Wayne. The article “Black Woman” not only writes about the African (land) also the women in African. “color” “Mouth that gives music to my mouth” “Of athletes and the thighs of the princes of Mali” “dark woman” “dark raptures of black wine” these are symbol African and their cultures.

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  14. Anya liuDecember 8, 2009 at 1:16 AM

    In this poem, "black Woman" referred to the poet's motherland. this poem full of eulogize and
    celebration. we can see that in the first section. It said, "In your shadow I have grown up""I come upon you, my Promised Land,". those can find that this "black woman" is a beautiful and attractive land. "black" also referred the race of the poet. He should was born in Africa where is a charming and wild place.

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  15. AnonymousDecember 8, 2009 at 9:18 AM

    "Black Woman" refers to the continent of Africa. The poet speaks of the land that is full of natural treasure, whether found in the ground or in the native people it produces. In lines 22-24 the poet writes “Naked woman, black woman I sing your passing beauty and fix it for all Eternity before jealous Fate reduces you to ashes to nourish the roots of life.” Africa has been ravaged for centuries, there is no combined unity amongst the many countries on the continent which makes it easy for outside forces to take advantage or control of its land. Many of Africa’s resources are exported and bring profit to the outside countries that have control of the land. In due time, Africa will be dried up, but its resources will benefit the countries, lives and economies of the people who conquered the land.

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  16. Tsegu KahsayDecember 10, 2009 at 11:48 AM

    Leopold Sangart is referring to Africa where he has grown up. He describes her beauty, her resource and the fact that everyone desires and envies her. He is referring to the virginity of the land, the nakedness, in night the pearls look like starts when they are looked from above sky. And at the end he says, that jealous would turn it to fate.

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