Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou
“Phenomenal Woman” by Maya Angelou is an inspiring poem which embraces such a strong message of Maya Angelou being proud of whom she is that all women ought to read over and over again. Maya Angelou (1928) is a talented African American. She mostly writes from experience, and this poem falls perfectly in that category. First published in 1978, “Phenomenal Woman” is an anthem of women's strength in their own womanhood. It tells us about how the inner beauty makes a woman respected by the others. The persona in this poem is a strong, confident woman going against society’s conformist standard of beauty. Lyman B. Hagen states, "The woman described is easily matched to the author herself. Angelou is an imposing woman - at least six feet tall. She has a strong personality and a compelling presence as defined in the poem" (p.126). Angelou uses a variety of elements, the two of which are the figures of speech (repetition, metaphor, symbol, imagery and hyperbole) and the irony. The first noticeable sign in this poem was the use of interesting imagery and how it put an emphasis on what phenomenal woman is. The first two lines open the image of a pretty woman with “a fashion model’s size”: "Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size."
Angelou is clearly implying to the connection between thinness and attractiveness in women. “Phenomenal woman” expresses a change of opinion. She sets up her own standards of beauty; her words draw imagery of a proud woman who carries herself, as she eloquently says: “It's in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.”
Or:
“It's the fire in my eyes,
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing in my waist,
And the joy in my feet.”
In those lines, the speaker affirms that she is far from model-thin, but still beautiful in her own standards. In two stanzas, she shows the tone of confidence and self-assuredness. She uses such imagery so that the proud,
I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size."
Angelou is clearly implying to the connection between thinness and attractiveness in women. “Phenomenal woman” expresses a change of opinion. She sets up her own standards of beauty; her words draw imagery of a proud woman who carries herself, as she eloquently says: “It's in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.”
Or:
“It's the fire in my eyes,
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing in my waist,
And the joy in my feet.”
In those lines, the speaker affirms that she is far from model-thin, but still beautiful in her own standards. In two stanzas, she shows the tone of confidence and self-assuredness. She uses such imagery so that the proud,